Christmas, 2013

I have already posted much about this year's holiday, but not my actual Christmas Day experience.  I think I mentioned that I would be driving to my sister's near Springfield, IL.  And so I did, leaving on Christmas Eve.

Did I mention that I was cat-sitting for my daughter's cat?  I told Meg that I would as long as she understood that I would have to leave the cat behind for about three days while I went to my sister's.  My neighbor agreed to check on the cat in my absence, making sure she had food and water, and cleaning out the litter box.  Since my immediate family would be in Florida for the holiday, I decided to spend it with my sister and family for the first time in how long?  Not sure...but a long time.

The distance to my daughter's in Grayslake, IL, is about the same as the distance to my sister's just west of Springfield, IL....but there is a HUGE difference in effort to get there.  To go to Meg's, I have to make sure that my IPASS transponder for the toll road is loaded with enough funds, and drive in traffic all the way around Chicago, praying for no slowdowns.  The trip to Shari's, however, is all lightly-traveled interstates and boring as the dickens.  No stress!  Thus it was.  I left home in good time and made it there in good time.

My sister's house is warm and delightful, well-decorated, and comfortable.  Family and friends came and went on Christmas Eve.  Shari had prepared vegetable soup, macaroni and cheese, Italian beef for sandwiches, and baked beans.  There were cookies and candies and wine/booze for those that imbibe.  It was pleasant!

Christmas Day happened in waves.  Some factions of the family would show up when they could.  Some left early.  Others overlapped.  I got to visit nieces and nephews--even if only briefly--that I haven't seen in a couple of years.  Dinner consisted of ham, mashed potatoes, candied sweet potatoes, applesauce, peas, rolls, deviled eggs, and I forget what else.  I just know that I left the table feeling absolutely stuffed!!  (My sister is a good cook!)  After dinner, we retired to the living room to open gifts. 

The only "downer" to the whole occasion is the fact that my niece's husband has been diagnosed with terminal cancer.  At their request, we didn't talk about that except in grace before dinner where it was declared that, no matter the future, nothing could take away our happiness and memories of the day.

Santa Claus was really good to me this year!  I got a brand new sewing machine from my daughter, and my sister (who always supplies me with gorgeous sweatshirts) gave me two more AND came up with a pair of britches that just happened to fit!!!!!!

I hope they liked the gifts I gave them.  I just bought gift cards, basically...but then, there was the family tree.  Meg worked on it for weeks, with input from me.  It was a framed tree word print that she does as part of her business.  I chose the design and colors, plus the mat and frame.  Meg did the rest.  It's a one-of-a-kind gift.   Shari doesn't need something else to put on her walls, but I thought this was special.  (Apparently, so did many of the family members who were in attendance....looking and looking at it, searching for their names.  Thank God we didn't leave anyone out, including an unborn child!)

Yesterday, I went to Shari's workplace with her for a short errand that she needed to run, then we met her husband for lunch at Hooters.  There, I got to see my brother-in-law's dementia-related obsessive behavior first-hand.  Too much to go into here.  Suffice it to say that he just gushed about the food, the service, the manager, and his own propensity to leave big tips.  I left for home from there so that I could be home before dark and not leave the cat alone another day. 

My car performed magnificently.  Not sure how much longer that will happen.  My bro-in-law was on good behavior, so there was no tension (that I could see).  I got home in good time and in fine shape, and found the cat in her hiding place, so all was well.

Christmas this year seemed "iffy" at first to me, but turned out nicely.  I came home tired but happy!