Tag Archives: Holiday

September already?

Dreams,

The nightmares have started early this year. I knew they’d come. They always do. In fact, as an incredulous young (and soon-to-be-a-father) Englishman overheard on New Year’s Eve, I discussed this reoccurring nightmare with a the hostess of the party.

Me: I’m so glad Christmas is over.
Alison (something like): Me too, it is so stressful
Me: I wonder when the nightmares will start — the ones where it is near the end of the year and I start panicking about Christmas
James (young and soon-to-be-a-father Englishman): Slow turn of his head and puzzled look.
Me to James: Yes, really. They usually start near the end of January.
James: Shakes head

Last night I dreamed that I remarked to someone that I couldn’t believe it was September already. Where did the year go, we wondered. Then I thought in the dream, only a few months until Christmas. The panic began to set in. I also recall thinking that maybe this year I should start shopping in September.

I wonder if these dreams might not really be about Christmas, but about life zooming by at an alarming rate. Either way, I’m relieved that it is only January 4th and not September 1st.

Merry Ex-Mas

Events
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Jill

We went “home” for Christmas. Just like the song says. We debated this plan because Andrew has wrestling practice over the winter break, but decided to go because I’d not seen my brother in a year and because Andrew wanted to.

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Dona, slightly marinated in red wine.

We drove into Illinois on December 23, just as an ice storm was developing. We had a nice visit with my brother over pizza and beer. We awoke the next day to ice-sheathed trees, ice-covered walkways and ice-encrusted snow drifts. We normally spend Christmas eve with Dean’s family and this year was going to be unique because it was going to be held at Danny and Carol’s new home. However, not only were trees, walkways and snow covered in ice — so were power lines. The electricity to the new house was out and the celebration there was postponed.

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Mom, relaxing. Happy to not cook.

So, instead of having a ham dinner at Carol’s we ate mediocre Greek food at Paul’s. At least the wait staff was friendly.

Since we stayed with my brother, Kevin, I thought that having dinner (cooked by Kevin and me) at his house would be the best plan. I didn’t plan on the ice storm. Or the flooded garage. Or the frozen turkey. And I’m a little confused (but not in a bad way) how we ended up celebrating Christmas with Kevin’s (first) ex-wife and her ex-boyfriend.

My mom doesn’t like to drive in bad weather, so the drive down and back was a little nerve wracking for her.

Everything worked out well, though. Jill (Kevin’s ex-wife) is a brilliant and resourceful cook. Too much meat (turkey breast, ham & rib roast) to cook in the one oven? No problem — pull out the grill. Result = delicious smokey flavored chicken breast and moist ham in addition to perfectly cooked stuffed rib-roast.

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Gingerbread house

Jill’s ex-boyfriend, Devin, was the life of the party, alternately serving as DJ and practical joker (Kevin is still finding beer-bottle caps around his house).

Mom and Dad had a safe journey home and we spent the rest of the night building gingerbread houses, watching movies and finishing off the wine.

Sometimes traditions are what is needed, but occasionally spontaneous moments are just as rewarding.

He painted clothespin men…

Memories, Things

I’ve written a bit about Jeremy here and there. We met on a student exchange. He lived in Yorkshire and I lived in Illinois. We were friends for several years and even talked of marrying someday. We visited back and forth for several years.

On one of his visits to Elgin we picked up a clothespin ornament kit from Lee Wards. It held paint, a paintbrush, clothespins, glue and felt as well as directions on how to assemble the ornaments. One evening — the evening before he was to go back to England — we assembled the ornaments.

Now if it were me, I would have made the faces basic. Two dots for the eyes, one dot for the nose and a curved line for the mouth. Not Jeremy. He was an artist. He gave the faces large, expressive eyes. He gave the faces freckles and cheekbones that blushed. He made even added knees to some of the ornaments. Arms occasionally wore wristwatches.

Being the not-an-artist of the pair I was assigned the task of gluing the felt clothes to the clothespin people — which turned out to be quite fun. We pretty much stayed up all night, but the results were awesome.

Jeremy fashioned several of the clothespin people after people in his life. Strangely, I was not turned into a clothespin person. Nor was my mom. But the rest of the family was as was his family. A couple times over.

He made a nurse that actually does look like his mom and a doctor that looked like his dad. His dad was also the hiker and I think Mrs. Claus was his mom. He made a policeman that could have been his brother Nick who was trying to become a British Constable. He made a cowboy that looked like my cousin Bob who was living with us at the time and who made our life a little hellish at times. He made a boy scout for my brother Kevin and a sailor for my dad. And no relation, but a common interest — the lumberjack held a bra (it since has been mostly lost).

A couple of years ago, after a decade or two of hinting, my mom finally gave me the ornaments and yesterday I put them on the tree.

The video below is about the artist L. S. Lowrey — an artist Jeremy introduced me to. The song was popular back then. Whenever I think about my clothespin men and women I think about this song.