As I write this, it is about 11 p.m. on December 23. My mother, who refuses adamantly all help in the kitchen, is finishing her cleaning. Walt and Jeri have gone to bed. I have determined that there is no internet connection to be had tonight, but I am writing this entry and will post at the first opportunity.
It's been a fun "first Christmas." We got kind of a late start, so didn't get here until 4:30. Ned had been here since 2, and Jeri had arrived some time after that. They had already started on the munchies by the time we arrived.
Ned was happy to show off his new teeth, giving him, I thought, a very Anthony DiNozzo look.
Marta, who had been to a meeting in Santa Rosa, wasn't too far behind us and in short order, Ned was running a bunch of videos he had brought, videos that he's made this past year. I am in constant awe at his composing and editing skills. But it was a little sad, too. The final video is one of one of Paul's monologue shows...a funny bit that had us all laughing heartily. But it was sad for two reasons--first, of course, because it's Paul and he's not here any more, but my mother asked me three times who it was. At first I thought she was joking but then realized that she really had no idea who that person was. Stuff like that scares me.
The dinner also made me realize that we can't do another dinner like this. She loves to entertain, and she insists on doing all the set-up and clean-up by herself and it's just getting to be too much for her.
Next time we do this, we'll have to make other arrangements so she doesn't have to go through the confusion of making a dinner any more, no matter how much she thinks she wants to do it. I hate to see her so exhausted, and in such physical pain at the end of the evening.
After dinner we opened a few gifts and I was able to give Ned the gift I'd been waiting for weeks to give him.
People who have been following Ned on Facebook for months will understand why this is hilarious.
He loved it and my main frustration with having no internet connection tonight is that I can't post this photo to Facebook yet!
Just before we left home, UPS showed up with a package from Bri for my mother and she and Jeri enjoyed looking at the beautiful calendar that was also a scrapbook of Bri's last year.
But now it's late and since I can't be tempted by an internet connection and can't post this, I think I'll get my book, curl up and read for awhile and then get ready to start our next Christmas, the drive down to Santa Barbara. Maybe we can stop at an internet cafe for lunch....
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