I AM LUCKY ENOUGH

ALLOW ME TO DRIZZLE A BIT OF MY CURMUDGEONLY SYRUP FOR JUST A MOMENT (I PROMISE THAT THERE IS A HAPPY ENDING). I GET DOWN IN THE WINTER. THE WEATHER (I KNOW 60 AIN'T COLD FOR YOU, BUT IT'S 50 DEGREES COLDER THAN 6 WEEKS AGO), BUSINESS VANISHES LIKE CARL ROVE AFTER ELECTION NIGHT, AND WE HAVE ONLY BUT TO PREPARE FOR NEXT YEAR. GRANTED, THAT AIN'T TERRIBLE, IT'S JUST NOT AS MUCH FUN AS THE OTHER 9 MONTHS. PARTICULARLY ANTICLIMACTIC IS THIS YEAR. WE HAD A GREAT YEAR AT MAG BAY, AND THEN THAT ENDED. AND THEN THERE'S CHRISTMAS. I DO NOT LIKE THE LAST 5 WEEKS LEADING TO CHRISTMAS. I'M A THANKSGIVING FAN, I LIKE COOKING, DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE PILGRIMS, LIKE HAVIN' FRIENDS OVER TO EAT AND TALK, BUT THEN COMES THAT LONG GRADE CLIMBING DOWN TO CHRISTMAS. THIS YEAR THEY EVEN ROBBED A LITTLE OF THANKSGIVING WITH "BLACK THURSDAY", WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT ABOUT. INSTEAD OF SITTIN' AROUND WITH FRIENDS, LAUGHING AND BURPING, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO STAND IN LINE AT SOME OVERLY LIT, POPCORN STINKING, UNDERSTAFFED GIANT STORE, WAITING FOR THEM TO OPEN THE DOOR SO THAT YOU CAN SPEND YOUR MONEY IN THEIR STORE?? NO GRACIAS. NOW, I REALLY LIKE CHRISTMAS ITSELF, IT'S JUST THE PART LEADING UP TO IT. JUST WHEN YOU THINK THAT IT WILL NEVER ARRIVE, IT'S HERE. CHRIS CAME BACK FROM MAG BAY, TIRED AND BEARDED. THEN A TREE WITH LIGHTS HAPPENED IN OUR LIVING ROOM. JANE WENT INTO PRECHRISTMAS NESTING MODE. AND ON CHRISTMAS DAY, ON HIS LAST RUN THROUGH THE SKY, THE BIG BEARDED MAN DROPPED A COUPLE OF PARACHUTE PACKAGES INTO THE LA PAZ AIRPORT, GLYNNIS AND KELLY! ALL OF A SUDDEN THE HOUSE GOT NOISIER, THE LAUNDRY BEGAN TO MOUNT, AND THE FRIG EMPTIED DAILY. WOO-HOO! THE KIDS AND THEIR FRIENDS WERE AROUND, A CONSTANTLY CHANGING GROUP OF PEOPLE COMING AND GOING THAT WOULD HAVE DRIVEN ONE OF O'HARES' TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS APE SHIT. TRYING TO REMEMBER FEEPOS' NAME, HAVING TO SHARE THE REMOTE CONTROL, WATCHING YOUNG ADULTS LEAVE THEIR BEDROOMS AT 11am, LOOKING LIKE WHAT BEARS MUST LOOK LIKE WHEN THEY STAGGER OUT OF THEIR HIBERNATION PADS. IT WAS GREAT! MY FAVORITE PARTS WERE SITTING AT DINNER EAVESDROPPING ON CONVERSATIONS AT THE OTHER END OF THE TABLE AND LISTENING IN ON THE GAME PLAYING, NO, REAL GAMES. MONOPOLY, BALDERDASH, AND EVEN A HOMEMADE VERSION OF "A MINUTE TO WIN IT" GOING ON ONE NIGHT. THE CONSTANT BANTER AND JANE LAUGHING AND YELLING IN EXCITEMENT WERE MUSIC TO MY EARS. (THE ONLY CAVEAT THAT I WOULD ADD IS THAT I'M SURE THAT THE EGGS ON TV ARE HARD BOILED, THEY ROLL MORE EASILY AND DON'T MAKE NEARLY THE MESS, JUST A NOTE.) I REALLY LOVE CHRISTMAS, ONCE IT GETS HERE. IT TRULY IS A MOMENT OF GRACE, AND I CAN'T GET ENOUGH. HAPPY NEW YEAR, MORE FISHING SHORTLY, DAVID