The end of the year. Let’s start this new one.

Yesterday, Dani and Vincent left for the West Coast (flight delayed a full day because of….who knows what. We went to the airport Friday and it was the best we could do – a Saturday mid-day flight). Bob and Katherine flew in from Europe Friday night and left very early Saturday morning even without any of us waking as they were on Europe time and wanted to get home quickly. A benefit of the delayed Sacramento flight was that Kiki and Kappa got to meet Dani which we thought would not happen this holiday season.

I’m spending the weekend putting the house back together, moving my work computer back into its office, beds back in their regular spaces, air mattresses deflated, Christmas decor put away, linens washed, bills paid, trash trashed etc.

With the death of Pip and our week-long illness with Covid and I, also, unfortunately, got yelled at unexpectedly and at length, so it was not such a great holiday week. We were joyful meeting Dani, for sure, the highlight of the vacation and are very glad that that happened.

The two of them, Vince and Dani, did get to spend three days and two nights in NYC which was Vince’s Christmas gift. They took the Chinatown bus there and back, stayed at the POD hotel and did so many things – the Met, MOMA, tacos, pizza, bagels, Broadway (the Book of Mormon), Rockefeller center, Grand Central Station, the vessel, the high line, ramen and the subway. It was sunny, but cold and they had a nice time. It’s a joy to hear them talk about their trip . I think it was also Vince’s first time “hosting” travel where it was his idea, he has a friend who has never been and wanted to show them a good time. He had to figure out the itinerary and execute the plan. It’s not an easy thing to do, as I know from all the times we’ve ever traveled, there is bound to be some grumpiness. They learned their way around the city, figured out the subway. I told them that if they were completely frustrated and/or lost, just take an UBER back to the hotel, but they managed fine on public transit and didn’t get lost, much.

I’m officially scared of Christmas now. The past 4 have had 2 or 3 depending on how you count of the following characteristics: 1) the pandemic, 2) death, 3) illness and 4) lots of crying. Let’s try to have a holiday season with fewer of these things. Sending love out there!