My holiday season was as hectic as any prolonged celebration in my history. It’s almost over now and I’m beyond exhausted.
It began with a “sparkle party” for Carly’s 21st birthday Christmas Eve, followed by Christmas morning gift exchange, Christmas evening dinner and a round of extremely competitive games. Four fabulous events surrounding Bayley and Austin’s wedding, the first in the family for two decades lit up the next part of the season. It will end when I straggle out of bed on the first day of 2020 to begin my January “no booze, no meats, no carbs, no sweets” regime hoping to return my body back to its true north.
During this blurry flurry, my home turned into the Grand Central Station of southern California. Mi casa is comfy and cozy, but it’s main feature in this scenario is location, location, location; ten minutes from the San Diego International Airport.
Waiting for planes, meeting, greeting and eating, idle catch-up chit chat, connecting with faraway friends passing through, gathering for festivities, happy hours, gift exchanges, late night snacks—the options for assembling in my house were endless.
Young people, old people, friends and folks I scarcely knew took up waiting room time in my house. My living room resembled the aftermath of an NFL quarterback sack. I kept a nice tray of peppered salami and Trader Joe’s Outrageous Cheddar cheese with a few crackers, IPA beers with weird flavors of grapefruit, mango and yellow rose and an assortment with intriguing labels like Surly Furious, Nope on a Rope and Two Pound Tent, plus a screw top Chardonnay option and bottled water to all comers. I am still finding half full (or half empty, depending on your outlook on life) bottles of water throughout the house after the last of the guests departed (the bride and groom who spent the night so they could be minutes away from their 6:15 am flight to their Cancun honeymoon destination).
I do treasure time with my family—my grandkids, my kids and whomever they might bring for the season. It puzzles me, however, that I can sit alone in my house for weeks, even months, and mope about longing for companionship. And at this point at the end of the holiday season, I’m silently asking myself “when are all these people going to leave?”
I am desperately craving the solitude and boredom that make up my ordinary life.
I’m with you on the solitude, girlfriend! The au pair is my roommate here in Palm Beach and, although she is sweet, I’m looking forward to Saturday and flying home to the normality of friends and my own space! I’m missing the Salon! Whee! KC
Yippee you did it all! Those quiet nights & long evenings will still invade but at least new memories will make you smile! Margaret in California
I have had a glorious holiday season; my turn to have my children and grandchildren with whom I like to spend time talking about past memories and making current ones.
New Year's Eve will be in an elegant restaurant with three women younger than I; one not yet seventy! How nice when one is considered relevant and fun. Lots of widows in my area who like to eat, drink, and have a good time. Margaret in Texas
“Home alone at last!” One of our favorite phrases...... Happy 2020 to you! Lynda
📷Happy New Year, my friend!
Our holidays have been much quieter than yours; still I'll be happy to return to our comfortable routine. One more celebration tonight and tomorrow as we enter a new year and a new decade. How fortunate we are to have lived in two centuries!
May 2020 hold only good things for you and your loved ones, and I can hardly wait to see you in April.
Love,
Chris
Happy New Year to you! Our celebration started December 21st and ended this past weekend with morning -to-night football! All fun and loved being with the family but we do relish our more simple routine - sorry to say but must be the age. Hope to find time in the New Year to get together!?
Joan
Hi! So enjoyed your 2020 blog this morning. Our holidays were also a flurry of activity with six house guests for five days and constant flow of other family and activities. Wouldn’t change it for the world but now we are in McCall recovering. The gift from my grandson was a cold and sore throat! Gotta love’em. Hugs, Rose
Always so happy to read your thoughts. I knew it was a wild time but don’t think I understood quite how wild! You are a force, my darling friend, and I’m so glad that you could revel in the world you have created!
I will give you a few more days to rest and recoup and then I will be anxious to hear every detail you’re still willing to retell. And then we’ll set out on new paths and memories!
Happy New Year!
I love you!
g.
I am not surprised that your home was a battleground (albeit a happy one with constant exchange of energy and positive vibrations), for you had a lot on your plate for this end of the year. But, though location was an important factor, it was not the only one. It seems to me that in family groups or in gatherings of friends, there is always one towards whom we all gravitate. Thank you! RS