10:28 pm - Tuesday, Jan. 07, 2003
And a Merry Fucking X-mas to You too
My Mother is in the states. She is usually in Russia replacing the indigenous cultures with The Good News. I was very nervous about introducing her to Simon. She�s not in the best of health, hasn�t been in some time, and even when she is she has personality quirks that can make her difficult to be around. I was worried she wouldn�t be nice to Simon. I was worried she�d make it hard for the rest of us to be nice to her. I was worried Simon would meet her and say �She reminds me of you- you�re just like her.�

ASIDE:

Horrors. That�s one of my biggest fears- that I would turn out to have all her worst attributes.

KEEP YOUR FINNERS CROSSED:

She blew into the state on a Thurs evening, and I invited her over for an evening visit.

It went well.

Really. She was nice and polite and personable and everything. Whew. The next day Simon and I went to lunch with her and her husband, and it was lovely. Now that I think back on it, I actually had fun with her. Wow. It�s been a long time since that�s happened. I wonder whether she�s treating me like a grownup because of the fact that I�m engaged, or her health is better than usual, or, or, or, something.

Simon�s classes ended and we began a long period of indulgences. We had lots of good food, got to visit lots of people we loved, got lots of presents, and to top it all off we�ve had a week all to ourselves with no obligations to do anything. We�ve basked in each other�s company and played a lot of Mario.

This is the best X-mas I�ve had since I was a kid. Usually it�s a lonely time because all my friends are gone off to their families, so I can�t spend time with them, but it�s not like I have family around here to visit, so in the past it�s been a few weeks where Boy and I grew tired of each other�s company.

We started off by sleeping late and shopping. We proceeded with a visit to Simon�s dad. A stomach virus was playing havok with some people�s tummy�s, but it was a nice visit anyways. II felt proud �cause I chose a present for Simon�s niece that she just loved- little plastic hamsters that came in a house with little doors that really opened, and a little bed, and little hamster treats.

ASIDE:

It will be noted that we took separate cars so Simon could haul off an old TV in his truck. Simon gave me directions. It will be noted that Simon completely omitted one road and instructed me to turn the wrong way on another, but I did end up in the right place eventually. It was, in fact, Simon that helped me get there, because I kept remembering landmarks we had discussed on our way there at Thanksgiving.

BACK TO THE STORY BY A CIRCUITOUS ROUTE:

We went straight from there to AM�s house, where their x-mas eve festivities were almost over. We gave them their presents, (A book for AM, a computer game for Hayric, Legos for Littlethegreat) and received a gift that just tickled AM all to crazy to give: it was a tray with some tea and a set called �Tea for Two� that had two of the cutest little tea pots you ever did see. One for Simon and one for me- tea for two � you get it? It was indeed a sweet gift, and the tea is super yummy.

Everybody left soon after- everybody but us and their housekeeper. We stayed and cleaned up. When that was over we drank and talked and laughed and laughed and talked and drank till one thirty in the morning. It was wonderful.

Xmas morning was a hoot- I had told Boy that I couldn�t afford to buy video games, when in fact I had bought three: SuperMario Sunshine, Super Sonic Mega Collection and Super Monkey Ball. One I wrapped in a towel and then wrapping paper so when he picked it up it felt like clothes. I cut the centers of the pages out of a book and tucked the second in that. For the third I downloaded a picture of Barbie and made a fake label which I tucked in the box cover. That one went over a bit too well- he actually thought it was a Barbie game and almost cried.

For Simon I bought two pairs of silk boxers. One I squeezed into a tiny box like a pen would go into. The other I put into a chocolate box. I got him three sets of keys to the house since a key-losing-demon has plagued him since he moved in. There was a clock for his truck (it doesn�t have one). I got him the Norah Jones cd cause I thought he�d like her voice, and I made him a mix cd full of mushy love songs �cause I just love him that much Boy got him a dvd of award winning animation that included �Creature Comforts� by Aardman.

Simon got me chocolates and hot pads (mine were old and nasty), a polar tech sweater (I had hinted heavily for that one) and a Hitachi Magic Wand (Hubba Hubba HUBBA and away we go!)

The Saturday after x-mas we drove up to AuntieM�s. Saturday night was spent in the traditional manner, with much talking and drinking of wine. Two thirty in the morning I woke up with a bladder infection ad spent the next four hours trying to pee. Finally my little muscles wore out and quit spasming. Simon curled up behind me

ASIDE:

In the past we slept in separate beds up there. AuntieM simply annouced that we�d be sleeping in the same bed to her husband, and it got no comment, so this time we got to sleep together. She�s such a genius!

AS I WAS SAYING:

and I got a few hours of sleep. When I woke up we went to Walmart for pee-pee pills. Mom and her husband came up for a visit, bringing a foreign exchang student from South Korea with them. Apparently her first family sucked and she needed someone to stay with for a little while till she went to her second family. She and Boy sledded in the back yard and played with the Poohdas. The rest of us talked and talked and talked�.Mom was again in rare form. I really enjoyed seeing her. Can you understand how weird it is to say that? All her past visits were plagued with manipulations and invitations to go on guilt trips and a general refusal to admit I�m not a kid anymore. This was lovely.

That night we were all wiped and went to bed early. Poor Simon woke up with a horrible belly ache- somehow he was the only one who ended up with it. The next morning the rest of us had a good breakfast. We packed up the car, said our goodbyes and hit the road.

It was a four hour trip. Fog and misty rain the whole way. We were just outside of town on 23, where you can go left to get to 14 or go right and stay on 23. I was in the middle lane that splits. A big ole SUV was on my right, and decided it wanted to be on my left. Unfortunately it didn�t see I was in the way and plowed right into me.

I remember a feeling of disbelief- like that SUV couldn�t Really be hitting me. Then I was terrified that Boy or Simon had been smooshed- it certainly looked like they might have been. We ended up in the median. Boy was crying and kept asking what had happened. Simon called the police. All of us were fine.

The other driver was just a kid (of course). He and a friend were headed for Windsor. I don�t think they understood the gravity of the situation (what would have happened had we ended up in the traffic on 14?), but they stayed and waited for the cops.

My poor poor beautiful car. My precious. The front passenger side tire is just about broke off. She can�t take no more, captain.

Simon hasn�t sold his old car yet, so I�m driving it till we get my girl fixed. I sure do miss her.

Since then we�ve been home bodies. Played lots of Mario. Boy�s put together several Lego projects. The dogs have peed a lot, mostly outside. Simon and I have been enjoying a state of blissfulness that we�re sad to have to put an end to. He�s off at school today, and Boy too, and I�m here job hunting. Despite the car wreck and whatnot, it was the lovelyest x-mas break ever.