Day 6: Recharging

(I just read Cate's blog and she had a little note at the beginning of her entries and I found it appropriate for my entry as well, so I am "lifting" her sentiment from her as I am sure she won't mind. I consider my blog a journal of sorts, so some of the entries, like today, chronicle my little life as my own version of a permanent record. Forgive me if they are long and some of the details seem unimportant, but I have learned that sometimes it's the little things that spur your memory later in life. It's the tiny aspects of your day that evoke the most emotion. So, feel free to read, but if you get bored, don't say I didn't warn you!)

Ok, first and foremost, I am not counting the weekends as vacation time, so don't start revewing previous posts and trying to figure out if I miscounted. I have my own system.

So, it's Monday, the Day After. Guess what? We survived. Know what? It wasn't all that bad. With our brand new attitude, super thick skins and teflon coating, we managed to make it. We dodged, we ducked, we deflected, but all in all, it wasn't too bad.

We began our holiday with a Christmas Eve service followed by pizza and games, per our family tradition. We got up bright and early (but later than we had planned) to head to my folks where a little boy was bouncing off the walls in anticipation. However, according to Ragged family rules, all members must be present before present opening can commence. He might be cute, but no one (and I mean no one) is immune to the rules of present engagement. Grin all you want, the answer is "no gifts for you (until everyone is present and ready)."

After ripping through many, many gifts and dumping our stockings we settled in for breakfast (the first of at least 10 meals that day). Then it was onto visit Cynical's family and see how Princess M had responded to her first Christmas. After visting and blinding the poor baby with camera flashes, I went to church and Cynical headed home for deviled-egg preparation. (Note the contrast: church vs. DEVILed eggs.)

Then it started all over again. We headed to my folks' house for the first of two luncheon/dinner type meals. After another round of gift exchanging with my aunt and uncle, we drove home (and I am convinced the trunk was dragging full of all of the Chrismas loot) for a moment of decompression and a chance for Cynical to make more food, which we then hauled to Cynical's sister's home for the second round of festivities and food.

After stuffing ourselves into a near comatose state, we opened gifts, tortured poor Princess M with more photo opportunities and then collapsed. Eventually we decided to load our loot, our chubby bellies and our leftovers into the car and trek along the bypass and over the railroad tracks to our house (our version of over the river and through the woods).

We played bed and breakfast for Cynical's folks that evening. At 8:30 p.m. we were so tempted to just give it up and go to bed, but alas, I held out for a few moments of quiet time after everyone else lost the fight and strolled upstairs. It was peaceful and quiet in our living room illuminated only by our Christmas tree. A well deserved break.

That's it in a nutshell. What did we do today?

Well, it's back to vacation mode, but this time I have a partner in crime: Cynical! (Everyone cheer!) We began by taking the folks out for breakfast followed by a trip to pick up movies to fill our day and now we sit, snuggled under blankets, television going, computer fired up and contemplating dinner plans. Just as a vacation day should be. (Little hint from your friendly vacationer: Don't rent "The Heights" starring our dear Glenn Close. Just walk on by when you see the fancy cover at the video store.)

Oh, and we are putting out a few family fires; never fear, I have the gear, I have the training and it's only fire, right?