Can’t Hardly Wait – The Replacements
Good Fortune – PJ Harvey
Stigmata Martyr – Abney Park
Svo Hijótt – Sigur Róss
Ballade #4 in f, Op. 52 – Chopin
Interzone – Joy Division
Smash it Up, Pt. 2 – The Damned
Stars are Rising – Eddi Reader and Sun Jae Park
French Suite # 5 in G BWV 816: Sarabande – J. S. Bach
I Just Can’t be Happy Today – The Damned
Bonus: Shaday – Ofra Haza

School Girl was invited to a sleepover at her BFF’s on Friday. I got to meet their mutual friend, and said friend’s dad, when I took her over. Her dad’s a Chicago guy; always a plus with us, and seems very friendly to boot. It’s looking good for a sleepover with all three of them “soon”. Sadly, I had been pretty ill most of the day Friday, so our Big Night Out was Mexican food and MMA at home.

Saturday was also a lost day. I think we went shopping after School Girl got home, but I don’t honestly remember. And yesterday…

Yesterday we took the puppy out for a walk at a local open space. Open Space parks here are a bit like forest preserves back in Illinois, except the open spaces here aren’t as developed. This particular one’s an old favorite of ours: easy to get to, fairly easy hiking (at least in the winter), and not too many other hikers. This park also allows bikes and horses, and I think we might bring the bikes this spring when the trails dry off. It was a beautiful day. Not too cold, bright screaming sunshine, and quiet. The puppy had a great time; School Girl did too, and wound up walking a surprisingly long way without complaint. I wasn’t feeling all that hot at the start of the hike, but I was a lot better by the time we got back to the car. It was good to get outside. Afterwards, we watched about 10 minutes worth of the Pro Bowl.

And today, everybody else seems to have what I had Friday. Happy start to the week…

Driving through the snow, getting a tree from “over top the hill” (my grandparents lived on a 40-acre farm, with a lot of mixed-wood forest above the house), having a huge Xmas dinner with an endless group of relatives – that’s what I remember from our holiday trips of my childhood. I don’t remember much in the way of attending church until we moved there when I was in my mid-teens or so. Those traditions went away gradually; first when we actually moved in with our grandparents, then when my grandfather died, then when I moved away and wasn’t able to come home every year.

Right now we’re working out our own holiday traditions. There’s a tree, with ornaments that people have given us as gifts (and ones that we’ve given each other); a small handful of lights outside, and a wreath on the door; a visit with at least C (this year she came up here with M); holiday toonz (I’m a sucker for holiday music) and movies; shopping; food (we tend to make big meals for Xmas and New Year’s Eve, and Xmas and New Year’s Day) and booze. The booze is scaled back quite a bit from previous years. It’s not what one might call depression-friendly, and I really have to watch that now.

A couple of nights ago, we went out to troll our adjoining neighborhood for holiday light displays. Most were only slightly bigger than the one we have, but some were truly, um, impressive. I think I counted a dozen displays that had at least 1 inflatable lighted figure, at least three times that many that had the lighted wire deer, and three giant illuminated crucifixes in windows. I have no idea what that was about. We did pass the house of the “Good morning! We’d like to have every inflatable lighted thing you have, please” house, complete with the Mighty Penguin Army. I was wishing I had brought the camcorder for that one. There were a heartening number of Grinches in displays as well. I think we’ll be doing that again next year. It really was a lot of fun, and School Girl had a great time.

Today is Xmas Eve. Unlike last year, it’s cold and snowy outside. We have one more appointment this morning, but then we’ll be spending the rest of the day at home. Just the three of us, as a family. We all hope you have/have had a wonderful holiday so far with your family…including the ones that you choose for yourself.

Then there was Friday.

School Girl’s best friend had her 8th birthday party Friday and Saturday. Yes, it was a sleepover. It was a really long sleepover, involving a trip to our local mall, a gigantic mountain of candy at home, and just the thrill for Best Friend’s mother of having 7 wound-up 7-year-olds desperately trying not to sleep.

School Girl said she had a pretty good time. We did get a phone call around 10 or so; she was having a hard time dealing with all the noise, which has gotten better over time but something that’s always been a problem. Evil Dad and I talked her into trying again. By the time we checked in on her in half an hour, things were going much better.

I should say that we’re not into gigundous parties involving everyone in the class, magicians, rented bouncy castles, or epic voyages. We’ve got a small house, and I’ve always let School Girl choose who she’d like to invite. Up to about 6 people. So far, we’ve had parties with 8 (3 invitees and Best Friend’s family) and parties with 5. Last year’s party wasn’t too bad. The kids had a game of balloon soccer going in the living room, we made dry-ice lemonade to go with the vegan cupcakes, and they got to watch Scooby-Doo. Everybody apparently had a good time. School Girl had a good time too, which was the whole point of the afternoon.

I’m trying to talk School Girl into a weekend trip this year, maybe even down to the Springs, for her birthday. Let’s see how far I get with that one, shall we?

It’ll be a good thing for him: he’ll get to see one of the main locations he’ll be working with, he’ll give the customer more confidence in his company – and he’ll be able to visit his family over the weekend. That alone is a wonderful thing. I’ve said too much already.

I’m writing this with a puppy curled up at my hip and a hacking mess stretched out on the other side of the couch. I’m hoping she’ll be well enough to head off for our weekend plans. This week is Spinning and Weaving Week, and our local yarn shop has a couple of events that looked pretty good. Plus I might look at some looms while we’re there…