Holiday season has been an interesting one so far. We've cut way back on the gifts to everyone and I've spaced on getting 1/2 my cards out - will have to add a happy new year to make them relevant. I found an unlabeled VHS tape of a book launch in the basement that I've transfered to digital and have been editing to DVD, actually fairly emotional stuff. So much so that when Majel Roddenberry died I fell to weepy tears. It's weird, I never met her, didn't know her - but feel like I lost a distant and feisty aunt. So it goes.

Christmas eve I was out and about. Dinner was subs with the boy and two lost episode which conclude the Vicar of Dibley series.

Christmas yesterday with Toronto family was very nice, got to visit Kelly's cats a little too. Olive trilled and Dante expressed irritation that someone (not me, oh no) was in his chair. All was made better with an offering of turkey. Got spoiled rotten - sister in law makes soap. MMmmmmmmMMMmmmmmm nice soap.

Today we go off to visit the outlaws, my side of the family. At my brothers we visit with his kids and now one grand kid (my brother is 43 and a grand dad. It's wild), his wife and him and our mom. I haven't met the grand child yet, just seen pictures and am so excited. I think he's my grand nephew is how that works...so confusing. My nephew is in from out west and I haven't seen him in years. I managed to get my mom something I know she'll want this year - book on Secretariat - and am looking forward to watching her open that gift. Then we head out to visit my aunts and grandmother and cousins at what the fabulous husband refers to as the Aunt Farm. I have some shoes for one aunt I hope fit.

(later)

Visit with the outlaws was a blast, but now I smell like an ashtray. Love them all dearly but DAMN if you're sitting next two four pack a day smokers and you don't smoke? Totally noticeable. And with the hugging? The love overcomes the recoil, but now I need a shower. The grand nephew was 12 kinds of adorable, as was my niece and her cousins, pretty much everyone was there. A visit later at the aunt farm found no owner for the shoes but saddled me with some clothes to distribute down in the city. Grandma revealed a little of the family history project she's been working on since dirt was a new and exciting trend, and I volunteered to go help her with it in the spring. Some of the journals are from the lat 1700's and up, all look bloody interesting. Car ride home was festive: road salt, no wipers and a 20 year old car pitted against fabulous husband being a fabulous driver - he won, we're home and good night. :-)