Happy Holidayed

I hope everyone had a good holiday. Odd, though I had the time to post, I just felt a blogging lull was in order. Instead I spent the week playing LEGO Star Wars with the kids :-).

Christmas was wonderful; the kids are at a great age for it. Oddly enough they slept in till 7, while we were up anxious at 5. They had even closed their doors, which is unique. I suspect the prospect of a strange, big, and judgmental man entering our home through the fireplace and wondering the house if off-putting, no matter the gifts.

I mean: “Kids, you know that guy who’s lap you hate to sit on? The one who makes you, B, cry? Well, he’ll be coming into our home tonight… Through the fireplace to check on you, judge you, and give toys accordingly… I know I told you how no one could get in our house and that Papa put in a security system that keeps out monsters as well as burglars and coyotes, but I neglected to secure the home from magic fireplace ingress. Deal with it.” Yep, I'm glad to make R explain it :-).

Still, I’m sure they’d tell you it was worth the harrowing night ;-). Favorite gifts for A: A two headed dragon from B, and, despite his requests and the variety, that’s about all he latched onto. For B: The Xbox (Papa’s favorite too), a paintable wood lizard from A, and a baby whale Santa brought for the ever-present Whaley. I’m heartened that among there favorites are the gifts they chose for each other.

We had about 6 or 7 Christmas parties to attend from family to friends, but one stands out as mentionable. I’m on a local government council. I’m there kind of as a gay representative, but the focus is on meeting all constituent’s needs and I’m grateful to say we’ve done a lot to that end (odd with such activities I still have a hard time thinking of myself as an activist :-)).

Anyway, we’re made up of all sorts of minority group representatives. Our holiday party was held at the home of one of our Muslim members. It was potluck and, in short, I’ve never had better food for the variety. Where else could I have perfect spring roles with perfect lintels and tamales?

We offered to bring chili (that’s our culture right? ;-)), but the host, a wonderful person I highly respect, called back and asked if we could bring quiche instead… Quiche… I guess, even with the most inclusive crowd, one cannot escape the stereotypes. Though R has little quiche experience, he made them anyway, and they were delicious, d*beep*n it.

Other than that I realized how much I’ve missed and perhaps have neglected our old friendships, friends from my early teens. Of them we, strangely enough, were among the first to have kids and that put us apart in interests and schedules, and we kind of lost the habit of getting together as often. From there we made many friends in the gay community, and, sure, their Christmas parties are fun too and, in politics and society, we’ve more in common, but there’s nothing like being around all those who stuck by you and who you stuck by through teen years. If I’ve a resolution it’s to keep better in touch. We almost all have kids now and they have a great time together; I therefore resolve to make time for a monthly card game of something :-).

Anyway, happy New Year! Now back to work, and blogging…