...at least it is for me. I was out most of the day doing my annual Christmas Eve shopping and futzing around. As opposed to most years past, I did not go into NYC today. I did that yesterday but even that was not my usual. I usually go to St. Patrick's Cathedral, yeah I know I am not religious. I still love it there, perhaps because of my Catholic upbringing or because it is just a very spiritual place for me. I did try to get into the church of St. Francis of Assisi on 31st Street, but it was closed. I got there too late, God started keeping hours when I was back in my 20s. I also visit what is another very spiritual place for me, the top of the world, where earth meets the heavens, at least in NYC. That would be the observation deck of the Empire State Building. I thought I was going there, got side tracked, got crushed, crammed, stomped on, pushed, shoved and outright discombobulated in Macy's and forgot all about it. I miss not having gone to those two churches and the top of the world very much indeed; I really don't know what happened that got me so turned around as to not visit at least one of them. Oh well, later for them, I hope.
My rush is over though. No more shopping, no more scurrying about for last minute presents or last minutes items at the supermarket, and I did remember to fill up the car with gas for tomorrow when we are due to go to my sister's place out east. I am scheduled to pick up my mom at 10Am at the assisted living facility and then drive her out to my sister's place. That will be a spiritual experience all of its own; it could make up for missing the two churches and the Empire State Building. When I think of it, it was my mom who got me liking the Empire State Building as much as I do. She took me there, I took my kids there, hopefully my kids will take their children there too.
Once I got home today, I remembered that there were a bunch of presents to pack. I ate a quick dinner of a wonderfully roast chicken that my wife made while I was out, then I got to wrapping. That is all out of the way as far as I know. I tell ya - I really think everything is done. Well, except for bringing up the dozen and a half yellow roses I bought for the wife today, everything is done. They will be a nice surprise for her tomorrow morning when she comes downstairs to take out the dogs.
Wait a minute, I do have yet another task to complete. I have to fix the new Christmas Stockings that are currently hanging off the mantle over the fireplace. Our old ones got ratty after about 20 years or so, so the Linda bought new ones. The thing is that I had written every one's names on the old ones - one for Mama, one for Celina and one for Brendan, one for Oma (my mother-in-law) and one for granny (my mother) and Linda made one for me. What I did was wrote out the names in Elmer's glue and then poured green glitter over the glue. The stockings were red with white trim at the top. I put the names on the white trim. They looked great. Well it took me 2 weeks to buy the glitter but I finally got it today. Hard stuff to come by now that they sell glitter pens and glitter glue; but I wanted the real thing and it took some looking to find it. Tonight, when everyone is asleep, I will do some side work moonlighting as one of Santa's helpers and get the job done.
For now, I'll just enjoy my red wine, The Best of Jethro Tull, and writing my blog and reading some others; and of course, I'll enjoy this one of my favorite times of the year - one that is full of the spirit of love and of giving - and that is a good thing indeed. With that all said, let me say one more thing:
Merry Christmas to all of you.
All the best,
Glenn B
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