11 posts tagged “holidays”

Fridays are usually very busy days for me, but the weather was just so gorgeous that the Grub and I couldn't resist a sunny stroll. We took lots of fun photos for my ongoing Strolling in Menlo Park set.

Friday evening was the fabulous Bent party in the City. The theme was Bent High: Back to School, and fan_boy and I had a delightful time making our costumes. When Principal Tiziano implemented my corporal punishment with my own copy of Smythe's Greek Grammar, however, I wished I'd chosen a less weighty text!

Saturday was a leisurely brunch followed by making ourselves fragrant with wine at a nearby venue (in order to fulfill our Purim obligation of yemei mishteh v'simchah, of course). But it seems that our local Irish pub was unaware of such festivities and had booked a rather raucous band whose presence served to totally harsh our mellow, as it were. So we wandered on and eventually made our contented way homeward.

Sunday was full of crafting, yard sales, and the like with tutordennis. We found an unfinished wooden toychest, and he's showing me how to sand and finish it with Tung Oil. I also picked up some enchanting buttons, one set for an Indian-style wrap I have, and another vintage set to replace the buttons on my brown mid-thigh coat. I finished sewing them on tonight, and I'm quite pleased. Yesterday eve, a group of us dallied and danced at Death Guild. During a lull, a pool of hot candle wax found its way onto my bare skin, and abditus used his pocket knife to very gently lift it off in one whole piece. *fans self* Oh, and spaghettisquash has the most splendid hat!

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This lovely long weekend was just groovy. There was bowling, a fine game of Gloom: the Game of Inauspicous Incidents and Grave Consequences, a yummy brunch, a cheesy movie, a great restaurant discovery, zombies, and a new book. Happy Presidents' Day!

 

Did you have a fertile Lupercalia? Ah, the fecundity! NB: If in future you plan to celebrate by watching Ginger Snaps Back, I heartily recommend whacking your loved ones with bloody goat hides instead. That movie was almost as bad as the Gryphon debacle (which was a shame as well, as it features wonderful Amber Benson of Willow and Tara fame).

It's been a fine week. My tummy was feeling not very how on Sunday, but was sweetly nursed by abditus and spaghettisquash, who plied me with steamed almond milk, cherry pancakes, and Hoopla. Then tutordennis went out and brought me electrolyte waters and soup and crackers while I snuggled with the kitties, and soon I was feeling much better.

Wednesday was quiet and divine. Dennis made a heavenly dinner for the three of us: Mápó dòufu with his secret stash of pre-ban Szechuan peppercorns, accompanied by Chinese greens and (n)oyster sauce. He gave me Vegan Cupcakes Take over the World, which I've been wanting, and most importantly, a Piglet Pez.

 

Afterwards, fan_boy called me upstairs to show me several new toys for drubbing naughty girls and boys. He just might rue the day. *wicked dance*

Also, by the Herculean efforts of the Bear (which unfortunately required driving between three different counties), the car registration has been renewed. And I finished my taxes last night. Now my happiness is a golden poem!

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In honor of Hug-a-Writer Day:

My Baby Loves a Bunch of Authors (Moxy Früvous)

Well, you should see my story-reading baby;
you should hear the things that she says
She says, "Hon, drop dead, I'd rather go to bed
with Gabriel Garcia Marquez!"

Cuddle up with William S. Burrows,
leave on the light for Bell Hooks,
I've been flirtin' with Pierre Burton
'cause he's so smart in his books

I like to go out dancing;
my baby loves a bunch of authors
My heart's so broke and bleeding
Baby's just sitting there doing some reading

So I started watching some TV,
played my new cd player, too
She said, "Turn it off or I'll call the cops
and I'll throw the book at you."

All this arguing made me get dizzy;
called my doctor to come have a look
I said, "Doctor, hurry!" He said, "Don't worry,
I'll be over when I finish my book"

I like to go out dancing;
my baby loves a bunch of authors
We've been living in hovels
Spending all our money on brand new novels

So I got myself on a streetcar
and it drove right into someone,
You know the driver said, "I was looking straight ahead!"
But he was reading the Toronto Sun

So my honey and me go to a counselor
to help figure out what we need
She said, "Ve'll get your love growing, but before ve get going,
here's some books I'd like you to read."

I like to go out dancing;
my baby loves a bunch of authors
Lately we've had some friction
'cause my baby's hooked on short works of fiction

So we split and went to a party,
some friends my girl said she knew
But what a sight 'cause it's authors night
and the place looks like a Who's Who!

Now I'm pounding the ouzo with Mario Puzo
Who's a funny fella? W.P. Kinsella!
Who brought the cat? Would Margaret Atwood?
Who needs a shave? He's Robertson Davies!

Ondaatje started a food fight,
salmon mousse all over the scene
Spilled some dressing on Doris Lessing,
these writer types are a scream!

I like to go out dancing;
my baby loves a bunch of authors
We'll be together for ages,
eating and sleeping and...
eating and sleeping and...
eating und sleeping und...
turning pages!

For the holidays last month, we were busier than a bunny with the New York Times. We spent several weekends at Dickens Fair with various folk, which was on the whole quite jolly. The Bear and I helped the Bindle watercolor an angel ornament, and then the Boy and I took her to tea at Cuthbert's Tea Shoppe. Highlights were, of course, Mad Sal's Dockside Ale House (a counterpart to Madame Sally's School for Wayward Girls, whose Ladies' Oratorical and *ahem* Recreational Society puts on a lovely burlesque), the French Postcards, and the fabulous Dark Garden, where I purchased some awfully darling pettipants and oogled their live window mannequins.

We did a few Chanukah gatherings this year, the first with C on the third night and another with R on the eighth night, where I was able to catch up with D, a good friend I hadn't seen in well-nigh a decade. There were candles, my dreidel pillow, ruby port, Dennis's latkes, a terribly sweet baby, and the ocean, not in that order. We also drove up north twice, once to visit with the Taylors (Stan inscribed his presents to me "With love from Dad," making me all teary-eyed) and once to my grandparents' home where we hung out with my sisters, which I don't get to do nearly as often as I'd like. As previously noted, my birthday was amazing; thank you to all who sent greetings via one medium or another. And we've just returned from Los Angeles, where we rang in 2007 playing Wise and Otherwise with friends and family.

Miscellanea nova et curiosa: I adore my new glasses; they're similar to the old, but a bit smaller and wine-colored. My hair is now dark (ruby-black) once again, and longer (kissing my shoulders) than previously. It'll do. I'm using Pandora quite a bit at home these days. It's rather awesome. Also, I received the back panel for my new DG corset in the mail today. The fabric is So Effing Gorgeous, I can hardly believe it.

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Here are the tags for our holiday project this year. We made three infused sugars and a special cocoa blend:

And after 11 months and 30 days, HaShem rested, and Moshe told his people that they shall journey through airport security to gather with their individual tribes; that they shall partake in the holy feast of anything starchy in the orange family; and rejoice in a brew of malt, hops, barley and college football; and say thanks to HaShem for our families, our freedoms, the iPod and all the other blessings of the land...

Thanksgiving was wonderful, really. On the day itself, tutordennis and I joined fan_boy's family for dinner. We were able to meet much of his extended family, including Prince, a dear old muddy white horse, who gave me whiskery snuffles. After dinner, we all drove over to the house of the Boy's grandma, where we played Elvis on the player piano. It was so sweet to rediscover some of the Boy's childhood haunts together, and the day left all of us feeling very warm and welcomed.

After heading home for a few hours of sleep, we set out the next morning for my grandparents' home in Granite Bay. They live in Los Lagos Estates, so we spent some time after dinner wandering around to see some of the amazing homes in their holiday trimmings. Grandma, bless her heart, made a wonderful vegan feast for us: butternut squash soup, Tofurky, mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy, roasted veggies, my aunt's cranberry relish, and pumpkin pie with (n)ice cream. To work off the sumptuous meal, the Boy taught my cousins some Irish dance steps. And on the way home, the Bear drove us through Sacramento to see the sights, engendering even more nostalgia.

All of this, yet still time for a lazy weekend at home. I do natter on so, however, and have thus decided that perhaps other doings belong to future posts.

I miss my father.

It has seemed at times utterly ironic that his death fell during the week of Thanksgiving, and I cannot deny that the holiday has been shadowed by this over the years. And yet my days do not lack for love and blessings.

My chosen family, who kiss my sleepy eyelids and know the ways of my heart.

My mother, whom I keep in my pocket like a pebble carried in childhood, smooth and unknowing and strong.

My sisters, those strange familiars, words like mine and fingers tilted just so.

My friends, who offer me their hands though I may fade into the wallpaper at times.

My ghosts, both living and dead, for sharing my past and shaping my future.

Thank you.

Apologies for being out of touch to those who've emailed or the like. The recent move and all it entails seems to be eating our braaaiiins.

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