Sniff. SoCal people. So jealous!

t nods furiously

OMGWTFSNOW!!!

In New Orleans!

I believe this is the first white christmas in New Orleans ever! okay, it's not like there are inches of snow or anything, but fluffy frozen water is totally falling from the sky!

Time to go walking in a winter wonderland...

Merry Christmas!!! I can't believe people in NOLA and Texas have a white Christmas, and I don't. I'm not complaining, mind, it's just odd and wonderful. All your snowless Christmases are belong to me!!

It's sticking to the ground! We left footprints!

-t, snow angels! IJS.

My four-month old niece is helping me post.

nbnvj

That was her. She's not much of a speller yet. She is fascinated with the computer, though.

-t, snow angels! IJS.

It looks like it's raining, now, so they'd be more of slush/mud angels. But we got to walk through some snow while it lasted, and then had some hot chocolate, so I'm satisfied.

Hi DX niece! Noise brings new babies joy, indeed!

HAPPY CHRISMUKKAH!!!

We are happily ensconced in Philly, and in fact only remembered this evening that the computer was here.

Thursday, after taking multiple attempts to get a set of keys that worked and getting those to the sitter (see LJ for ordeal), we got our frantically stressed-out asses to the airport, heard that all flights to Philadelphia were delayed, took off, landed without incident, and then sat on the runway for 3 hours waiting to get into a gate. It was, errrrm, fun. (I blame Columbus.)

The folks warned us about the crazy lady next door. They always warn of the crazy lady next door, but until this visit I've never believed she really existed. Until 5 or so am, when the crazy lady next door was suddenly out in the alley between houses banging on her shatterproof windows with a stick and screaming AAAAAAAAHHHH THEY'RE COMING TO KILL ME! occasionally interspersed with CALL THE POLICE!!! and on one occasion IF NOBODY CALLS THE POLICE I'M TAKING MY CLOTHES OFF!!!!! The police were called.

Friday, we slept until noon (see above) and then commenced to jigglin'. World's Cutest Nephew (tm) has become a gambling addict, and has beaten us all at poker numerous times. The one exception is Stephen, who takes the boy for all he's worth. WCN also talked us into opening a great many presents, most of them his. Dad grumbled about how we should really wait until Christmas day, and sis pointed out that we've been having this fight for 20 years, and opening more on Xmas eve every year. Consumables: champers, scotch (Plei, do you know of Ladoig? Nummy.) many cheeses, leg of lamb, tasty veg, rice, salad, wine, Bûche de Noel.

(Dad has just come into the room to remind me that I did not make the promised apple pie yesterday, and he guesses I'm not getting to it today. "You're too young to have memory lapses," he says. I point out that it's not so much lapsing as ignoring.)

Today was early-morning Monopoly and the remaining loot. Sis and her BF took off back to NY, leaving the little money-grubbing heathen with us.

S. pulled me aside to say that he likes the folks. The folks pulled me aside to say that they like S., and also that they hoped it wasn't too chaotic a christmas for him. As his people don't have electricity this holiday (Columbus. See? I knew those midwesterners were trouble.) I figure they really can't be any better off than we are, plus we have Homicide DVDs and a radio-controlled Porsche (belonging, natch, to Emmett's great rival). And possibly another bottle of wine.

Ahhh, Christmas in New Orleans sounds fab.

Emmett is drinking one of his select soda treats: Cherry Lime Rickey Whoopee. I just roused him from a nap since he was up at 6:00 poking his Mom in the side and asking, "Is it 7:30 yet?" He was very very happy with his presents, particularly the sodas, the baseball gear, the many computer games (including The Incredibles) and enough crap to fill a Jersey dump. We did watch The Marx Brothers this morning which was a nice anarchic antidote to holiday fare.

JZ is frantically slapping together a spanikopita. The only reason she's eating anything at all right now is because I'm periodically hopping up and shoving a piece of reheated (though still tasty) pizza in her mouth while she does the greek food thing. She was very surprised that I got her a fancy pair of ice skates for Christmas, and she got all weepy.

I am achey from sleeping on an air mattress last night and have attempted to mollify it with Motrin and a hot shower. I think I will take a large vodka tonic in a tiki mug as we head over to JZ's mom's house for xmas dinner there.

We got one of Sail's pretty cards, and a last minute sock monkey from Laura yesterday. Very festive. Tomorrow? Dinner with Emmett's godparents (and our close friends) - that'll be fun and low key though.

Hee, xposty with Amych! Happy Chrismakkuh! All your fretting about pet-sitting was not for naught! It really was a disaster in the making. So glad Stephen and the folks hit it off.

I'm all alone in my apartment cleaning furiously with my new Sarah McLachlan concert dvd on, and haveing an odd moment of simple happiness. Won't ponder too long lest it goes away. The dvd'll end soon enough anyway, but 'tis good.