stereotypical single woman

Yes, I am a few days late in wishing all of you Happy Holidays and sharing my Christmas pictures, but I was really run down and a little sick over the holidays (which is worse than being really sick, because instead of spending your time of puking and sleeping and just generally being out of commission until you get whatever the bug is out of your system you instead just walk around in a haze feeling nauseous and tired, participating in the festivities half-heartedly, but wishing you were in bed instead)

This is the first year in many that my family has broken out our very casual, but very traditional to us, holiday schedule that has evolved over the last 20 years. This is the first Christmas I spent by myself - even though I’ve lived on my own for years I (and my whole family) have always spent Christmas Eve and Day at my parents’ house. This year we spent Christmas Eve at Nana and Dan’s house - we had a taco bar (yet another deviation of tradition - we’ve always had fondue for Christmas Eve, but after much consideration it was determined that it just would have been too dangerous to have a pot of hot oil in the middle of the table with Little Miss “I can do it all by myself and don’t you dare try to stop me or I will throw the biggest temper tantrum you have ever seen” Amelia), watched the South Park Scientology Episode, opened up our Christmas Eve presents (traditionally we would have gotten new pajamas, this year it was slippers), and watched Amelia fight going to sleep until she collapsed. Then I went home and did follow my very own long-held tradition - I made myself a mug of hot cocoa and Kahlua and settled in to watch my very favorite holiday movie, White Christmas, because Christmas just isn’t Christmas without seeing Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen sing “Sisters.”

Christmas morning I was woken up at 6 a.m. by Foster attacking the eight neon mice toys he had brought into bed at various points during the night. The day started out with me, the cats, and Teddie opening a few present under my tree, Christmas music playing, coffee in one hand, one of Grandma A’s delicious sticky buns in another (that sounds really dirty doesn’t it?), and a couple of cats lounging on my lap and trying to lick the butter of my buns (ha ha ha.) It was a nice, peaceful way for the day to begin and I really enjoyed the quiet. Around 10 a.m. we all converged at my parent’s house for brunch, mimosas, and more present unwrapping. Every year I am stunned by the generosity of my family and friends and this year was no exception. While I’ve said thank you already, again, thank you to everyone for the gifts I received, I love them all. In case you’re curious, the few pictures I got of the morning festivities are here.

Christmas night I staggered home under the weight of all my wonderful gifts, walked into my house, fixed dinner for Teddie, and collapsed into a nice hot bubble bath. I was exhausted, it had been a wonderful day with my family, but my body was letting me know that I’m definitely getting older. Not only was it exhausted, but while I was getting ready for bed I noticed that it was time to dye my hair again, not because the roots are showing, but because of the amount of gray hairs I noticed for the first time and pulled out - I stopped counting after 50, and there’s still many more in my head.