Caught in a Whirlwind

From the moment Lin picked us up at Logan Airport, it's been a non-stop frenzy of activity. The weather was unseasonably warm for a day and then dipped below freezing. The forecast, however, is for a warm, non-white Christmas. Sigh! If we have to put up with the travel and cold, we want the white stuff on the ground at the appropriate time. Speaking of cold … David has one.

Lin and I have been thrifting up a storm. David and I brought very few clothes home with us and I've been stocking up on warm clothes for us both. I came home the other day with two huge bags of sweaters, fleeces, long sleeve shirts and jeans … all in excellent condition, brand names, hardly used. It was Dollar Day at St. Vincent de Pauls' (aka Vinnies) … total cost $22. The thrill of the bargain … not quite as good as seeing dolphins off the bow, but it wasn't bad!

There was a Cousins' Christmas get-together over the weekend (we have lots and lots … and lots of cousins) that we jointly hosted at Lin's house. There are a myriad of doctor's appointments, lab tests and dentists that we're enduring midst all the festivities. We're invited to a Christmas Eve soirée with friends followed by a Christmas Eve candlelight service at Lin's UU church. There's Christmas Day, of course and Lin also celebrates Boxing Day. We've been food shopping at least a half dozen times and cooking and baking non-stop. We've been wrapping gifts and stuffing stockings and when there's a free moment, we play Speed Scrabble and drink wine.

We thought it was hectic in Chaguaramas when we arrived to haul out Cups. That was nothing compared to this. We flop into bed each night exhausted with more activities on the agenda for the next day.

Complaining? No, not really. We're glad to be part of the holiday hustle and bustle with friends and family, but we won't mind the reprieve that comes when the holidays are over. Whew!