Home again, home again...

Aaaaahhhhh. Home. Just me, the cats, the last of the belated Christmas presents to finish, cocoa from my stocking in a new big mug, and some movies. Life doesn't get much better than this.
I arrived in South Carolina on Christmas Eve and was whisked directly from the airport over to my step-brother Matt's place where their Eve party full of family and friends was in full swing. Nothing like ending a weary day of travelling with a few beers and some deep-fried turkey (for you New Englanders who haven't experienced this - it's heavenly). And what a great way to kick off a trip. After the party, sister Emma and her family and I all headed back to her place, where we unwound for a bit before heading to bed so Santa could come for the kids (Kedzie now 3, Camden 1 and a halfish).
The next morning, as expected, was mayhem. Matt and Lynn and their kids came over around 8ish as did Dad, Dawn, and Doris, with airdale, Savannah, in tow. Then it was a blur of wrapping paper and ribbon for the next several hours. The little ones had no interest in opening presents, opting instead to play with empty boxes and colorful paper. Zach, 8, kept forgetting to look who presents were from and just sort of ignored gifts he didn't care for. Brianna, 14, was much more polite about saying thank you to her gift givers, but was very blunt about gifts she didn't care for. And Shawn (my sweet sweet 15 yo nephew who I think is totally underappreciated), just sat quietly on the couch, opening his gifts, saying his thank yous, and generally just trying to stay out of the way. I received, as requested, primarily gift cards for things I need like dishes and clothes. But Emma snuck in a few other gifties for me like a really cool hoodie sweater (probably the only thing in American Eagle that I would ever even consider wearing and I love it), and this knitting loom thing that she keeps raving about to me but I haven't figured out the knack of yet. Oh, she also supplied me with booze (my sister knows me too well). And since we were at her house, she's also the one who filled the stockings, so I got all the things that I always expect to be in my stocking - things like chapstick, pens, ornaments, candy, candy, candy, macadamia nuts (don't know where that started, but I get 'em every year!), play-doh, and the piece de la resistance, a punchy balloon! Nice.
Anyway, all the Mertz's and Dad and Dawn took off to go take naps and showers and change out of pj's while Emma and Josh and I attempted to clean up the disaster area and settle her kids down a bit. Then it all started back up again when they all (plus Matt's business partner, Chris) came back over for dinner (side note: we've never done the Christmas dinner thing, but Matt has it in his head that we Scotts always have and that he missed out all these years so demanded it be done this year - I think the idea is nuts). Dawn graciously took it upon herself to make the Christmas dinner, but made this pork dish with curry and honey and vinegar which I think is delicious, but with everyone there, I think a third of them didn't do pork and another third didn't do curry and a couple more didn't do vinegar. Whatever. She was drinking and taking vicodin while she was cooking anyhow, the entertainment was definitely in the cooking of dinner rather than the eating of it. Oh, and was it ever entertaining watching her fondling a casserole dish full of sliced potatoes! And by the time dinner was served, we were all pretty drunk anyway, so she could have served us plates of raw onions and no one would have cared.
Anyway, that night, and for much of the rest of the week, I spent a lot of time hanging out with Chris, partially because he's the only other smoker in attendance, and partially because he's the only other person in attendance not attached to spouse or kids, but mostly because I like his company. It helps that he helped me escape children's television shows. Matt was apparently not too fond of this scenario, but thankfully kept his mouth shut and stayed out of my personal life. Emma, on the other hand, gave me a full ration of grief, but having reached full fledged sister status, she has permission. But honestly, the man is a frackin' pirate who lives on a boat! What woman could resist? And, without going into details that aren't your business anyway, having each other's company was a very good thing this week. I'll leave it at that.
Wednesday was Kedzie's 3rd birthday, so we had a little mini party (sans Dad and Dawn who had already left town). Which was, remarkably, uneventful. We all had pizza and cake, and she had to be tricked into opening her presents, which she found no interest in at the time (she was busy showing everyone her butt). And the Mertz's took off to pack for their trip to DisneyWorld the following morning.
And on my last day there, Chris took me on a tour of Charleson, which I would have been bowled over by had it only been the stop at the car-hop Sonic Burger, but then he took me around to show me all of the absolutely amazing architecture of all of the houses downtown. I can't even begin to tell you how much I wish I lived in a house like some of those with their gallery porches and gas lamps and lush little courtyards. Unbelievable. I wish I had some pictures to post of them, but I realized when I was packing my camera that I think Johnny still has the charger for it. Ah, well. Someday I'll end up living there anyway. If only for the $25 carton of cigarettes.
And then, before I knew it, it was 4 something in the morning on Friday and I had to get showered and packed before my crack of dawn flight back home. So, it was a tired and weary traveller who arrived at the airport yesterday morning. Dad picked me up from the airport so he could take me back to his place and we could rearrange cars in his driveway so Dawn could get her car out behind my crumpled baby. And it was with sleep in my eyes that I finally was able to contact the insurance company of the driver who hit me a week ago. Then it was off to home and bed and two cats who were very excited to see me.
And we're off to the races again! My friend Claire is in town for two days, so she and I went out together last night after my nap. My other friend, Jim is in town, so he and I will be going out this evening. And then tomorrow's New Years Eve - still don't know what the plan is, but whatever it ends up being or with whom, I know it will be great. But for right now, I have nothing to do but relax and be glad that for as fucked up as it is, life is good....I may have spoke to soon, I just looked out the window and see that it's snowing. Damn. Well, at least I have cocoa!
Merry Belated Christmas!!!