Christmas Cheer... By Jove, It Finally Hit Me!

I am a slow burn for the holiday season. I despise nothing more than seeing Santas being displayed in stores just past the Halloween costumes. The season hits entirely too soon for me. I like breaking rules on a lot of things but I turn in to a die-hard traditionalist when it comes to Yuletide. No decorations until the day after Thanksgiving. No shopping until Black Friday. No Christmas songs until the Advent calender gets broken out. It is simple math to me. There is no way to sustain enthusiasm for the holidays when you start months prior.

The weeks following Thanksgiving turn me in to a big ball of stress as I make lists and try to bargain shop. Bah Humbug! It is hard to feel the spirit of the season when battling long lines and crowded parking lots. But, as always, somewhere around the 22nd of the month, my spirits lift and I really start to dig Christmas.

Things that have put me in the Christmas spirit so far:

1. Over-done light displays on houses a la Clark Griswold

2. Any Christmas carol sung by Elvis

3. People out in public wearing Santa hats

4. The look on a friend's face when they aren't expecting a gift

5. The look on my face when new friends surprise me with a gift

6. The silly $5 or less gag gift I bought for my office Chinese auction.

7. That six hour drive to my parents' house tomorrow. Sure... traffic will probably suck and it is awfully cold and windy but I can't wait to see them again. Because, when it all comes down to it, they are what Christmas is all about!

Thanksgiving Flicks

Ahhhh... the joys of being a grown-up. This marks the first year that I am hosting Thanksgiving at my house. Granted, 98 % of the cooking is still relegated to my mother... but that is what she gets for being such a damn fine cook! The folks roll in to town around noon tomorrow with Candace coming in later in the evening.



Thanksgiving is all about food, family and reflecting on all the things you are blessed with in your life. It is also the time of your father commandeering the remote to watch football, the pug (aka my little sister) acting like a spaz because she is in a new environment and your mom running the kitchen tighter than your drill sergeant ran a formation. Every family has their quirks. They may drive you a little batty but that is what you love them for.



To help you get in to the holiday spirit and to make you realize that your family isn't the only one who puts that proverbial fun in dysfunctional, here is my list of fave Thanksgiving movies:



5.) The Myth of Fingerprints - a tense family gathering where a dark secret is revealed. You will think your dad is a saint after seeing this one.












4.) The Ice Storm - Moody, dark period piece set in the 70s. Covet the cool clothes and sets while (once again) reveling in the fact that your parents are actually kind of normal in comparison.

3.) Pieces of April - What is up with Katie Holmes and Thanksgiving movies? (she also stars in The Ice Storm) Pre-Mrs. Tom Cruise, Holmes managed to charm as a quirky rebel trying to throw the perfect Thanksgiving for her estranged family. Excellent movie that strikes a good balance between humor and sappy Hallmark moments.

2.) The House of Yes - One of those movies that is so strange, you don't know if you love it or hate it... but you will talk about it for days. Tori Spelling, incest and JFK assassination re-enactments all rolled up in one dark, odd, sick, twisted and hysterical package.

1.) Home for the Holidays - Funny as hell, oddball characters and Robert Downey Jr. Need I say more?

My Dad, The Photographer's Muse

Last weekend, my folks came down from Virginia to visit my new digs. My dad, the avid bass fisherman, took it as an opportunity to try surf fishing. Mom and I weren't so keen on getting up at 6 AM so we ended up joining him out on Emerald Isle later in the morning. Our loss. Turns out sometimes the early bird does get that proverbial worm. My dad met a photographer out there as the sun was rising who ended up taking some fab pics of him. Neither of them had a pen and paper to exchange email addresses so dad wrote his email in the sand and the guy took a picture of it. My thanks to the photographer, Justin Pond. Not only did he take some amazing shots but he really made my dad's weekend. Man thinks he is some kind of supermodel now. Next stop... the cover of Vogue?!?

Farewell To Old Friends

After a weekend of gorging myself on fried seafood, cheesecake and Hardee's breakfast (in my defense, my folks were in town), I have decided to tighten up the diet again and start hitting the beach for some running starting tomorrow morning. Monday mornings suck but they offer up a tabula rasa of sorts. But since it isn't Monday yet, I used the excuse of "cleaning out my fridge" to indulge in the ultimate gastronomic pleasure.

Hellooooo, old friend!

If you have never had English sticky toffee pudding, search the dessert menu of your local English or Irish pub. It is a must have. Over Memorial Day, Bad Wolf, Momma Bad Wolf and I almost fought over who got to lick the plate after we shared a plate of it at an Irish pub in Louisville. No pub nearby? This Haagen-Dazs version is an awesome substitute (Thanks for the heads-up, Bad Wolf!)

Well, I am off to go "clean my fridge" some more. Wish me luck!

Daughter Of The Year Award

The weather has been INSANE here the last few days: gale force winds, grey clouds and pouring rain.


Mom called last night to make sure all was well. A brief snippet:

Mom: I saw that you have some pretty high winds down there.
Me: Yeah, it makes driving fun. I almost got blown off the road a few times.
Mom: Well, hunker down. Try staying off the beach. The riptides are going to be pretty strong. Just in case, you know, you get the urge to go skinny-dipping again.
(insert a few seconds of awkward silence as I try not to choke on my plum wine. Candace later comments on the lovely shade of green I turned at that moment.)
Mom: You know... I do read your blog, dear.

Heh heh... ummmm... hi mom!

Maybe You Can Go Back Home (For A Few Days... At Least)

I was a little worried about moving back in with my parents for the week that all my household belongings were in North Carolina but I had to finish my last week of work at Quantico and clean out the old apartment. My dad is a bit set in his routine and doesn't like any deviation from his norm. I figured that I would cause friction in the house. I am happy to report that the week has went by with few glitches (other than my mom wanting to throw my super loud Sonic Boom alarm clock out the window when it woke her up at 6 AM... what can i say?... I am a heavy sleeper!)

Things I have learned to love at my parents' house:

1. My mom is a kickass cook. I have been spoiled with pork tenderloin, crawfish quiche and other goodies all week long. She would even made a plate and warm it up for me on the nights when I came in late. Mom just had a Wegmans open up down the street from her house that awakened her inner gourmand so she is all about incorporating the latest sheep cheese or spinach focaccia she picked up in to her cooking. Quite a change from my usual dinner of Lean Cuisine and Cheez-Its.



2. The ultra-soft down comforter on the guest bed. Seriously... this thing is like sleeping enveloped in the clouds.



3. The companionship of the coolest dog in the world. Breed? A snorting, wiggling pug. Name? Ouiser Boudreaux, of course. Can you tell who named her? She was my dog for the first 5 months but my parents adopted her when my life got too busy. Ouiser is the quirkiest yet sweetest dog in the world and makes the best cuddle buddy you could ever find. Just look at this face...

Resistance is futile!

I am going to be off the grid for a few days. I am heading back down to North Carolina around 1 PM tomorrow. My cable hookup at the new place isn't until Wednesday, so unless I can find Wi-Fi access somewhere, you won't hear from me for awhile. No worries because Bad Wolf can hold it down in my absence. See y'all later!