Drive By Christmas

Quick like bunny - work is kicking my ass today.

It was sort of a strange, transitional Christmas this year; a whirlwind Christmas caught between different family traditions and a time to make our own. It feels like we were given a little breathing room this year, that folks stepped back and allowed us to take in the still calm of the eye of the hurricane of Christmas chaos that will tear into our lives from here on out.

We hit Bremerton for Christmas Eve, much as I have every year before that I have spent that particular day in Washington. The ferry trip over was Riley's first boat trip, and he spent it in the car nursing. It was sort of relaxing though, listening to his contented noises while the Puget Sound rushed past the car's window. We got to Grandma's, all the aunts took their turns holding the baby and I roamed around talking to cousins. It felt a little strange to not have my parents or my brother there with us, but it was comfortable nonetheless.

One of my cousins brought a tape of Christmas Eve celebrations from 1987 and 88. It was a trip to see my family once again from nearly 20 years ago. It was heartwarming to again see Aunt Betty laughing and Uncle Bud playing his guitar, it made me catch my breath to again see Grandpa alive for a brief second, strong and wily. And all those kids running around - all those kids that are now in college, or having kids of their own. I could feel it, it all sang a verse of a song of transition.

I took Riley up on deck for the return trip. The cold blast of the front proved to be too much for him, so we headed to the aft where it was almost warm. I stood at the rail with him, listening to the dark water below and watching the Christmas lights on the shore drift by.

We took our time getting Christmas Day started, there were only gifts for Riley anyway and he was passed out while we opened them. We listened to the poor weekend guys who had to man the posts at KEXP for the holiday. I was pleasantly surprised to hear them play Alan Parsons In A Winter Wonderland by Grandaddy. But I was dismayed to hear that James Brown, the hardest working man in show business, had passed away - but then it did seem appropriate somehow that the man would shuffle off on what for most is the biggest day of the year.

Thank you James Brown, your music made me also want to get on the scene, like a sex machine. You will be missed.

We went over to Mandy's (sans Jason) for dinner for another delightful festive-type feast of turkey and dressing and potatoes and what-nots. Good stuff, good times, but still this strange hovering feeling of transitions and new traditions. I thought about the family we had made for ourselves, Bif and I. Not just the baby, but the amazing friends we have surrounding and protecting us; the beautiful ones who were so excited for us even when we were terrified, the ones who believed in our abilities when we couldn't. I gotta tell you, I was tired and beat, but it felt good. It felt like the sort of great Christmas present that you get that you never even asked for.