Debster822's Blog

Last week we bought new outside lights, because our old lights died 3 years ago, and we just didn’t bother for 2 years. We installed them and admired them, texted pics of them to Miss M in Brooklyn, who cannot wait to see them on 12/23. I bought new chili-pepper lights to put around the kitchen window over the sink; I found some shortly after we moved here in ’98 and used them until they died & I couldn’t find substitute bulbs. The last 3 years I settled for less-worthy lights and had that nagging feeling of “meh.” This year I’m back to festive around the kitchen window.

Yesterday we went to the local Christmas Tree farm, as we have for the last 14 yrs. (with the exception of ’09, when we bought an 8′ Douglas Fir for $25 from a tree lot that was struggling). We get Leyland Cypress or Incense Cedar because they last so long, smell so good, and don’t drop needles as do pines and firs.

Today we installed it and cut off the net; the guys who netted it used the smaller netter and broke a number of branches. We can’t hide all of the broken stuff but we’ll work around it. While the tree is soaking up water and relaxing, we decorated the loft railing and the stair railing, and found a stocking for A, C’s gf, who’s coming to spend Christmas with us.

Chris tenderly unwrapped and set up the hand-carved crèche we bought in the Republic of Korea in 1983, and have displayed every year since. I did the stair-railing lights and hung the stockings. The Chinchilla stockings, a mere token on the stair railing in the past, will be hung on the tree. Gone, but not forgotten.

Before we started decorating I cued up the London Symphony Orchestra’s rendition of “The Nutcracker.”  Nothing beats that iconic music and our traditions. And since C danced 3 seasons in the Santa Barbara Festival Ballet’s “Nutcracker” the music is especially signifiant; I can picture who danced what when the music changes.

What’s different this year as we decorate with what we know M & C love is that we discuss the origins of the ornament or decoration. And today I was very easily moved to tears about all of it. Hormones? Sentamentality? Something else? I don’t know. I just know that tying the stockings to the lights got me more choked up than I ever would have imagined.

Keeping traditions helps one (or a family) hold onto something safe and dependable over the years. So a kid can count on something that doesn’t change (or if it does, it morphs gradually), even when the rest of the world disrupts right and left. The recent elections, the  unrest and protests over Michael Brown and Eric Garner, et al, freak out all of us. What do we make of it? Where is our country heading? What’s wrong with the police and their policies and our judicial system? Is everyone texting and Instagraming and missing the Big Picture?

I have no answers. At this time of year I fall back on our traditions, that allow us a safe place to be, and while we’er there, perhaps a new perspective from which to view the world. Traditions make the changes tolerable, because we have a safe place to which to retreat, where the world is as it was at our most safe-feeling time.

I hope you all have that place to retreat, experience, and launch from.  Amazing things can happen if you’re open to them.

Our son and one of his roommates hosted us for Thanksgiving 4 years ago. Our daughter, severely depressed, actually brightened up and encouraged us, so she did the tofurkey, and we made our standard dressing and pecan pie, vegan style. Our son had his roomies, whom we’ve known for 5+ years when they were CAT 3 cyclists, and a couple friends from high school over for dinner. It was delicious and sweet and fun.

The years in between have been similar: We bring the dressing, pecan pie, wine, and this year Winter’s Best Gingersnaps. Sean and his wife Christina (Chris and I reminisced about how we weren’t sure how Sean would turn out; turns out he’s achieved a new level of cool, and his wife, Christina, is a sweet, smart, talented lady. She’s brought out the best in Sean.

Colin’s lady’d father flew in from Russia. He & his wife and A emigrated to the US from Russia when she was 3. She doesn’t have a Russian accent, although her Russian has an American accent. *cue irony* Her dad is great, very outgoing and friendly. I know he enjoyed the craft beer he was poured; I didn’t hear how he liked the turkey.

Speaking of which: Colin scored a Heritage Turkey, so he had to chop off the head, feet, and gut it. And despite the group effort, we ate all the sides before the turkey was ready. They heeded our advice to let it rest 30 min. before carving, and it was the best turkey I’ve ever had. Jason & Ryan got all caveman on the drumsticks, and cleaned them in fine fashion. I had a couple slices of breast that were full of flavor and juice. And among 11 people we barely ate ½ the turkey; it was 15 lbs.

So the sides…Jason made 2-cheese mac & cheese; Christina made scallops potatoes; Sean made a cranberry compote; Anastasia made a kale salad featuring  goat cheese ricotta and persimmon, we brought our dressing, Christina brought her savory dressing. I think C made the scalopped potatoes as well. Someone roasted root vegetables. Everything was full of flavor.

What got me was how these young men, whom we’ve known before their voices changed, have matured into people who are aware politically, financially, socially, emotionally. It’s as though we’re talking to the high school kids asif they’re on steroids,  but without the drugs. I’m so impressed by the humans, the men,the women, theses people have become. They are aware of so much, and choose how they give back to the community . It’s so rewarding to see and share. I cannot imagine being more proud of these young adults, and am grateful to be part of their lives.

Meeting Anastasia’s dad, whose Russian accent I love, was tops. This guy travels all over the world, and English is the common language. Or as he told us, English or it doesn’t happen.

Best Thanksgiving ever. Grateful for my husband, daughter who spent the day on Staten Islad, son, his SO, and friends.

For the 4th Thanksgiving in a row we aren’t hosting — we’re sharing with Colin, his roommates, and now his girlfriend and her father, who’s flying in from Russia. Oh, yes, this will be interesting. We’ve met the GF & like her very much. Extra pressure on Colin to step up — last year he had fancy cocktails and roasted a duck, and it was so amazing! Until my dog escaped and ran down  10th St. for several blocks before we corralled him. What an ass. He has no traffic sense.

Anyway, Colin and his roommates have put on great Thanksgiving meals, and we’re happy to provide the stuffing (always cooked as a side dish), the pecan pie, and wine. Last year Colin cooked duck; I loved how he flipped between the YouTube tutorial and our curiousity.  Aside from the absent daughter (waaaahhhh!) and our bolting dog, it was a great celebration.

So we’re bringing that dressing/stuffing that we can’t have a holiday without, as well as the fancy pecan pie, with a twist that Chris  put on it. This year he roasted the pecans used in the filling, and used a Martha Stewart recipe for the crust. Until I eat it, I cannot comment. Props to him for experimenting.

The dressing is cooked and so are the Gingersnaps…the house is full of amazingly spicy smells…and I’lm eagerly anticipating tomorrow.

I hope you all have a fulfilling and filling holiday. Enjoy!

We picked up a friend who rides for LLS fundraising rides; I’ve ridden with her numerous times but my husband has not. We rode half-bikes yesterday so today we chose the tandem. Our tri friend needed an easy >30 <50  miles. Our horse/bike friend, slightly under the weather, just wanted to ride. We were happy to pull her in the tandem’s great slipstream.

Actually, we did most of the pulling, except when our Tri friend went off for a mild effort, and we had so much fun convo. There was a slight north wind but that didn’t inhibit us (unlike yesterday, when I had to work really hard to stay on the Mr.’s wheel as we rode north), and the temperatures were mild, the sun golden and low, and the result was almost magical. We all had the ride we wanted & needed. That’s rare.

We cleaned up, walked the dogs, drove to St. Helena and had fun at V. Sattui — met some members who’ve never done the Barrel Tasting, so we steered them that way — they were very open and we were all too happy to lead them down that path.

The drive home was colorful — we headed east, and that’s where the color started.  Later, we headed to our b/h friends’ place for his birthday dinner. They’re both dealing with an upper respiratory thing, and we were exposed Friday, so what the hell…let’s help Ron turn 74! That was fun.

I love reinforcing our bonds with people with whom we have connections. We’ve supported our Tri friend both monetarily, through her LLS page, as well as physically, on the bike. And we reinforced that today. She’d never  drafted a tandem. We kept her honest (she’d have ridden much harder and faster otherwise). So yes, fun.

As I type these words I reflect on our weekend…I’m happy.  We both are. And that’s all that matters.

As much as I hate the manipulation of time (in countries that don’t manipulate their clocks, the days get longer at the beginning and end, just as they do under DST, without the need to adjust to the artificial adjustment of time. Just sayin’), I admit I like waking up with some  light in the eastern sky. And at noon I still feel as though I have the entire day ahead of me…but by 5, not so much.

This morning I woke before the dogs did (yay!) and snoozed while Chris fixed the coffee: I set up the coffee pot, he turns it on. Then he steams milk, makes 2 double shots of espresso, pours one double shot into a tall insulated mug, adds the milk, coffee, puts the lid on and delivers. And that’s what I do for him on his days off. The beverage is rich, foamy, and full of caffeine. There is no wrong way to do it.

So after my coffee I walked the dogs, who are all too excited to be out in the chill, licking dew off grass, leaping at the ends of the leash because my walking is so slow, sniffing and peeing on the same places, no matter our route. I love their enthusiasm. It encourages me to ride my bike. And most days I do.

Today I almost didn’t: My Garmin didn’t start right away; I dropped my chain (I may not have shared here how much I hate to get my hands dirty), I felt I was overdressed and didn’t want to sweat that much, and blahblahblah. So this happened: http://www.strava.com/activities/216579532/segments/5114631368

After that I cleaned up, previewed 5 properties, confirmed showings for an out-of-town client, firmed up Sunday’s ride, and depending on when the Niners play, showings on Sunday afternoon.

I strive for balance; as a Libra I am predisposed and hard-wired to it. These last few days are aligning nicely.

My husband, at least as competitive as I, and probably more so, came with me to a Spin class tonight. I planned Spin + Body Pump, and Spin was enough. I’m still sore from Tuesday’s effort, so Spin was enough.

He has to leave Monday for a work thing. My significant birthday is Tuesday; I made reservations at Yoshi’s for dinner and Leon Russell after. I saw Leon Russell shortly after my 18th birthday, at the Tower in Philly. I was so eagerly anticipating that intimate time, and when he told me it was crushed, so was I.

Perhaps I’m subconsciously focused on “an age.” Or “an event.” Either way, I have no back up plan, and my best GFs and siblings aren’t here, and I kind of want to just cry about that.

After the morning’s meetings are done, I’ll just go ride my bike. And hope that I get a perspective on a new decade that I don’t have now.

Color me always hopeful.