This gorgeous blue-eyed Siamese-mix was on leash in my old park.
We’re back home in Arizona for a bit. Christmas in my old life and Movie Colony of Palm Springs neighborhood was not as stressful as I worried about in advance. We spent two nights at my 90-year-old dad’s house and then met part of the extended family at a VRBO the kids selected — five blocks from our family home of 28 plus years.
I had mixed emotions about the entire trip. Then I saw my favorite checker from Ralphs’ grocery store my first night there. I saw a fellow swim parent in the parking lot. It made me cry and smile.
We (me, my daughter and son’s fiancee) got pedicures at the place we used to go to. We got hugs and a huge welcome. They wondered where we’ve been for two years — while they were closed for COVID and we moved. Thank goodness they are still in business!
As for getting all the food we missed from our favorite restaurants? That was one of my goals. We cooked most meals with people taking turns. Every meal was delicious. I never ate out.
My daughter went to one of our old favorites with a friend and said it was an insult to Italian food.
We took turns with cooking and cleaning. I think this was a very good family time! Loved every second. Although they didn’t want me to replay “Funky Town” too many times…Or dance~!
How was your Christmas and holidays? What are our plans for the New Year?
How lovely! 😍
It was a wonderful time 😊
That’s really great. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
😎
Oh good! Glad you ended up having a good time. It’s the people who make it special. Love that you were able to see those familiar people you knew from when you lived there. My dad is also 90. We stopped yesterday to check on hm (mom is also still alive, she’s much healthier and mentally still with it than him…it gave me mixed feelings. We hadn’t been there for a few weeks due to sickness. I can definitely see he’s failed. Our Christmas was low key, and I’m going to say, New Years will be as well. Neither one of us are night owls.
My dad was the life of the party for Christmas dinner. He had a great time. Unfortunately my mom is in assisted living in WA by my brother. He texted me that she has Covid, but she’s doing ok. That makes me sad to see the difference between the two, also.
That sounds like such a good time. Glad it went well!
It was a nice few days with family 😊
Success! That’s wonderful. Often just being with people we love outweighs any other concerns we might have. The new year will be quiet for me, has been for many, many years although I have fun memories of when the kids were young. It was always junk food night and games or movies.
It was so nice to hang out around the pool together reading. My New Year’s will be quiet too.
Sounds like a good new year. Beautiful Siamese. I had one for 2 years named Raisa after Mikhail Gorbachev’a wife. After I left for South Korea, I donated her to the local hardware store in Gulf Shores, AL. She was a winner for them! We will have a quiet New Year. I am glad to rest up and enjoy the night.
I’m sure the hardware store loved Raisa. Now that we’re back home I’m looking forward to quiet time! Next week I’m going to Berkeley to help my son post surgery.
She was a wonderful cat, unfortunately, I did not believe she would enjoy a new life with me in South Korea. It was a good decision. She definitely was in place in the South.
I think you made the right choice even though it must have been hard.
No, I adopted a few stray cats or knew their feeding place in Korea and Abu Dhabi. I think leaving a home is harder.
Best wishes for your son’s health and a wonderful new year!
Thank you! Happy New Year to you and your husband.
Sounds like a good time. We are in Oregon in the snow packing up MIL to move her back to CA with us. Hopefully by January 1 we will be more settled.
I can’t deal with snow! Be safe!
That sounds like a wonderful Christmas! Our was much the same, family everywhere, grandkids underfoot, too much food, laughter, and festivities! Loved every minute. We’re up at the lake for New Years with our daughter’s family, and a few friends. We’re looking forward to a quiet evening and a few days enjoying all the rain. Happy New Year! Hugs, C
There’s nothing like family being together for Christmas. Happy New Year to you and your family!
Our Christmas this year? Quiet. Our Christmas for next year? More Quiet. Our Christmas’s for the foreseeable future? Yep, you guessed it: Quiet.
Love it!
So you can go home again. I’m glad it worked out for you. Glad that you were able to share the holiday with family too!
I think having my expectations down helped. A friend who moved to Italy said “It’s a nice place to visit, I wouldn’t want to live there.” That phrase gave me a new outlook that helped frame my return.
It’s been a good week…
I’m glad to be home for a few days with peace and quiet.
💗
👍🏼
That sounds so sweet