Holiday Season @ MindSay

I took the 6 train down to Canal today, which given the time of year and day of the week was a VERY poor choice.  Canal street was TERRIBLE.  It is a regular Tuesday, so imagine a Saturday 2 weeks before Christmas.  I had to walk on the yellow line between the zooming cars to move.  Not good.

So instead of either taking the hell trains back, or walking, I decided to walk to 6th ave and take the A/C/E trains to West 4th.  This killed my idea of stopping by Crate and Barrel to buy the mom I work for a nice gift, but there are other days.  And other stores.

I get on the A or C (don't know) at Canal.  It goes Canal -- Spring -- West 4th (my stop).  At Spring Street, when I finally put my headphones on, I look up and on the platform....HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE DRESSED UP LIKE SANTA CLAUS, CHANTING, "HO! HO! HO! HO! HO! HO! HO! HO! HO! HO! HO! HO! HO! HO! HO! HO!".  And then they all boarded the train with me and sort of sung carols and chanted Ho several more times and continued to drink 'Santa's power juice' which wasn't much more than whiskey and vodka and something light brown.  And one of them told me I wasn't making good use of another Santa's mistletoe, but that was just good common sense on my part.  I got off and told them they were fantastic, and the same one said, 'no, YOU'RE fantastic' which coming from Santa (even as a non-Christian) was a nice compliment.  And then, as the train pulled away, I realized that FOUR OR FIVE CARS were FULL OF SANTA CLAUSES on their way to Times Square.

And I woulda missed it all had I not been so lazy.
Of course, being lazy also meant I walked out without my camera or even my phone, so I have no documentation of this fantastic happening of my life.

But it was amazing :)

(below is apparently what I tried to copy and paste into a word doc before, with little or no success.  But I thought I had copied 'HO!' and was instead met with this, in the perfect columns they came from, courtesy of the LIRR.  Damn you, microsoft word!)

41 PM	2:24 PM		Jamaica	2:05 PM		Off Peak
2:41 PM	3:24 PM		Jamaica	3:05 PM		Off Peak
3:41 PM	4:24 PM		Jamaica	4:05 PM		Off Peak
4:41 PM	5:24 PM		Jamaica	5:05 PM		Off Peak
5:41 PM	6:24 PM		Jamaica	6:05 PM		Off Peak

As we experience Thanksgiving week... this begins my favorite time of the year!!!!  From now until New Years Day!  The Christmas train comes out on Thursday, we're still making Yule Log musical DVDs, as I cook all day (a 20lb turkey for L and I....SURE!!!  Who doesn't like leftover turkey dinners and sandwiches?!), savoring the smells, and enjoying the peace.  AND, there is a possibility of snow on Wednesday!!!  YEA!!!  As it is my 3 day weekend!!

 

For those who sent me wishes and suggestions after my last blog, thank you!  My sinus problems seem to be ebbing...finally!  I got out my saline nasal spray, and have put it to use several times a day to keep my passages moist and free of allergens.  Seems to be working, as the "guckiness" is finding it's way out and away from my system.

 

Today was in the mid 70s (yes, we DO live in Denver, yes, it IS November 19th, yes, it hasn't rained in over a month and, yes, it is heading for Christmas!!  So, to appreciate the beauty of the pending holiday season, here are some shots from yesterday.  A gorgeous sunrise and the beautiful clouds that hung during the day:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy!! Relax!!  And make sure that you stop to breathe in the joy of the season!!

With all the going and going and going with this holiday season, do you find yourself exhausted?  I've been going downhill with exhaustion since Friday.  Had a nighborhood holiday drop-in at our home this afternoon and found myself speachless.  I had lost my voice. Could't say a word.  Had over 30 guests at the house and had to completely rely on my husband to speak for me.  Can exhaustion bring on loosing your vocal capabilities?

 

 

I'm off to bed.

 

 

Who the hell is this giftofthemagi and why are they going around verbally abusing people for no good reason? That's kind of pathetic since it's officially supposed to be the holiday season? Can't you find something more constructive to do?

The holiday season is quickly approaching and I am wondering if the old man is going to call for me to come down.  I would go in a heart beat if asked.  But since we are not on the best of terms I really do not know if there will be communication or not.  I sure as hell ain't gonna call.

 

Last year he fixed a whole prime rib for me and his guests.  His wife Rosa said that he had never done that before.  The dinner was awkward but nice at the same time.  He took me out on the boat, pictures of which I posted, and except for being very bored that night it was all good.

 

I sure would like to go down there again.  I think I will start saving money now just in case.