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This is the season for parties… holidays and family events (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) I am still mustering the spirit, which is difficult for me personally what with the National Embarrassment of the DIC and with my own spouse’s ongoing battle with what seems to be flares of illness that probably will haunt him for the rest of his life. (Oh well, at least we can celebrate a little bit that there will not be a homophobic right-wing extremist hypocrite in the U.S. Senate).<\/p>\n
As sociable as I appear to be, I am really not…
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…the party guy. Don’t get me wrong — I love my family very much. I enjoy spending time with them. But I maintain my focus on caring for my beloved spouse. In an abundance of caution, I stayed home this past weekend to keep an eye on him and did not go to three family functions. In retrospect, I probably could have; the Spouse was fine, just tired. He rested most of the weekend. <\/p>\n
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I spent most of the weekend baking. I love to bake in my kitchen that I designed when I built our house, especially when snow is falling. I put on the Christmas albums and sing along to Karen Carpenter, Anne Murray, and others whose Christmas crooning lifts my spirits. <\/p>\n
I baked a loaf of bread for each one of the neighbors in my little branch of home — 17 of them. I delivered the bread personally and enjoyed the smiles and well-wishes of my neighbors. I also baked cookies for the in-house holiday party at the office today. Oh joy. I just love those things (not).<\/p>\n
What I enjoyed baking most was a gluten-free torta di crema di limone<\/em> — a lemon custard pie. The Spouse loves it and I enjoy seeing his smile when he eats it.<\/p>\n My friends with whom I grew up and with whom I have been Christmas caroling are doing it again this coming Saturday. I really will make an effort to go — 43 years now. Who woulda thunk?<\/p>\n Instead, especially on workday evenings, I will curl up with The Spouse and watch a long string of Hallmark Christmas Movie Mush. Peace, joy, love, and tranquility — so much better than the evening news.<\/p>\n Anyway, muddle I must. Keeping the boots busy with my last few days of work for the year, then spending quality time with the man who rocks my world, one rock at a time.<\/p>\n Life is short: celebrate for what works for you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This is the season for parties… holidays and family events (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) I am still mustering the spirit, which is difficult for me personally what with the National Embarrassment of the DIC and with my own spouse’s ongoing battle … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bootedmanblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Partyduds-300x235.jpg?resize=300%2C235\")
But profession group parties held evenings during the week on Capitol Hill — not. I was invited to three of them on Tuesday, Thursday, and next Wednesday. Yuck to dressing up (yeah, suits and “festive holiday attire” are the UoD for those events). Double yuck. Also, the hassle of getting into and home again from the core of Washington, DC, is something I no longer can handle. DC is one of those places that you can’t get to conveniently or quickly from my home in the Maryland ‘burbs. I am not a “city boy” (never have been) — so the post-work evening “holiday gatherings” are not, and have not ever been, for me.<\/p>\n