A book I would mail to everyone I knew if I was really rich

The other day I was Christmas/Birthday shopping in the local Borders. I prefer Fox books for the nostalgia factor, but this particular Borders is in a mall that our library used to "live" in, for about a year, when we were renovating. I also get my hair cut at this mall. Anyways.

Oh, Birthday/Christmas is a true season in our family...mine begins the season on Nov 28 and my brother punctuates the pre-Christmas season with his on Dec 20. My sister punctuates the post-Christmas/post-New Year season with hers on Jan 3.

Anyways, I have rarely allowed myself anything at Borders or Fox books in past years, but this year I've had a windfall and so I allowed myself one trade paperback. And dear reader, it was this one, Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life.

It is a true gem. I am currently on p. 143, which features, "More Miles,'' "Movies," and "Mr. Koch."

I am at my parent's house, where the keyboard always wants to give me double '' or ''"". It is annoying and yet a little endearing, because I am at home in the imperfection of it all. It reminds me that it is nice to be here and nice to be there.

"I was interested in your blog," my mother said as she wiped the counters. She was worried that I was suicidal since I mentioned it in my "Christmas address." (note the use of quotes...each time, I get double.)

We are listening to Amahl and the Night Visitors. My mother is informing my father that the kings have arrived. I do that too--tell someone something out of context, expecting them to get it, and sometimes they do.

My mother is talking to the phone, as in "Hello phone, annex" (which is the name for where my brother lives, 3 (count em) blocks away.) He didn't spend the Christmas eve with us (which I so dearly wanted) because there is no bed for him and Santa wanted more time in the living room for him to be able to sleep on the hide-a-bed there. (Which I did, many years, when Grandma came to us for Christmas.)

"This is my box, I never travel without my box," sings the king.

This is the second Christmas without Grandma. She died last year on the day my brother graduated from college, Dec. 7. She was 99, shy 100 by two and a half months. I love the fact that both my grandmothers had the same birthday: February 18. It's as if all the differences my parents have, they have this one glue. My dad's mom died when I was ten, after Beppe came to us and while my mom was preggers with James.

Right now the kings are describing the Christ child. I love Amahl so. My mother and I went to see it one year at a church when I was in junior high. (That was when there was junior high, not this intermediate stuff.)

Alright, I think I need to go get dressed. We're having pancakes Chicago time, my mom tells my sister, which merely means an hour later than the nine o'clock that was broadcast as the pancake time last night.

Next time, about my relatives who went to China--we saw 5 of 9 packs of pictures. She was a photographer as a teen and uses a 35 mm and is an art teacher now, so it was not dull at all. I adore it that I love my famliy--I hope I marry a man who feels the same way, a) and b) that I love his family--I don't want this whole "in law" pressure that my friends talk about...

"Thank you Thank you" sing the kings. Ah, how I love Amahl.

I was suicidal for 10 minutes on the drive home on a Tuesday before Christmas, the first such occasion in many years. My mother was grateful, as am I. Happy Boxing Day to all, and thank you for leaving a comment, it warms the cockles of my heart. Blackbird, I will remember that you like lists!