Is It Over…?

December 28, 2001

Already? It seems that Christmas has just made a very short appearance.

With our trip to Los Angeles in the middle of December our schedule got all messed up.

We got our little live Christmas tree at 4AM Wednesday night (Thurs. morning) and finally put some lights up around our window and some decorations around our home. Saturday we took some time for more Birthday celebrations (see related story) then spent the rest of Christmas weekend scurrying to get our Holiday Cards done and last minute shopping till all the stores closed. Then… had a lovely Christmas. Christmas Eve we had pizza & Coppola wine, our favorite combo, relaxed in front of the TV, and went to bed much too late and very tired.

Christmas morning Alex got up early to see the sun come up… then went back to bed. We both got up very late, opened our stockings and presents and made quite a mess of our tiny place. Calls were placed to all the relatives in England to wish everyone a happy day.

After that, we bundled up and headed out into the world. Walking through Central Park in the crisp, cold, clear air, the leafless trees surrounded us as well as the tall gray buildings. Our stroll took us by the lake, down Literary Walk and to watch the ice skaters at Wollman rink. It was as if we were in a movie.

We weren’t quite ready to go home yet so we kept walking down 5th Ave. Rockefeller Center was teaming with people! Too many for our taste. We saw the skaters there, took some photos and quickly headed home. On our way we got some chestnuts-roasted-on-an-open-fire from a street vendor. It seemed like a seasonal thing to do, especially in New York. Unfortunately, they were a disappointment. They didn’t taste like much, maybe wet, raw potatoes, Alex thought. Some experiences you only need to do once. So, now we’ve done it. Back in our seemingly deserted neighborhood (never seen so many parking spaces!) we could finally breathe.

At home, calls were placed to the relatives in California to wish them a happy day. Then, in true New Yorker style, we ordered up our Christmas dinner! A local restaurant we frequent has a delicious turkey dinner and our little kitchen is too small for cooking such a grand meal. It was tremendous! We watched some "Nutcracker" on TV and ate challah bread & brie. Then watched some of "Moulin Rouge," which Tiffany got for Christmas, and around midnight we found some room for apple pie & ice cream. Then finally, pooped, we crawled up our ladder to bed.

Thanks to everyone for the gifts, cards and phone calls. It made us feel a little more connected than our three thousand mile distance (in both directions) might suggest.

Now… the whirlwind of New Years begins in the morning when Tiffany’s sister, Melissa, arrives for the long weekend at 8am!

Merry Christmas to all… And a very Happy 2002!

 

 

See some PHOTOS from our Christmas in New York.

 

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