Everyone came out for dinner at Los Arcos!
Friday, December 31, 2004
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
G.R.I.T.S. -- (Great Rhetoric In The South)
I'm writing a quick note from North Carolina tonight. Liz and I got in Monday afternoon, after almost dying in Pittsburgh. The roads were the slickest we've ever seen them, and even at 9 degrees, we were still sweating bullets and had the windows down to cool off! The normal, three hour trip to Pittsburgh took 5 1/2 hours, so we stopped in Canonsburg, 30 minutes (more like two hours...) south. We found a room at the Super 8 motel (room number 233...the same number that Mary told Barbara in a dream...) and by the next morning the roads were clear.
We did Christmas with our family on Monday night, and then got together with teachers from school on Tuesday night at the Mexican restaurant. (I'll post pictures when we get back to Buffalo...) We had lunch today at our favorite Chinese restaurant, and the owners even gave us some frozen stuff to take back with us.
Tomorrow, we are eating Japanese...completing our internationally flavored whirlwind tour of Kannapolis. I stocked up on Grits and Cherry Lemon Sun Drop and am already thinking about my next visit in March.
We also went over and saw the house, cleaning the algae off of the siding, and dusting the interior. It was bittersweet, but hopefully it will sell soon.
It's going to be close to 70 here by Friday, so we are at least grateful that it is still Winter in Buffalo. They are getting some snow tonight before the heat wave that will bring temps into the upper 30's, lower 40's.
We are leaving on Thursday, and I'll put up some pictures when we get back to Buffalo. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas...I know I did! More this weekend! Have a good night!
-Mike
We did Christmas with our family on Monday night, and then got together with teachers from school on Tuesday night at the Mexican restaurant. (I'll post pictures when we get back to Buffalo...) We had lunch today at our favorite Chinese restaurant, and the owners even gave us some frozen stuff to take back with us.
Tomorrow, we are eating Japanese...completing our internationally flavored whirlwind tour of Kannapolis. I stocked up on Grits and Cherry Lemon Sun Drop and am already thinking about my next visit in March.
We also went over and saw the house, cleaning the algae off of the siding, and dusting the interior. It was bittersweet, but hopefully it will sell soon.
It's going to be close to 70 here by Friday, so we are at least grateful that it is still Winter in Buffalo. They are getting some snow tonight before the heat wave that will bring temps into the upper 30's, lower 40's.
We are leaving on Thursday, and I'll put up some pictures when we get back to Buffalo. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas...I know I did! More this weekend! Have a good night!
-Mike
Saturday, December 25, 2004
Friday, December 24, 2004
Santa's Almost Here!
Merry Christmas Eve! There's snow on the ground, with a little more expected tonight! After church this afternoon, Liz's grandmother and Paula are coming over for dinner, and we're having sort of a "Silent" night. I'll write more tomorrow with pictures of our Christmas Day! If you've not found anything for that special person, and you'd like to give the ultimate gift this year: CLICK HERE!
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
As Paul Harvey Would Say, Here's The Rest of The Story...
It is 2:30 am, and I waited too long to take the Tylenol, so my mouth and I are awake. I thought it would be good time to post the rest of the Christmas article that should be in the paper today. What's published in the paper may be edited from what's written here. Unfortunately, I do not have complete control over publishing decisions...
Happy Holidays!
My mother’s entire extended family gets together on Christmas Eve, and everyone takes a turn hosting. As kids, we always enjoyed Aunt Peggy’s house, as well as Aunt Ann’s and Uncle Mel’s. All the cousins would be there, and we’d play, poking around the Christmas tree trying to figure out what may be in the biggest boxes. Grandma Adams used to give the kids these giant boxes of Juicy Fruit gum. We would try to chew whole packs, before we got noticed and reminded to chew just one piece at a time.
After the Christmas Eve gathering, we’d drive home, scouting for reindeer, looking for snowflakes—wondering if Santa had already come in our absence. Later, we’d go to church for Christmas Eve services and sing carols by candlelight. It would be after midnight before we got into bed, exhausted, but still more than excited.
Early Christmas morning, one of us kids would wake up early, and get the others out of bed. We would stand in front of my parents’ door and whisper, “I think Santa has been here.” We would whisper increasingly louder until we were acknowledged, and then wait impatiently for our parents to get up and get ready.
My father would go downstairs first, and get the fire going. Then he would position himself at the bottom of the stairs with the video camera. My mother would go down to the couch, and my father would give the signal that we could come on down.
We would bolt like lightning down the steps to see what Santa had brought, always in a frenzy, with wrapping paper flying, and gasping in magical wonder. We’d spend the day with grandparents and other family, coming home to nap in the midst of torn paper and new toys.
As I get closer to Christmas this year, the homesickness is increasing as much as the excitement. The memories help, but the only gift that matters to me is being with the ones I love. I hope you and your families have a wonderful, memorable, and blessed holiday. I can’t wait to get home for a visit and see all of you that I miss so much!
Happy Holidays!
My mother’s entire extended family gets together on Christmas Eve, and everyone takes a turn hosting. As kids, we always enjoyed Aunt Peggy’s house, as well as Aunt Ann’s and Uncle Mel’s. All the cousins would be there, and we’d play, poking around the Christmas tree trying to figure out what may be in the biggest boxes. Grandma Adams used to give the kids these giant boxes of Juicy Fruit gum. We would try to chew whole packs, before we got noticed and reminded to chew just one piece at a time.
After the Christmas Eve gathering, we’d drive home, scouting for reindeer, looking for snowflakes—wondering if Santa had already come in our absence. Later, we’d go to church for Christmas Eve services and sing carols by candlelight. It would be after midnight before we got into bed, exhausted, but still more than excited.
Early Christmas morning, one of us kids would wake up early, and get the others out of bed. We would stand in front of my parents’ door and whisper, “I think Santa has been here.” We would whisper increasingly louder until we were acknowledged, and then wait impatiently for our parents to get up and get ready.
My father would go downstairs first, and get the fire going. Then he would position himself at the bottom of the stairs with the video camera. My mother would go down to the couch, and my father would give the signal that we could come on down.
We would bolt like lightning down the steps to see what Santa had brought, always in a frenzy, with wrapping paper flying, and gasping in magical wonder. We’d spend the day with grandparents and other family, coming home to nap in the midst of torn paper and new toys.
As I get closer to Christmas this year, the homesickness is increasing as much as the excitement. The memories help, but the only gift that matters to me is being with the ones I love. I hope you and your families have a wonderful, memorable, and blessed holiday. I can’t wait to get home for a visit and see all of you that I miss so much!
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Wisdom?
I had a toothache on Sunday, and it was bad enough to call the doctor and make an appointment. I went in this morning, thinking I needed a root canal or a full set of dentures, but my top right wisdom tooth was pushing my other together, causing the pain. The doctor took it out four hours ago, without one bit of pain. However, the pain I feel now is worse than the original toothache on Sunday, and I'm just not seeing the wisdom of all of this right before Christmas!
Monday, December 20, 2004
Absolutely Treacherous!
It was -2 degrees this morning going to school. The roads were a solid sheet of ice, and people were all over the road. I lived through it...thank goodness...because they're expecting a warm front tomorrow. It's going to be a balmy 20 degrees in the morning, and then we have a heat wave for Thursday. Highs COULD be in the upper 30's.
Here's the next section of my holiday article for the Independent Tribune:
The excitement and magic would increase exponentially for us as Christmas drew nearer. One year, we went to McAdenville, and I remember sitting on the exit ramp, in a long line of traffic. My mother asked my father if he heard noises, and my father said that he did. She looked out the front window, and the side ones, and this intense look came over her face. She turned to us in the back seat, and whispered, “Look out the back window. Be very, very quiet. Do you see anything?”
A red light was soaring through the sky. “Looks like a reindeer to me,” she whispered. My siblings and I were awestruck, staring at the backdrop of stars that the red light was moving through. Only seconds passed, it seems, until we were in McAdenville, the lights even more magical with the possibility of glimpsing more reindeer, or perhaps Santa himself.
Our weekends would weave through Christmas parties and last minute mall shopping. There’d be Christmas pageants at church, and fun activities at school—all leading up to Christmas Eve.
I'll post the next section on Wednesday. Have a great week!
Here's the next section of my holiday article for the Independent Tribune:
The excitement and magic would increase exponentially for us as Christmas drew nearer. One year, we went to McAdenville, and I remember sitting on the exit ramp, in a long line of traffic. My mother asked my father if he heard noises, and my father said that he did. She looked out the front window, and the side ones, and this intense look came over her face. She turned to us in the back seat, and whispered, “Look out the back window. Be very, very quiet. Do you see anything?”
A red light was soaring through the sky. “Looks like a reindeer to me,” she whispered. My siblings and I were awestruck, staring at the backdrop of stars that the red light was moving through. Only seconds passed, it seems, until we were in McAdenville, the lights even more magical with the possibility of glimpsing more reindeer, or perhaps Santa himself.
Our weekends would weave through Christmas parties and last minute mall shopping. There’d be Christmas pageants at church, and fun activities at school—all leading up to Christmas Eve.
I'll post the next section on Wednesday. Have a great week!
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