supertrucker, denied.

OH MAN, I am sleepy.

It doesn’t help having tropical temperatures here if there’s no sun. Palm trees are optional. Hey, did I mention I’m going to the Bahamas in a month? Hellllllyes!!!

So, Christmas! We headed to gramma’s in Upper Michigan on Friday afternoon. It felt like the longest drive ever, because of the early dark. We did what we usually do, which is blast music and laugh so hard we almost cause accidents. Also, we continued our really disturbing trend of attracting scary dudes at gas stations in Wisconsin: at the Rib Mountain Travel Center, one guy came up and told us he ate the food there every day, and it was awesome. He also said someone paid him $10 to eat three bags of cheese curds. He wouldn’t stop talking, so we sidled away as he followed us, chattering. Then outside, a trucker wearing a sleeveless Superman tshirt said ‘Hi, layyyyydeeeees’ in that way that makes your skin crawl. So yeah. Wisconsin men at gas stations = avoid.

There’s not a lot to do at gramma’s house. She doesn’t have any food around, so we went to the grocery store. She just got one of those electric chairs that goes up and down the steps, so I rode that and laughed the whole way. Saturday, we killed a good 20 minutes at the Pine Tree Mall, another 20 at Shopko, and more at Seguin’s and Angeli’s. All in all, it took care of an hour and a half. I went to the yarn store. I knitted and played sudoku. We had the usual monstrous dinner, then opened presents.

We sleep in at gramma’s. I slept until 9 both days, which is unheard-of. There’s not much else to do there. And we’re tired all the time. Escobar’s theory is that since there’s nothing to do, there’s no reason for your body to generate any energy. I swear I woke up the second I got home Sunday afternoon. So funny.

What I got for xmas! Escobar got me these salt and pepper shakers (they hug and look like a yin-yang from the top, SO CUTE). Stephanie got me a bunch of things, one of which is this book, which is currently driving me even more travel-crazy. My parents got us $500 gift cards, those ones that can be used anywhere. Hellooooo, plane ticket.

I got home around 5 on Christmas Day. Chris came over and we went for a walk, because it’s been not-deathly-cold outside lately. More houses in my neighborhood should have holiday lights up, methinks. Although city folks aren’t prone to having those gigantic inflatable santas and snowmen, so that’s something. We saw a kid in a santa hat shooting his sister with a nerf crossbow. We talked to a guy who was at an NA meeting in a church on 31st Street. We walked up Hennepin through Uptown, just to admire how deserted it was. We made note of the few places that were open: the two movie theatres, a bookstore, and Cheapo. We did some high-level forensic work at the scene of a possible accident. I may have threatened to toss him in the snow.

I got him goofy stuff and knit him a scarf I was still weaving in the ends on when he arrived. He got me a Hungarian embroidery to go with the collection of textiles I have on my bedroom wall. I love it.

Monday I had off, so I did my cleaning and organizing and decided it’s time for the mass purge again. Once I figure out where to store these things, I’ll be collecting them for a garage sale. Good fundraising, y’see. I went to see Brokeback Mountain (aka Gay Cowboys) with my sister, and nearly died at the end when I was already crying and then Willie Nelson starting singing. The movie was sold out in Edina, because apparently everybody loves gay cowboys! At least when they’re hot.

I had dinner with Homie and we exchanged gifts. She got me a rolling Hello Kitty suitcase. It’s so fabulous, and it will be accompanying me to the Bahamas.

I reallyreally want to go to the Y right now. It’s so dark and gloomy outside, I need to make me some energy.

We shall speak again, of this there is no doubt.
Jenni