#103 Happy Holidays, Jessi
Part 2! This is actually quite a tricky book to snark and it is irritating me. Muchly.
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Chapter 7
Still not terribly easy to snark here. The Circus Ramseycus is now in the hospital and Jessi is understandably shaken and upset, but other than some bruises, she’s ok. Becca and Cecelia are much the same, although Cecelia will now be known as Cece as I can’t be bothered typing out her name all the time. It’s one of those names where my fingers get tangled up when I type it.
Cece blames herself, Jessi phones Mal to let her know that she won’t be making that Kwanzaa meeting and then they go to see Squirt. Squirt is alive and happy to see everyone and I do think he is very cute when he calls Jessi juice, or ‘dooooss.’ He’s going to be ok, but has to stay in hospital due to abnormal readings.
Cece is nervous on the way home and nags at Daddy about his driving. Then she apologises. Poor Cece. I have done a u-turn on my Daddy like and I now dislike. He acknowledges he should listen to her more often. Damn straight he should. Then Becca and Jessi blame themselves.
I don’t like that chapter. It makes me sad.
Chapter 8
Abby insisted on helping out with the running of the first Kwanzaa festival and has kickstarted Jessi’s journal. Why must they keep journals of everything? Abby is playing basketball as she is waiting. She is also dribbling. The child in me says ‘hee.’ Omar and Ebon arrive and their dad assumes they’re in the wrong place.
We get this gem from Abby.
“No sweat,” Abby said. “If I saw you in a synagogue, I might be a little confused, too.”
Am I the only one who thinks that is also a slightly weird sentence?
Anywho, some more kids show up, all African-American. I think I missed a point somewhere down the line, but wasn’t the point of the festival to spread the word about Kwanzaa? Therefore, presumably, shouldn’t they be inviting kids who celebrate other holidays and know nothing of Kwanzaa? I am frazzled.
Abby is also frazzled, but Mal turns up and explains the accident. She then explains the play and her and Abby dish out the parts and there is a lame attempt a humour with chickens crossing roads. Ronnie wants to be a penguin. I think this is an awesome idea and think they should have let him. I love penguins. My old housemate keeps buying me penguin stuff. My boyfriend thinks I’m odd because when we went to Berlin Zoo, all I did was look at the penguins.
Anyway, parts are allocated, kids are happy, as is Abby. Mallory is a little sad.
Chapter 9
Christ, I am really hating this book. Mama and Daddy are having to work from home, late at night, because they took a week off each from the offices to be with Squirt. Why are they turning in work? Sheesh, whatever happened to compassionate leave?
Jessi is too, because it’s the only time she has to do homework. Because BSC meetings, sitting and Kwanzaa festivals are more important. JUST BLOW OUT A BSC MEETING!
But not like *that* *wink wink*.
Squirt is not well as he has blacked out a couple of times. Poor Squirt.
Oh, on Friday, Kristy gives permission for Jessi to skip a meeting. Kristy. You cannot give permission for someone to skip something which is a voluntary and optional activity.
Anyway, Jessi is Christmas shopping with her family. Awesome. Becca is singing Alice Cooper. With a cold.
Before they depart, the telephone rings and it is Auntie Yvonne and Cousin Keisha. They are no longer coming. Daddy says they are. So, they are.
Ceca is pissy because she defrosted a chicken for dinner and Daddy says they’ll eat out. For christs sake. Just eat it tomorrow, it’ll be fine. Or, cook it later and eat it cold tomorrow. Cold chicken and branston pickle sarnies are the best.
They leave and Cece lectures Daddy, who in turn snaps at Cece for not using her brains. Which, is very, very true. There is a difference between loosening up and being stupid. However, she is feeling terrible enough already and probably doesn’t need that, and besides, he already said earlier he didn’t blame her.
All is forgotten when Daddy realises he forgot his list of gifts, but he won’t go back for them.
All this hatred is making my brain hurt.
Chapter 10
All the BSCers are helping the kids cook for the Kwanzaa festival. The Harris’s bought black-eyed peas for the Hoppin’ John, which sounds quite delicious. Shut up, just shut up, shut up, shut up, just shut up, shut up.
The African-American dishes sound delicious and I am hungry. Oh here we go, the group has grown and we now have the mini Pikes, the Kuhns and Rosie Wilder. That takes care of my earlier gripe. They make their dishes and I become hungry. Jessi is depressed about Squirt and Becca.
Yes, Becca. It’s sad she has a flu, but I would feel more sorry for Squirt. After all, she’ll get over it eventually.
The kids come in with a present for Squirt. Awwwww. Marcus makes a funny snark about onions when Jessi starts to cry.
She goes home to hot chocolate and because she believes in miracles, there is also a tree! Life is looking up.
Chapter 11
The Circus is out shopping. Jessi picks out Christmas baby food for Squirt. Yes, the supermarket is open on Christmas Day. The hell?! Anyway, they go to hospital and Becca is annoyed about being left out. Mallory is a sucker and babysits for her on Christmas day. Though, I guess as she celebrated Christmas 11 books ago, and will again in another 11 or so books, she isn’t too bothered.
They get to Squirt’s bed and he isn’t there. He’s celebrating Christmas with the kids and the nurses, but no one told the Circus, so they’re understandably very concerned. However, all is good and Squirt is trying to eat a rubber spider. The kids from the festival made him a Kwanzaa Memory Book, which is sweet. The nurse tries to take Squirt to have a quiet visit with his family, but Squirt is having none of it, preferring to stay with the kids. He is secretly thinking ‘don’t leave me with my family, noooooooo!’ Cece and Daddy are bickering.
But then, there is a happy ending when Dr Bradley says he can go home tomorrow. I bet Dr Bradley is hot.
Part 3….coming soon to a Circus near you!