On Christmas and Treasure Hunts
Christmas was nice.
Since my moms were planning on spending Christmas day in Palmdale with my aunt, we all decided to celebrate on Christmas Eve. It was a nice night. Christine and I attempted to cook a Shepherd's Pie, although she wasn't as impressed with it as the rest of us were. This year, like last year, we did Secret Santa. Unfortunately because I set it up, I knew from the beginning that my uncle Mo was my Secret Santa. He got me a gift card to Wacko Soap Plant, which I'm excited about. I was my dad's SS and I got him a Fly Vacuum Gun from ThinkGeek. During the summer he's always vacuuming up flies with the handvac and he kind of makes a sport of it. He loved the gift.
To everyone else that I had decided to give a gift, who wasn't part of a Secret Santa, I gave some Steampunkish earrings or pendants that I had made with the exception of Eric. I had paid for his massage with dad at the Naya spa (for dad it was a birthday gift) and I gave him a few goodies from Thinkgeek. He spoiled the shit out of me this Christmas with two pair of beautiful earrings, an Adipose stress toy(!!!), a $60 gift certificate to The Last Bookstore (I'm gonna need a bigger house for all the books I'm going to buy), and my favorite gift was the Sonic Screwdriver pen!
Though my dad and I always partake in the Secret Santa, we also always get each other gifts separately. When we got home we exchanged ours. Every year since I was a kid, for my birthday and Christmas, my dad sets up a treasure hunt around the house. He'll leave clues on post-it notes on or in objects and each clue leads to the next object. He has as much fun setting them up as I do searching; over the years they've gotten harder and more elaborate. This year I decided to document it and share it.
Clue 1 was in my Christmas card: What shoots lead, but uses no gun powder?
I had a hard time figuring this one out, I basically had to be told that it was the Pellet Gun. The clue was on the backside of the stock against the wall.
Clue 2: Do you know your English history?
We have SO MANY BOOKS in this house, I was certain the next clue was either in a dictionary or a history book of some sort. It turned out to be in an encyclopedia under (duh) "English History".
Clue 3: If you want a funny story, go ask Herman.
This was an easy one. We a have a book called Herman by Jim Unger which is a humorous comic similar to The Far Side.
Clue 4: I liked the music so much, I bought the soundtrack.
My dad likes the soundtrack to many movies, so this was a bit tricky. The most recent soundtrack he purchased was to the movie Heat, the case was still on his desk, I looked and found the next clue inside.
Clue 5: A cat must have knocked it over and it leaked out onto a table top. What a rubbery mess, so I had to buy a new can.
I could not figure this one out. I knew the incident he was referring to, but I didn't know what the substance was called. He had to tell me and I found the can of Rubber Cement with a clue underneath. (rubber duh!)
Clue 6: How do you mix a rum old fashioned?
The rum gave this one away, I knew immediately it was in the Mr Boston mixer guide dad keeps in the kitchen cabinet. I flipped through it and found the next clue.
Clue 7: The Itsy Bitsy spider... do you think Chris will be afraid?
Again I had no idea. I figured it would be a gutter drain, but I don't know how my sister was connected other than by her phobia of spiders. We don't have a gutter drain like the one on her cabin downstairs behind the house. So in my PJs, in the cold, in the middle of the night, I waddled down to her cabin and found the next clue.
Clue 8: What?! A dull blade? I'll have to remedy that.
Easy, the clue was under the knife sharpener in the kitchen.
Clue 9: Locked out?
Outside again to where we hide the spare key, of course I won't elaborate on where exactly. :P
Clue 10: The belly of the bear, he must have eaten it.
I was a bit thrown by this one, the only bear anything I could think was this 3D puzzle we've had for ages. I was right, and I had to take it apart to find the clue.
Clue 11: Java anyone?
I found this clue with ease in the coffee. In. The. Coffee.
Clue 12: I think a little pistolero has your next clue.
Though I'm pretty sure pistolero isn't a word (except for maybe in spanish), I knew it was referring to a toy gunman that my dad was given for his birthday by a friend of his. Under the stand was the next clue.
Clue 13: Go ask Janis.
At first I figured maybe it would be hidden in an LP, because I don't think either of us actually have a Janis Joplin CD, but my dad steered me away. He hinted at it being located in my room and for the life of me I could not remember that I have a Janis Joplin coaster on my desk. The next clue was underneath.
Clue 14: Is it in the coffee mill?
I was at a complete loss with this one. The only thing I could think of was this cute little coffee bean hand grinder, but it wasn't in there. I eventually gave up with that one. Dad pointed out this other coffee grinder, that I never knew was actually a coffee grinder, with the name "Coffee Mill" in big bold letters... (dumbass me)
The last clue: It's not a table, it's just a big box.
This last one was fairly simple. We've been organizing the living room a lot lately and a box has suddenly appeared at the side of dad's desk and he's temporarily using as a sort of extension to the desk. Inside was another box with a bow and ribbon.
Inside the box was a Peacoat. When the weather finally got cold here in LA, I had mentioned that I really wanted a peacoat because all I have are sweaters. It's lovely.
