Viking Vinter Vonderland Vacation Voyage
December 17, another great game. Some good mindfucks with the haunting.
December 18, visit and have lunch with Joanna. She left a dead-end job and is looking again (and doing yardwork in the meantime). Get back home, clean and pack. Miss my bus, sister picks me up for dinner with the parents (slightly overdoing the feasting theme here, but I didn't know dinner was involved until they called me after lunch). Drive to Indian Creek for the Darkness and Light feast (definitely and intentionally overdoing the feasting here: Welsh rabbit, mämmi, tomato and hazelnut stew (?), rum cream, fried plantains... oh so good). Play games at Raul's, bid adieu to several for the year.
December 19, start driving North. I seem to have forgotten my color commentary from the road this time around, although I do remember passing through more than one Smyrna. Oh right: First snow on the road in Kentucky, white fields in Indiana. Almost squash a pair of turkeys that are stupidly waiting on the road; I'm pretty sure the next pickup won't hesitate. Bump a deer, turn around to check on it, it's already traipsing back up the next hill by the time I get back to it. Arrive at the Mullek's, have organic local eggnog and homemade mushu. They appreciate the story about Avery Brooks, and moreso the puzzle and DVDs. We watch "The Wizard of Oz" in anticipation of their seeing Wicked tomorrow night.
December 20, wake up earlier than noon. Magdalena makes eggs and I also have granola and fresh yogurt. I make it to the Alexanderson's in scant time, and play karishi's new game (code named "Dark Gate"). Some weirdness with scheduling, and I make plans with Pragati (yes, that's three exes in three days) and print out directions. As they take me across the Lakeshore Drive, snow picks up and I find myself creeping along and dreading the yawning void to my left where ostensibly there should be a lake; I think I recognize it as the astral tunnel through which I drove last year, but this time it seems hungrier. Pick up Pragati from work, have dinner with her at Thai 66 (so-so masaman curry), drive her home, check out her new apartment. All in all a lovely evening; still some things said that might have turned into arguments in the past, but no longer really an issue. Snow has slowed down and traffic has cleared up by the time I drive back.
December 21, wake up to Jess leaving, wake up again around 10. karishi and I go to Chicagoland Games: Dice Dojo, play Ascension two or three times, and stupid-drawings arrives. We go over half a block to a tiny pizza place called Apart Pizza. They aren't brave enough to try the apple and brie pizza, so we end up with a roman veggie. Back to Dice Dojo to sign their copy of Mad Scientist University, play "7 Wonders", and try out "Dark Gate" again. Imminently replayable. Back home, play some Mario Wii, nibble on a small arrangement of finger foods.
December 22, wake up again to Jess leaving, wake up again around 10. Help karishi with some editing, finish world 1 of Mario Wii. Successfully find Joe and Frank's at W Archer and Harlem, pick up 25 cartons of bryndza, transport it henceforth to the Mullek's. Paul seems to have caught the plague on Monday. We help prepare dinner, and have absolutely splendid hot chocolate (note to self: blender!), marinated Quorn roast, stir-fried veggies, and mac and CHEESE. Oh, and another cup of that lovely eggnog. We watch a little of this and a little of that before petering out.
December 23, we actually get up before our hosts. We get breakfast for ourselves, inquire about how they're doing, and then after a certain point karishi seems to get agitated and rushes us out the door. We left so fast that I forgot the extra tray of mac and CHEESE that Magdalena made us. (pout) Go to Target, don't find the present karishi seeks, but we do get it at a Bed Bath and Beyond. Get a little lost, check in on the phone for directions, pass through quaint country. Stop in at Steak and Shake for lunch (another annoyance; we could have skipped that stop had we waited a little bit and asked the Mulleks for sandwiches). Have a five-hour-or-so design session for "Dark Gate" on the road. Stop in just over the Kentucky border for bread for Phyllis. Some discussion about game design, this is definitely his game and his engine, but I put in some good work there, so... he's the lead game designer for this one? Dru never calls me back, so I skip Nashville. karishi's i-pod starts getting fuzzy when we get into Atlanta, so I switch to local radio; shortly thereafter, we get a call from Jess confirming her arrival. We still manage to get back home before her.
December 24, we wrap presents and go to Christmas Eve service (very amusing camel). This was the first in a very long time where I had everything wrapped well before leaving. Meet sister's new boyfriend - quiet, seems interesting, a definite change. Drop several boxes of supplies from Magdalena off at Lauri's, and visit with her briefly. Dinner at the Anderson house. Unexpectedly loaned the car another day; this happened several more times. Play lots of Dominion: 26 games over the course of the visit.
December 25, we get to the Anderson house at 10 on the dot. We open stockings, giggle over silliness like chip caterpillars and Christmas pencils, and set to making breakfast. Eggs (curry on mine) and thinsies are eaten; my first one is Swedish-style, butter and lingonberry jam, the second is syrup and peanut butter. Everyone seems pleased with their Christmas goodies. We head home, only to rebound to dash through "winter mix" to Debbie and Neil's door to meet rangerwickett, who is catsitting for them for Christmas. We play another game of "Dark Gate", good times. At rangerwickett's suggestion, we head to China Buffet. I rather like the food I gathered, especially the hot-and-sour soup, but my sibs express concern about the lack of difference between "honey glaze chicken" and "ketchup covered chicken". By the time we drop rangerwickett back off, it is decidedly snowing, the first Christmas Atlanta has had such in over 100 years. I run 1.7 miles with 8-lb hand weights, and feel only half dead this time (rather than mostly dead last time I tried the 8s). I also stay up late to read one of my Christmas presents.
December 26, I pop downstairs to inspect the condo's club room for a party, and am rewarded with cake and bean salad. Lots more Dominion, and then we drive across to raoin's house and sort of play Arkham Horror and have delicious cooked creations. I totally forgot the fact that one of my high schools was having a reunion.
December 27, I drive to work. Nothing big happening, no surprise there. Catch up on the backlog from being offline. Mum has written me a letter about being wanted: She says that decades ago, she was incredibly sick with 104 fever, to the point of the doctor saying, "We'll just have to see.", but she saw me and wanted to be with me growing up, so she decided to live. Ride to George's to have a black bean blue cheese burger with the fambly. Last night with Alexandersons!
December 28, ride MARTA with the sibs part of the way, back to work. Mess has built up because I have no reason to clear it when I'm doing stuff. Well, the next day-and-a-half should be free. Starting the year with a clean house and empty credit card is definitely going to be a good feeling.
December 18, visit and have lunch with Joanna. She left a dead-end job and is looking again (and doing yardwork in the meantime). Get back home, clean and pack. Miss my bus, sister picks me up for dinner with the parents (slightly overdoing the feasting theme here, but I didn't know dinner was involved until they called me after lunch). Drive to Indian Creek for the Darkness and Light feast (definitely and intentionally overdoing the feasting here: Welsh rabbit, mämmi, tomato and hazelnut stew (?), rum cream, fried plantains... oh so good). Play games at Raul's, bid adieu to several for the year.
December 19, start driving North. I seem to have forgotten my color commentary from the road this time around, although I do remember passing through more than one Smyrna. Oh right: First snow on the road in Kentucky, white fields in Indiana. Almost squash a pair of turkeys that are stupidly waiting on the road; I'm pretty sure the next pickup won't hesitate. Bump a deer, turn around to check on it, it's already traipsing back up the next hill by the time I get back to it. Arrive at the Mullek's, have organic local eggnog and homemade mushu. They appreciate the story about Avery Brooks, and moreso the puzzle and DVDs. We watch "The Wizard of Oz" in anticipation of their seeing Wicked tomorrow night.
December 20, wake up earlier than noon. Magdalena makes eggs and I also have granola and fresh yogurt. I make it to the Alexanderson's in scant time, and play karishi's new game (code named "Dark Gate"). Some weirdness with scheduling, and I make plans with Pragati (yes, that's three exes in three days) and print out directions. As they take me across the Lakeshore Drive, snow picks up and I find myself creeping along and dreading the yawning void to my left where ostensibly there should be a lake; I think I recognize it as the astral tunnel through which I drove last year, but this time it seems hungrier. Pick up Pragati from work, have dinner with her at Thai 66 (so-so masaman curry), drive her home, check out her new apartment. All in all a lovely evening; still some things said that might have turned into arguments in the past, but no longer really an issue. Snow has slowed down and traffic has cleared up by the time I drive back.
December 21, wake up to Jess leaving, wake up again around 10. karishi and I go to Chicagoland Games: Dice Dojo, play Ascension two or three times, and stupid-drawings arrives. We go over half a block to a tiny pizza place called Apart Pizza. They aren't brave enough to try the apple and brie pizza, so we end up with a roman veggie. Back to Dice Dojo to sign their copy of Mad Scientist University, play "7 Wonders", and try out "Dark Gate" again. Imminently replayable. Back home, play some Mario Wii, nibble on a small arrangement of finger foods.
December 22, wake up again to Jess leaving, wake up again around 10. Help karishi with some editing, finish world 1 of Mario Wii. Successfully find Joe and Frank's at W Archer and Harlem, pick up 25 cartons of bryndza, transport it henceforth to the Mullek's. Paul seems to have caught the plague on Monday. We help prepare dinner, and have absolutely splendid hot chocolate (note to self: blender!), marinated Quorn roast, stir-fried veggies, and mac and CHEESE. Oh, and another cup of that lovely eggnog. We watch a little of this and a little of that before petering out.
December 23, we actually get up before our hosts. We get breakfast for ourselves, inquire about how they're doing, and then after a certain point karishi seems to get agitated and rushes us out the door. We left so fast that I forgot the extra tray of mac and CHEESE that Magdalena made us. (pout) Go to Target, don't find the present karishi seeks, but we do get it at a Bed Bath and Beyond. Get a little lost, check in on the phone for directions, pass through quaint country. Stop in at Steak and Shake for lunch (another annoyance; we could have skipped that stop had we waited a little bit and asked the Mulleks for sandwiches). Have a five-hour-or-so design session for "Dark Gate" on the road. Stop in just over the Kentucky border for bread for Phyllis. Some discussion about game design, this is definitely his game and his engine, but I put in some good work there, so... he's the lead game designer for this one? Dru never calls me back, so I skip Nashville. karishi's i-pod starts getting fuzzy when we get into Atlanta, so I switch to local radio; shortly thereafter, we get a call from Jess confirming her arrival. We still manage to get back home before her.
December 24, we wrap presents and go to Christmas Eve service (very amusing camel). This was the first in a very long time where I had everything wrapped well before leaving. Meet sister's new boyfriend - quiet, seems interesting, a definite change. Drop several boxes of supplies from Magdalena off at Lauri's, and visit with her briefly. Dinner at the Anderson house. Unexpectedly loaned the car another day; this happened several more times. Play lots of Dominion: 26 games over the course of the visit.
December 25, we get to the Anderson house at 10 on the dot. We open stockings, giggle over silliness like chip caterpillars and Christmas pencils, and set to making breakfast. Eggs (curry on mine) and thinsies are eaten; my first one is Swedish-style, butter and lingonberry jam, the second is syrup and peanut butter. Everyone seems pleased with their Christmas goodies. We head home, only to rebound to dash through "winter mix" to Debbie and Neil's door to meet rangerwickett, who is catsitting for them for Christmas. We play another game of "Dark Gate", good times. At rangerwickett's suggestion, we head to China Buffet. I rather like the food I gathered, especially the hot-and-sour soup, but my sibs express concern about the lack of difference between "honey glaze chicken" and "ketchup covered chicken". By the time we drop rangerwickett back off, it is decidedly snowing, the first Christmas Atlanta has had such in over 100 years. I run 1.7 miles with 8-lb hand weights, and feel only half dead this time (rather than mostly dead last time I tried the 8s). I also stay up late to read one of my Christmas presents.
December 26, I pop downstairs to inspect the condo's club room for a party, and am rewarded with cake and bean salad. Lots more Dominion, and then we drive across to raoin's house and sort of play Arkham Horror and have delicious cooked creations. I totally forgot the fact that one of my high schools was having a reunion.
December 27, I drive to work. Nothing big happening, no surprise there. Catch up on the backlog from being offline. Mum has written me a letter about being wanted: She says that decades ago, she was incredibly sick with 104 fever, to the point of the doctor saying, "We'll just have to see.", but she saw me and wanted to be with me growing up, so she decided to live. Ride to George's to have a black bean blue cheese burger with the fambly. Last night with Alexandersons!
December 28, ride MARTA with the sibs part of the way, back to work. Mess has built up because I have no reason to clear it when I'm doing stuff. Well, the next day-and-a-half should be free. Starting the year with a clean house and empty credit card is definitely going to be a good feeling.