What I Did for Christmas Vacation, an essay by vixalicious
Back online after an almost nine day absence. This may be the longest I've been away when I wasn't actually out of the country. It was kind of nice. I had to think for a minute to remember my password.
So far I have 152 emails on AOL, 32 for work, and I can't even get gmail to load. It's possible that the free wi-fi at Panera is a bit crappy. My sister dropped me off, so this is also the first time in 9 days that I am not around any of my family. Also kind of nice :) Not that it isn't great to be home, but it's good to take a break sometimes too.
My vacation so far:
Saturday: Got up at ass o'clock to go to the airport. Landed in NW Arkansas at 9:30 am. Met up with family to kill time until my brother and his wife got there, much delayed. They live in Boston, and were flying through Chicago. Of course, there was a giant snowstorm, of course. While at the airport they ran into my best friend's dad, who was trying to pick her up on her flight in from Maine. She was supposed to be there by 1pm, finally made it in at almost 10.
Sunday: Went to Rogers AR to go to an open house at the gallery my sister works at. Went to see my dad sing at the Christmas cantata. Accidentally said "OH MY GOD" in church. In my defense, they were having birthday cake for Jesus. I think anyone would have been surprised.
Monday: Day out of shopping with my two best friends. Met Deb's baby boy, very cute.
Tuesday: Rainy day trip to Eureka Springs, AR to show my cousin Christen's new boyfriend around to such sights as the haunted Crescent Hotel, and the creepy Christ of the Ozarks. Good times.
Wednesday: Annual panicked Christmas Eve shopping with my sister. Then we cemented the new family tradition of going bowling at the Christian bowling alley I accidentally took everyone to last year. Dinner at Olive Garden, got locked out when I went out to get something out of the car for my brother. FYI, Olive Garden has fucked up policies. Sat in car to wait for my family to be done (only ten minutes or so, we were leaving anyway. Mom got the flu, had to go to the emergency room. She was fine, just a 24 hour bug.
Thursday: Christmas! :D Also, went to see Marley & Me, cried buckets. Am not a dog person, but that puppy running down the beach for all he's worth with four grown people chasing after him was awesome.
Friday: My sister-in-law made Boxing Day dinner, had 30 people over. Then had high school reunion-y type dinner. Saw some people I hadn't seen in a good 15 years, mostly my brother's friends. Was fun, though.
Saturday: Slept in. Dad now has flu. I drown myself in Airborne. Took my brother and his wife to the airport, where they had just as much trouble leaving as they had getting in. Chicago is a great city, but not a good destination from November to March. We were going to go to a movie, but since we weren't sure if their flight was going to be cancelled, we just shopped instead.
And then today I had lunch with my college roommate and her family. She has two little girls, super cute. Another family shindig tonight, to celebrate birthdays (my mom, my brother, my aunt) and anniversaries (my parents, my brother and his wife, my aunt and uncle) in January. Tomorrow's plan? Sit and do nothing! For serious, y'all.
So far I have 152 emails on AOL, 32 for work, and I can't even get gmail to load. It's possible that the free wi-fi at Panera is a bit crappy. My sister dropped me off, so this is also the first time in 9 days that I am not around any of my family. Also kind of nice :) Not that it isn't great to be home, but it's good to take a break sometimes too.
My vacation so far:
Saturday: Got up at ass o'clock to go to the airport. Landed in NW Arkansas at 9:30 am. Met up with family to kill time until my brother and his wife got there, much delayed. They live in Boston, and were flying through Chicago. Of course, there was a giant snowstorm, of course. While at the airport they ran into my best friend's dad, who was trying to pick her up on her flight in from Maine. She was supposed to be there by 1pm, finally made it in at almost 10.
Sunday: Went to Rogers AR to go to an open house at the gallery my sister works at. Went to see my dad sing at the Christmas cantata. Accidentally said "OH MY GOD" in church. In my defense, they were having birthday cake for Jesus. I think anyone would have been surprised.
Monday: Day out of shopping with my two best friends. Met Deb's baby boy, very cute.
Tuesday: Rainy day trip to Eureka Springs, AR to show my cousin Christen's new boyfriend around to such sights as the haunted Crescent Hotel, and the creepy Christ of the Ozarks. Good times.
Wednesday: Annual panicked Christmas Eve shopping with my sister. Then we cemented the new family tradition of going bowling at the Christian bowling alley I accidentally took everyone to last year. Dinner at Olive Garden, got locked out when I went out to get something out of the car for my brother. FYI, Olive Garden has fucked up policies. Sat in car to wait for my family to be done (only ten minutes or so, we were leaving anyway. Mom got the flu, had to go to the emergency room. She was fine, just a 24 hour bug.
Thursday: Christmas! :D Also, went to see Marley & Me, cried buckets. Am not a dog person, but that puppy running down the beach for all he's worth with four grown people chasing after him was awesome.
Friday: My sister-in-law made Boxing Day dinner, had 30 people over. Then had high school reunion-y type dinner. Saw some people I hadn't seen in a good 15 years, mostly my brother's friends. Was fun, though.
Saturday: Slept in. Dad now has flu. I drown myself in Airborne. Took my brother and his wife to the airport, where they had just as much trouble leaving as they had getting in. Chicago is a great city, but not a good destination from November to March. We were going to go to a movie, but since we weren't sure if their flight was going to be cancelled, we just shopped instead.
And then today I had lunch with my college roommate and her family. She has two little girls, super cute. Another family shindig tonight, to celebrate birthdays (my mom, my brother, my aunt) and anniversaries (my parents, my brother and his wife, my aunt and uncle) in January. Tomorrow's plan? Sit and do nothing! For serious, y'all.