xmas

At last is over and I got some nice gifts. I was lucky I got lots of presents..... I got some nice shirts and, sure enough, mother got me white long johns and a Gap shirt. The holiday managed to go by without any family arguments, too.


My uncle Pat came to visit from Michigan and then we went to my mother's husband (Sonny)'s sister's place in New Jersey. Overall it was a good atmosphere and I got some chocolate, which I was craving, but then it disappeared, typically. In my mother's apartment that happens, because my driver's license is gone, too. I had to spend $50 yesterday getting a replacement. Ironic, I never drive. Anyway, so we returned to Manhattan, and went back to Newark the next day to drop Pat off at the airport. I spent yesterday sitting in the back seat of a car while Mother and Sonny gave my sister a driving lesson that wouldn't end. We were in this .......how do I describe this town? It was like out of horror movie. First of all, I hadn't eaten, and all we could find was a gas station with a guy selling stale bagels, no cream cheese, and the healthiest thing he had was some kind of fruit bar. This place had to be a cover for something because the food was about two years old. So we're driving around this town and it......consisted of these shingle houses with ......giant christmas decorations in front...mostly blow up Santas and snowmen. It was like a contest to see who had the biggest snowman on their lawn. Some of them were deflated. This one house had a blow up doll of ....about sixteen feet tall, or more.....Santa coming out of the chimney, like rising out of it then going back down, over and over again. Others had giant blow up snowmen in front of their houses, with these scary smiles. Others.....you always see this in these small towns....had plastic swans on their lawns, or reindeer. So Sam practiced driving forwhat seemed like an eternity with Mother and Sonny barking at her, til finally it was time to go back. Then we sat in traffic for three hours waiting to get in the Lincoln Tunnel. I said we might as well get out and walk to Manhattan and we'll get there faster. But anyway, it was eventful, yes. Our tree was beautiful with a million presents and I love the look of xmas, with the trees, lights and snow is nice, too. We also went to Midnight Mass at Trinity Church, and Episcopal services are grueling, with endless standing, sitting, standing, kneeling. But it was truly gorgeous, with incense and a choir......and communion.
I can't wait to settle into a new place and celebrate my new freedom!