Dear Family, Friends, and Diary,
Christmas 2023 was spent with a quick visit with California family. On the 22nd, Gabby, Ava, and Sam came to visit us in Fresno. It was fun having more noise and activity in our old house than just senior citizens. Dinner was kitchen-table simple, but tasty as all Marianne-prepared meals are. After eating, we opened Christmas presents, maybe early by standards, but appropriate to our schedule. After presents, we tried a new game called "Wheels and Doors". I'm not sure I understood the intricacies of the game, but the laughter was easy.
The next morning, too soon, Gabby and the kids left. They needed to get back for Rahimi Christmas activities and prepare for a week up in Truckee, looking for snow. We all vowed to see each other more in 2024.
On the 24th, Marianne and I packed up and headed over to Monterey, for the rest of our California family. The first stop was the Monterey Cemetery, to give our respects to Magdalena and Marianne's dad and step-father. Mamo left four years ago, just past her 100th birthday. We all miss her, especially in the Christmas season.
The old family home was full and active, as it should be this time of year. Adam and Spencer were home from college, the two dogs and two cats were in amongst us all. Brother Tom and Kate hung around for a couple hours after we arrived, before they had to leave to attend family back up in the Bay Area. We promised again to see them in the new year.
Later, Klare, Jack, and Leisa's mom Kathy and her husband David all joined us for another great Leisa-prepared a meal and Chris did his best host act. The food was wonderful and it was great fun to be in a full house.
On Christmas morning, with traditional timing, the Hidas family opened presents. I think it used to be more exciting when Adam and Spencer were years younger and a foot or two shorter, but presents with adults is good too.
Breakfast was special, with bacon-wrapped egg-cups and hand-made biscuits and gravy. No diets on the weekend for sure. After that, it was TV sports, and we watched both the 49ers and Warriors lose. Almost enough to dampen the holiday spirit, but being part of the Hidas Christmas was far more positive than the sports results could ever be.
Marianne and I left on the 26th, stopping in Salinas for breakfast and a bit of shopping. We wanted to get a real California gift for Fedir, the 12-year-old son of Ukrainian friend Lena. Fedir, sister Fiara, and Lena are currently displaced in Maastricht, The Netherlands. When we visited a couple months ago, his passion was skateboarding and he seemed to need an upgrade in equipment. Chris's friend Stoney runs the Krown Skate Shop in Salinas and it was the perfect place for advice and just-right equipment.
The rest of the drive was uneventful, tiring in holiday traffic, but it was nice to get back home.
Now we start our 2024, hoping to settle health concerns and return to more fun activities. We'll see.
John and Marianne.