Dear Family, Friends, and Diary,
Christmas. Sometimes it goes as planned and sometimes not. We have a diary record of each Christmas from a 1997 holiday trip to Shanghai, through a few in Kyiv, many in Germany, and a decade's worth back here in America. Sometimes I envy folks who have stable holiday traditions, but ours seems to defy a pattern. This year too.
As-planned, we would have stayed in Fresno, hosting a pair of dinners. First, would be the family celebration with Marianne's sister Katinka and her family on December 23rd in honor of their mom's birthday. Then, on Christmas Eve or Christmas, we would host the Hungarian swimmers we celebrated with last year.
However, a few days before, Marianne was struck with debilitating back muscle spasms, a new wrinkle possibly triggered by the immunotherapy drug. Maybe, but it meant the hosted dinners were off and a Kaiser visit was on. She would get an inconclusive x-ray and another batch of pain pills. At least we enjoyed a small Christmas orchestra just outside the radiology lab. We take our holiday cheer as we find it.
By Christmas Eve, back problems had faded away, something worth celebrating for sure. We enjoyed a festive smorgasbord for two, with alcohol-free sparkling wine and coffee in spiced wine cups. Then it was a very quiet evening. Peace on Earth, at least in our little piece of it.
Christmas Day was even quieter, so much so that we decided to take a car ride up into the mountains, repeating my drive into Kings Canyon NP of a few days earlier. Heavy snows were forecast, but we thought we could always turn around if things turned threatening. Meanwhile, we had empty roads, a brilliant-but-hard-to-photograph rainbow, and darkening skies. Just before we started up the twisty mountain road, my phone alarmed, telling us this was not a good idea. So, we went home to watch the skies turn even darker.
Next year we will DO something for Christmas, 2025 was just too quiet. While I have to admit we enjoy our own company, our quiet routine, and our comfortable home, a little noise and chaos would be welcome too. Next year.
Stay tuned,
John and Marianne