The Nutcracker

Since we (especially FFP) have been involved with Ballet Austin for about twenty years we now have a tradition of seeing their production of "The Nutcracker" each year. It's very festive what with the party scene, the snow scene and the music that screams Christmas because it's on every other car and jewelry commercial (and, really, is delightful music). FFP saw many of the productions from the wings in his years as a VIP Mother Ginger wrangler.

The picture above is from 2005 and is Karen Kuykendall dressing up as a VIP Mother Ginger. (May this Austin Legend rest in peace.) New costumes were purchased a few years ago so the costume has changed. Tonight FFP will don the new costume and ride the skirt portion on stage, propelled by stagehands and with children dressed as bonbons lurking underneath. The bonbons will emerge, he will try to upstage them with his 'moves' (but their proud relatives in the audience will ignore him) and he will be wheeled off. He's done a turn on the skirt twice before (albeit with the old costume). During his VIP wrangling days, one didn't show up, pressing him into service when I wasn't there. One time he did it in a dress rehearsal for some reason. Anyway, I'll be there for his triumph tonight with some good friends. The ballet and the music and all the little kids in the production and in the audience in their Christmas outfits will make it seem like Christmas. Won't it? He is sitting on the other side of the office now watching people do moves on the skirt.

I Sit Here Alone

It's a weird day and a weird holiday. I'm sort of just sitting here, waiting for the mailman. Or waiting for it to be later when I have things I must do. The mailman may bring more cards. All the ones we've gotten so far I scattered around among our regular everyday tchotchkes in the living room. And, of course, I already scattered Christmas toys in the same spots. (That's Jack Skellington is from Nightmare Before Christmas so that counts, right?) I hope the mailman doesn't bring any cards that require that head-slapping "I shoulda sent them one" feeling because it's too late now, I think.

I went to my dad's today to get (yesterday's) mail in and today's newspaper. He had three Christmas cards but they were all from businesses. He also wanted me to empty the dishwasher. He had gotten it very full before using it. Good thing he has loads of dishes and flatware my mother left behind. My dad is ailing. We aren't sure why but he's in pain. The pain killers help but he doesn't feel like getting around much. He is making his own meals, though. But he's using a walker and that gives me pause.

Dad said he didn't need his shopping done for a 'day or two' but tomorrow is Christmas Eve so I peeked at his list. I went to a Randall's in his neighborhood and got a few things from the list (honey, bananas, dishwasher soap, eggs) concluding that I could provide other things from my larder (we buy giant things of raisins and cases of V8 juice at Costco and those were the other items). I bought him some new sponges, too.

I am going to make a Christmas Eve dinner early tomorrow evening. I doubt that my dad will feel like coming over but I'll deliver to him. I wanted dressing but didn't want to make it. I couldn't find any pre-made anywhere at Randall's but I ask and a guy went in the back of the deli and came out with some frozen. Fine. The store wasn't too crowded at this time, before ten on the eve of Christmas Eve, but I hope to avoid shopping from now until after Christmas. I bought a few staple things for us: ketchup, Worchestershire Sauce and cocktail sauce. I should have gotten lettuce and tomato and green onions. But FFP went by the store later himself and got these things. He got bananas, too. He thought we'd have too many when he saw I got some but said he'd give his parents some. I said that I had to take some to Dad. It seems we spend a lot of time grocery shopping now that we are doing it for five people in three households.

I did a short workout after dropping off the groceries. I talked to FFP on cells as he was leaving the club for his own trip to a different Randall's.

By the time our guests came, we were both cleaned up and I had set a time to go to some friends' house to get the final housesitting instructions. I've always wanted to take a trip on the holidays...not to have Christmas elsewhere but some 'real vacation'...like cruising through the Panama Canal. That's what our friends are doing. I don't think that will happen for a few years. It seems heartless to leave the old folks on Christmas. As it is, we are going to have to find some extra help for them when we do leave town.

So I'm waiting to go see about the house to sit. We gave our guests some impromptu sandwiches, coffee, soda and fruit and FFP took them to see "The Nutcracker." After I've taken care of the friends, I will see if Dad needs anything else. Later I will meet our guests and FFP for dinner at Fonda San Miguel which is all done up in holiday finery.

But right now I sit here all alone. The house is cool and the weather outside turning cloudy. I'm wearing a bright red wool sweater a friend gave me quite a few Christmases ago. I'm worrying about my dad. And I'm feeling decidedly unfestive. Which seems to have been my theme for Christmas 2006 and Holidailies.

When Left Alone

When left alone I don't dress up like Mother Ginger and join the ballet doing "The Nutcracker." Nope...you won't find me 'riding the skirt' with little bon-bon dancers emerging from it. No...that's Barbara Carson,Founder of Ballet Austin. FFP took the picture backstage last night. He recruits and organizes VIPS for the eleven regular performances of Ballet Austin's annual "The Nutcracker" performances. [More next year when the ballet is between Bass and the new Long Center and will perform in the smaller Paramount.]

FFP also had a reading to attend today for another charity (Badgerdog Publishing) he donates time to as a board member and newsletter writer. So I was left to my own devices most of the day. Not only to go about my errands and such alone (not all that unusual) but also to go to a party without FFP.

When I shop and do errands without FFP, I tend to take a little longer. Today I went to the ATM machine at our bank and I was going to put some more holiday cards in the mailbox next to it but they had already had the one pickup of the weekend. I decided to go across the street to The Menagerie (which is a locally-owned gift shop...owned by a friend of mine I might add). I had a couple of people on my list who didn't really need anything but people I might see and who might drop by with a gift for me. I wandered the shop for thirty minutes while husbands bought expensive jewelry for wives and people picked out wedding china that cost hundreds of dollars a place setting. I got a couple of ideas and when a sales person was suddenly free I asked a couple of questions, picked out some stuff and wandered off to Anderson Coffee Company for ten minutes while they wrapped the stuff. I got four things. I'm pretty sure I know who is getting what, but in any case, these are neat little presents and were not all that expensive. I thought I might shop some more. Maybe see what shops were at Twenty-Six Doors which is nearby. But that was about my shopping limit for one day.

I drove to the Lamar Post Office. At the drive-up boxes the 'stamped mail' box, due to be picked up soon, was so full I couldn't get my twenty-five or so cards in it. In fact, other people's mail threatened to fall out when I tried. I went inside and poked my cards through the slot.

Now, the question was...should I shop some more? No. I'd reached my limit. I went home and talked to FFP between his events. He wanted to buy a new sports coat for his Christmas present. (He is easy...he will buy himself something. I just have to nod and smile and listen to him call his favorite clothing store, Capra and Cavelli, and negotiate on something he wants.)

Now the big deal. Should I go alone to a friend's party? Stuart has a thing about decoration and his little house is a showplace of cool decorating ideas. At Christmas, he manages to cram in two trees and lots of decoration into the space and then invite friends in to partake of goodies. Should I go all alone however? FFP is so good at parties, remembering who everyone is and all. I finally went alone. I talked to a friend who is fighting cancer and ate from the buffet and admired the decorations. Someone told me that the way we had added our room on in the back had inspired them to do something similar. Sadly, I didn't remember them being in our house! I am lame. Finally, I left around eight.

When I got home, I had a couple of hours before FFP would be home. I looked at my 'to do' list. One item 'clean up fireplace' had been looming for over a week. We had some marble placed on the hearth to cover some chipped limestone. Since then we'd needed to clean up inside the unused fireplace. There was no significant fire residue. We hadn't had a fire in years and I'd cleaned that up. There was just dust and dirt and stuff. With my week long allergy attack I hadn't wanted to attack it. I changed my clothes, took out the fire grate, cleaned it off, wiped off the old andirons. Then I studied the situation and wondered if some gas logs might be the answer. I got a long match and gingerly lit the gas element. Works. Hmmm. Add to 'to do' list: shop for gas logs. That's the trouble with 'to do' lists. They grow at the bottom while you check things off at the top.

Then I decided to wrap some presents. I'd gotten a few toys for my dad to pass out to kids, a book for my dad, a small gift for my mother-in-law, some silly things for a friend. FFP had gotten audio tapes for his dad (who is nearly blind and listens to tapes several hours a day). I copped out with recycled gift bags where possible, but I actually put paper around a few things. Dad hasn't mentioned gifts for these kids he knows yet, but I'm prepared if he does. Wrapping presents is a ritual that makes you feel like it's a holiday, too, right? Also on my 'to do' list: 'christmas decor.' I need to go out to the storage room and dig around and find something to make the house look like Christmas for when my parental units come over.

But FFP came home. So much for being left to my own devices. I sat down to read and watch TV.