Christmas Crescendo

The Sagamore, Lake George, New York

Jan and I started out Christmas Eve Day to Connecticut. I opted for this, the other option being "Christmas Eve with the puking Hegners (including cats)." About ten minutes before we arrive at June Havoc's (i.e. Dainty June, i.e. Gyspy's sister), I find that I have completely misunderstood how the evening would go. What I thought: We were picking up Tana (June's assistant) and going over to Tana's "Big Italian Family" Christmas Eve. What was actually happening: We were going over to June's (same June) and I was going over to the party with Tana and Jan was staying with June all night. Wait, I am going to go to a Christmas Eve party where I "sorta" know one person? I thought you understood, blahblah...a soap opera director/producer (who I have been trying to get into see) will be there...great opportunity,blahblah. Okay, fine. I have accepted the fact that I will be a wallflower, perhaps with some festive holly, but nonetheless, a wallflower. My intention of wallflowerdom was impossible. I was grabbed right away my Tana's Italian sister and kissed and pushed into the kitchen for introductions. An hour later I was sucking down pasta, ignoring the massive amounts of fish (of course), and having a conversation with an actress/director and the infamous soap opera director. Two hours later, talking to a Jeff Goldblum looking character who is a television producer in LA. Three hours later, in Church next to an Irish guy (who was related or knew someone at the Italian house) who is making me laugh, a crazy guy sitting in front of us, and a little girl (from the Italian house) on my other side. There are certain people who provoke "the giggles" in church. I was surrounded. However, being very different from my church in the city, we actually sang carols. Oh, and I swear the priest was gay. Is that possible? Got back to June's around 1:30 AM, had brunch the next day with June, Tana, and Jan, and we are off to Yonkers. The Brouwers are an amazing family. Everything was, of course, delicious, lots of great conversation (including many Nebraska stories, Jul) and we sang carols around the piano. Back to the city for a quick nap and then to see Slava's Snow Show. One word: Unreal. Clowns, bubbles, snow...lots of it. The best part was when it became really windy in the theatre, opera music, and then a SNOW STORM. You get covered. It was truly awesome. Afterwards, we played with these enormous colored balls that were bounced around the theatre. It was great to see all these parents acting like their five year olds. The next morning: off to Lake George, a winter wonderland to say the least. We drive into the town and no one is there, not a soul. Why? Because it is like 10 degrees and beginning to snow. There are mountains, the lake (of course), and snow. Spectacular. Who wants to be there when it is 90 and crowded. ;) The room was amazing. Fireplace, overlooking the lake, the snow falling. A massage at 4 pm, followed by the sauna, steam, pool, jaccuzzi, table tennis (in which I got clobbered), Ms. PacMan (in which I didn't get clobbered), some lessons in Fuseball, great beer called, "Sagamore Ale," pouncing through the snow (some crazy fall down an icy embankment...I had no traction, my friend tries to help me by pushing on my butt and loses balance and slides all the way down the hill, much like a cartoon character...hee hee), room service...ah, Merry Christmas to Me. Then off to Chatham to our friend's amazing country home where it is 6 degrees, clear skies, stars, moon, and a hot tub. And the denouement: crazy Rugby Paul, who I wrestled with nonstop. (Rugby is a dog by the way.) A very different Christmas this year. And now the decrescendo...well, at least till Friday.