Home again after a whirlwind visit to my in laws  We went down to get some holiday time with Gabe and Marcia and diane’s brother Joe and family. It’s always fun visiting there.. we have freinds liek David and Linda to see.. and lots of good local food.

Diane and Gabe came down Friday night, Max and I got in yesterday afternoon, but we  put off our xmas gift exchange until this afternoon so that newphew Vincent could make it back from BU.. we wanteed everytone to be there.. Well.. everyone can’t be there, now.. The first gift was to Sam.. both sets of grandparents have gotten into the tradition of making a donation to Sam’s fund in his honor for cristmas..

Coco’s painting of Sam was looking down on us as we all sat there. It’was a swet sad moment .. we all stopped and thought

of Sam.. shed some tears.. then .. dug into unwrapping.. Life goes on

…. it has to

It was great catching up with everyone (though it looks liek I didn’t get a picture of the whole group !)

I got a gift with the following inscription on the back.. “keep unit away from pet tarantulas”( I’m not making this up )  It’s designed to keep pests away.. but I guess you need to keep it away from the pests you love.

Afterwards we had the tradional Mariano xmas meal of chicken form Phils down the street and chineese food. I’m not sure where hte chinese food tradiion came from, but I love it !

It was also nephew Victors 18th birthday.. ! Happy birthday Veeeeeector !

We had planned ot leave abotu an hour after lunch.. I took advantage of the lul to catch a nap.. not a good idea t seesm when the floow as still strewn with wrappings. I woke up and I was wrapped !

We got on the road back to VT around 2.. It was a nice quiet drive.. Beleive it or not.. I like these long car rides now.. it’s good time to catch up;. One thing DIna eadn I did was listen to a new collectio of Malcom Gladwell essays from the New Yorker called.. “what the dog saw”. It’s good stuff. Today we listened to a piece on Poppiel > Morris dynasty of kitchen applainces  and a piece on Investors. I particulalry liked thtat one. Gladwell does a good job of explaing why folks who are confident that they know  things.. particulalry in economics.. are generally wrong..   The more we thoguht of it , the more we agreed. I’ve always been suspect of anyone who didn’t doubt themsleves at least a fair bit..   I think that’s why organized religion.. including my own.. poses sucha  problem to me.

Right now my biggest problem is sleep dbt.. Im oging to go work on that.. More tomorrow.. it’ll be the solstice !

Night folkd ! Night Sam !
-me