Christmas Duty

I began dishing out the presents after dinner of the 24th, as is custom in Norway. This process took long enough that it was almost midnight by the time we opened Marcia's 'present to the house', which was the most popular Nintendo Wii. Unpacked, working, superb on the new LCD TV, we played bowling, tennis, boxing, golf and surfing till past 2am. Brilliant fun start to Christmas Day!

Of course that meant I woke late - like waaaay late - in the official morning. Just in time to call my brother to say I'd be over for lunch at his and my mother's place, some 60km away. Could we all have spent Christmas in one place? No. That's a long and unhappy story.

So anyway by lunch I was with my mother and brother in their rented cabin in a campsite in Ventimiglia. The presents I had bought in Dallas and Zurich on the way over were bang on. Marcia's gift of a hairdryer also. The basket of goodies - well the liquid portion for sure, but the snacks I carried back with me at the end of the day (OK they were the type of things I munch on when entertaining, but still).

Even though I had slept nine hours and had been up but five, I still managed a short siesta there. Reckon more to do with letting myself relax after checking everyone is still OK and in one piece. Paul continues to work, Mother is hanging in there, Marcia holds the fort so I can fight another day. The project in Brasil may terminate tomorrow but I have enough to get through the year ahead. All is well today.

End of the evening and I head on back home. Cheered up Marcia, who feels down as always when I visit the others.

I've done my duty on Christmas Day.