Friday, December 28
9:22 p.m.
I don’t know how I’ve become such a sap. I cried the other day when my mom and I went to see P.S. I Love You. I cried watching the Kennedy Center Honors on Wednesday night, especially when piano virtuoso and famed teacher Leon Fleisher received his tribute. And I have been tearing up over the news stories of soldiers returning home from Iraq to see their families for the holidays. Then, there’s the mourning of the sad and senseless assassination of Bhutto. Then, my brother, my mom and I went to see the film The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep, about a boy who finds an egg that brings to life the water horse creature that becomes the Loch Ness monster. I teared up several times during that viewing. And then I bought the book The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion, and immediately teared up after reading through the first few pages.
I’m exhausted from my emotions!
I woke up at 7:30 a.m. and my parents, my brother and I left for breakfast at the Silver Diner while a cleaning service came by to clean the house. We went to Costo afterward for clams, a few books and a few other items my parents needed. After, my dad headed out to Isaac Walton to go trap shooting while my brother, mom and I went to see The Water Horse – an adorable Scottish tale.
I find myself tired by late afternoon. Part is from getting so relaxed and cozy over the holidays. While we’ve had a houseful of friends and family in and out over the holidays, both wonderful and exhausting, I’m in shut down mode. I am enjoying the moments of laziness, a refresher before returning back to my life in Oregon. I’m looking forward to getting together with friends to ring in the New Year. And I’m looking forward to picking up my Hyundai Tucson, Goldie Hawn. Mostly, I am happy to see my kitties. I really miss them, especially at night.
My big disappointment about flying out on Sunday is missing the Redskins-Cowboys game. The return flight is so much longer than the flight out here. I dread that and only hope I can get a few hours of sleep. Hopefully there will be a good movie.
Meantime, I am trying to enjoy being with my parents, my brother and our dog. It makes me sad to think I’ll be leaving them in just two days. I don’t know how the holidays come and go so quickly. Nothing lasts for long. So, you have to enjoy the moments as best as you can. And appreciate every single moment that we get to spend together. Precious moments can be stolen from us so fast, not to be cynical. But, it’s true. Life is short and our happy moments are often few and far between. Which makes them so much more sacred. I cling to those moments. I long for them long after they are gone.
