Got to be one of the best days of the year. Unfortunately we are traveling for the first time in 25 years. So we have to finish our Christmas tasks fast and get on the road. So we are a little more impacted.
Just for fun I have to go into Sacramento first thing. I need to be at the bank at 9 am to open a new business bank account. My last one having been closed by the other bank for supposed nefarious activity on my account. I hate them.
So Marika and I headed into Sacramento to go to the bank. And a few other things. We left Emily in Vacaville. Her sister, Dee, is coming to take Emily to a spa for a quick treatment. She needs that.
Although the weather is crap, we made a quick trip of going to Sacramento. We got to the bank at 902. Nice. Got in and the bank officer I needed to see was available. We got to it and got all done. Problem, I forgot money to deposit into the new account. Had to go back to my office, very close by, get the check and come back.
Next stop was the liquor store. We need several bottles of champagne for Christmas. Not Christmas without the bubbly. I went to office to send to wires and Marika went to hobby lobby for some clocknparts for a gift. We met up and headed for home. Again, no traffic and fast trip home by 11. Not bad.
Dee was still not to our house. So I filled two cars with food and gifts. Someone has to. Took forever I swear it. Also had to load two dogs and one cat
While doing this Marika and Emily wrapped more and for more ready. We managed to be done by about one when Dee finally showed up. Ahe seemed to forget the spa trip. Turns out she overslept. Like till 1130. Nice.
She sat for awhile then took off. We finished the load and took off for Santa Rosa. We are having a crab feed at my bro in laws house there. Ok. So it’s a big holiday and I am headed to the coast. How is the drive? Fast and clear. Makes no sense. It’s a Christmas miracle!! Either way it was a treat for a change.
The trip was rather boring, like any mother Monday but with faster traffic. We got to our destination and everyone else was already there. In laws and friend Mary, bro and sis in law and their two sullen smart aleck teenage boys. The nephews.
Bro had put on a nice spread of food and beverage. He and his wife do a very nice job with entertaining. We don’t go often but it is a treat when we do. We had a nice ore diner visit, drank too much wine and ate too much meat and cheese. The norm. I think Emily drank way too much wine which she will pay for tomorrow.
Crab dinner was fabulous. With salted potatoes and sourdough and a fine Caesar salad. And more wine. I am going slow on the wine because I remember our winery dinner from a couple weeks ago and I was kicked in the head by excessive drinking. I have a decent memory.
It’s nice to go all out for the holidays. When I was a kid we always had a special meal at the holidays – lavish and extensive menu, adults all trashed from too much wine. And then dessert which was usually several kinds of pie plus some ice cream. Sadly, tonight the dessert was cheesecake. I hate cheesecake. Loathe it. Makes my stomach turn. I guess it’s some special kind of cheesecake from a fancy bakery. Oh well, hate it.
We hung out after dinner for another hour or so. Then off to Bodega. At least for everyone else. I went with Marika to Petaluma to get Vlad and bring him to Bodega. A 20 minute detour. No big deal. We got loaded up and headed to the coast.
I slept most of the way. Glad Marika stayed awake. I was really tired. And it’s a boring drive I have made many times.
At Bodega we unloaded all the gifts we had in the car plus more wine and the bed Wellington. And our suitcases. Two cars to transport all our stuff. You can see why we never travel for Christmas.
Marika has decided to make cinnamon rolls for the morning. She started those when we got unpacked. She got quite stressed out in the process. But after 20 or so minutes she seemed to get a handle on things. Everyone else had gone to bed. Marika is planning on getting up in two hours to punch down the dough and roll it out. She may be crazy. I told to wait till morning but she is not interested.
I left her cleaning up and went next door. We are staying at the neighbors. Emily was in bed. Now snoring loudly. I am blogging. A normal Christmas Eve.