Christmas 2021: A Play in Three Acts

 

(Thanks to Travalon for suggesting the format of this blog post)

Act I: Sunday on Saturday

Travalon and I woke up, poked around, and eventually headed to Mass, grumbling about how it felt like a Sunday morning even though it was a Saturday. Aren't Saturdays for sleeping in and watching cartoons in our pjs? And we'll just have to do it all again tomorrow. We realized we were going to be really late, but miraculously we arrived just before the reading of the Gospel, so Mass counted. For some reason Richard Bonomo, who usually sits up in the choir loft and doesn't see us slink in late every Sunday, was downstairs handing out programs, so he totally saw how late we were. Travalon said this was the most Sundayish Saturday we've ever had.

Act II: Oconomowoc (However You Pronounce That)

Travalon and I drove to Oconomowoc to see his mother. She is looking really good lately. She just glows. It's hard to believe she will be 96 in a couple of weeks. We gave her some fancy soap and a teddy bear that smells like lavender, both of which we got at a place in Rochester called 99 Giggles, which was under our hotel. Then we went to an Asian restaurant that is always open on Christmas, but this year it was takeout only due to COVID, so we ended up just getting sandwiches from Kwik Trip. Then we went to Lake Mills and hiked on the trails by the lake that are meant for mountain bikers. Lots of hills - I got the equivalent of five flights of stairs from climbing them. It was a beautiful day out, about 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Act III: Cartoons After All

Travalon and I went to Chez Bonomo with the cassata I had made at the appointed time, but we were clearly too early so we went on a walk with Kathbert, who we ran into outside. It was so nice out that we hated to go inside, but eventually dinner was ready, and about ten of us sat down to it. We had Rich's famous lasagna and eggplant parmesan made by someone else, garlic bread, salad, and broccoli. Then a family came with three boys, aged 11, 8, and 2, and suddenly things got a lot more fun. The two older boys sat across from Travalon and me and started regaling us with G-rated jokes and songs from Singing in the Rain. Somehow that led to Travalon and me telling them about "What's Opera, Doc?" and then we introduced them to the wonders of Chuck Jones' work. We watched "What's Opera, Doc?" and "Rabbit of Seville," then Travalon and the boys watched loads of Roadrunner and Coyote. My cassata was a big hit, as always, but children are always especially enthusiastic about it, and the three boys raved about it. (Years ago a child who is now thirty said that my cassata belonged in the Dessert Hall of Fame.) Then Kathbert and I talked about music until Rich gathered everyone to do Night Prayer, and Kathbert escaped. As soon as Night Prayer was over, everyone else went home too, and Travalon and I were the last ones at the party, so we headed home as well. We watched The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, and Travalon is watching more cartoons, so his Saturday was salvaged after all.

Famous Hat