Of Zerbitz and Apple Pie

The weather wasn't promising! Heavy fog, considerable rain, tornado watches on the other side of the state line, flash flood watches on our side of the state line, and us with over an hour's drive over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house...

I'm happy to say that almost all the JoyDad relatives made it who planned to be there, though we sure missed AuntieLO who was stuck home with a bad cold. One cousin is celebrating Hannukah in Israel this year (where it's a little-bitty holiday since it doesn't have to compete with Christmas over there), and Auntie Meerkat had to work at the zoo so she and ARatM are arriving for a New Year's visit. Otherwise, though, we had a clean sweep!

Did I ever tell you that GrammaJ has something akin to an Elvis shrine at Christmastime? Rose is developing the appropriate Elvis appreciation -- each knick-knack comes with a little push-button Elvis soundtrack, so she got to hear some of the classics!


Joy had a fine visit, considerably more laid-back than others in recent memory. GrammaJ and GrampaK didn't have to Joy-proof nearly as much. Past Christmases involved lots of running up and down the back hall, where all doors had to be closed at all times to prevent unauthorized excursions. This year? Almost no hall-running, and no dashes through open doors. Joy was mostly content to range around the living room, hanging out on couches and flirting with various relatives.

Joy spent the most flirty-time this year with Auntie Save-the-Tatas (there's been a lot of breast-cancer surviving going on in JoyDad's extended family lately). Auntie Save-the-Tatas entertained Joy with "zerbitz," an entertainment whereby auntie makes a funny raspberry-noise on Joy's tender little bare feeties. Joy loved it. We got the huge Joy giggle-and-grin, accompanied by extending her foot again and again for another round. "More zerbitz please!" said that little foot. "Do it again, do it again!"


For those who are following the JoyDad family tree here amidst the aliases, Auntie Save-the-Tatas is the wife of JoyDad's older brother, who appeared in the Santa 1963 photo. I hereby dub him Uncle Marathon, as he's planning to run another one in 2009. He is the original source of the running craze that has been gradually sweeping the entire family, from ARatM to UncleDO to JoyDad (temporarily sidelined these days) to myself. Thanks for the inspiration, Uncle Marathon! C'mon AuntieS/RatK, all the cool kids are doin' it...

As we experienced at GreatGrandma's for Thanksgiving, it's easy to let the Joy-guard down just a little too far. What would a holiday be without an incident, after all? This holiday's incident involved GrampaK and a delectable slice of apple pie, which he was enjoying as he sat on a living-room couch. Joy moves like lightning when she sees something she wants... and in this case, she wanted two big fists-full of GrampaK's pie! Well, at least it wasn't as dangerous a cleanup as the shards of glass at Great-Grandma's!

We came home with a trunk-load of presents and smiles on our faces, and the holiday isn't over yet. The grandparents on JoyMama's side will be arriving with the New Year.

Meanwhile, if I post twice more by Wednesday, I can do post #100 on New Year's Day...