Forget diamonds, it's all about ear plugs

Indeed, ear plugs are a girl's best friend. On Sunday evening, tired as get-out from having driven in the day before and then staying up till midnight to pick my aunt up from the airport, I asked Tom if he happened to have any ear plugs in his dop kit. As he has two towers-of-power full of enough medicines to render him a traveling pharmacy, I thought he might be able to help me escape the myriad sounds of a busy house, including his unceasing snoring. He had one pair, and I have slept in blissful quiet ever since. I have no idea what's taken me so long to employ this most basic of noise-blocker, but I'm happy to have done so now. My brother-in-law had orange juice pulp hanging from his nose this morning and looked slightly peaked, so maybe I'll get him a pair too. My sister, Elia, and her husband, Michele, arrived in from Italy late Sunday night, and their presence has made everything even more fun. Last night we played a few hysterical rounds of a new game I brought home: you have to fill in the blanks, sing the next line, provide the name, etc of popular Christmas carols and holiday songs. As I love Christmas carols, I was a formidable opponent, but my aunt Renee was also excellent, and Jack rushed in as the sleeper expert no doubt because of four years of bi-weekly music classes and annual holiday concerts at school.

We've been eating well, the archers are improving at a fast clip, Tom has joined their ranks after my parents found him a fabulous bow/quiver/arrow set yesterday, and today we're going to visit Nanny's house for the last time (it's empty and will feel so very odd) and then bring flowers to her grave as Oliver and Elia weren't here for her funeral, and Oliver keeps insisting we have a "second funeral."

Nice to be home

Even though my parents' home isn't officially mine anymore, I actually think home is always home and that you can have more than one. It's comforting to feel utterly comfortable in more than one place, and I'm aware that in this respect I'm very fortunate; not everyone has family or is close to theirs. After landing in NOLA yesterday, we rented a car, ran by the market and then a wine store where Lili, a friend from my writing group (I've never met her in person but feel like I know her after talking so much over the past 11 months) was sampling and selling her Delightful Palate goodies. It was absolutely marvelous, such a treat, to meet her. We hugged like we were long-lost friends; I'm sure you can see the warmth here too!

Back on the road, we got in last night, and the boys were beside themselves with excitement. Mom and Dad had set up hay bales and targets in the back yard for the boys as a sneak peek of their archery-themed gifts to come. But rain sidelined flashlights and searching so instead the kids got to open their bows and arrows. I have not seen such thrilled boys since the night before when they opened their gifts from T's parents.

At 6am today, Jack was outside with Tom, arrows in quivers, arm covers donned, targets set. Oliver joined in shortly thereafter, and it is abundantly clear that Tom will soon require his own bow. The boys have hardly come in since, so smitten are they as archers. Jack asked if he was as skilled as Katniss. I told him to keep practicing. My aunt Renee came over, Dad returned home from rounds and other on-call duties, T and I snuck out to the gym and then to the market for veggies and other yums for dinner tonight. We passed a sign that promised me that "perms are back" -I highly doubt this!- as well as multiple and enormous arrays of yard-based Christmas decor. There is no evidence of a "war on Christmas" around here (not really anywhere, IMO), of that you can be sure! I found these reindeer eerily large. That Santa is just shorter than life-size, if you need a better sense of scale. Wow, yes?

Mom and Dad are going to a party tonight, so I'm cooking for Renee, T, the kiddos and moi. It's going to be a beautiful veggie feast of bounteous proportions: eggplant with tahini; roasted beets with horseradish; thyme-spinach pesto; butternut squash with pearl couscous and goat cheese; other items TBD. It's warm enough for shorts which is always vaguely dissonant but cold weather is promised at some unspecified point in the future. I'll take whatever really!

Seriously?

Oh my gawd, what a flight. Apparently the entire population of four-and-under children is going to New Orleans today and liked our flight best. Truly, the numbers are astounding, and about 50% are not happy. Like really not happy. Fortunately, about 20% of those finally passed out as we approached NOLA airspace, but man. Don't judge lest ye be judged, and I've certainly had less than stellar trips with my boys, but I think it goes without saying that if you give a child an iAnything, you should turn the volume off and make sure it stays that way. The girl in front of us is shrieking along with her game.Meanwhile behind us are two young adults signing to each other at a rate that should win a contest. It's terribly impressive. That said, I can hear the incredibly loud rap of her pen on the armrest and wish the tandem crossword they're doing wasn't so frustrating. Powerful fingers you have, ma'am!