FINISHING OUT THE YEAR... Christmas (Part 148d)

FINISHING OUT THE YEAR... Christmas (Part 148d)

Back at home Elle and I had a ‘talk’ with the Anne about playing the Situation Four game. We decided that we’d play in teams until Anne could accept the fact the the game was not hers but was for the family. The first teams were Jean and Elle against Anne and I. I’ll admit that I didn’t try very hard with the idea being to teach Anne a lesson. She thought she was going to win every game of Situation Four she played. It was somewhat funny to see her reaction to loosing but it did get her attention. All of a sudden she didn’t want to play anymore so Elle played against Jean. Watching them I saw I could get a nice ‘double’ (VPL and a DP) so I got the camera.
                               

A 'double'... DP and VPL

Elle was so engrossed in the game she didn’t realize what I was doing until the flash bulb went off. I got a ‘look’ from her but that was all. Then I got to play against Elle and, to make her feel good, let her win. At that point we decided to put the game away for a while.

We were deciding what games to play next that would include the whole family when the phone rang. It was my mother. She wanted to know if she and my father could stop over after we’d eaten. I was puzzled because that was something that they NEVER did. I wanted to know if something was wrong but she assured me that everything was fine. The call left me scratching my head and anxious for them to get there.

Another tradition that we’d started was to reprise the Christmas dinner on the day after as our supper. It wasn’t very good for the waistline but it tasted almost as good as the original. Even though there was still some pie left over from the previous day the vote was unanimous for eating the rest of Barbara’s cream filled bundt cake. After the dishes were cleared and washed and with my parents due to arrive, Elle decided that it was time for some individual play for the girls. As they were still playing on the floor I was able to view continued VPL’s and DP’s as Elle set them up. It kept my attention for a while as I waited for my parents.

It turned out to be something very good. In a way, I guess it could’ve been considered a Christmas present... a day late. It’s going to take a bit to explain it so I beg for your indulgence...

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If you go back to some of my early posts I told of my mother’s poor health and that her doctor had suggested that she go to a warmer climate during the heart of Winter. Starting when I was 11 years old the whole family headed for Florida in January and returned North around Easter. We started out on the West coast but gravitated to the Northeast part when I was 13. After some searching for the ideal spot they settled on a motel like place that was affiliated with a large resort. The last Winter I was able to do it I was 16. After that I was shipped off to boarding school and that ended that. However, my parents (and brother) continued to go back to the same place. My parents, who were very social, had become good friends with many of the ‘regulars’ (the people who returned Winter after Winter) as well as the owner and his wife. So much so for the latter that they would visit my parents during the Summer. Over time, the resort business changed and the owners were forced to rethink their business plan. They found that more and more visitors weren’t satisfied with just a room so bought the property just North of the existing complex and built two, two story buildings with four small apartments on each floor. They turned out to be an immediate success. With that success business at the original place continued to fall off and a decision was made to tear it down and build three more small apartment buildings. However, the wife  wanted to do something special for the ‘regulars’ that had supported them for those many years. Traditionally, the Winter season was considered over as of April 15th. It was followed by what they called the ‘transitional’ season which continued until June 1 when they would close for the Summer. Once the decision was made to convert to all apartments they sent out an invitation to all the long time ‘regulars’ to come for a week long ‘Farewell Celebration’, on them.

My parents signed up as soon as they got their invitation. My mother had been in contact with the the owners to find out just who had indicated would be attending. It was then that she found that it appeared there would be less than a ‘full house’ and for some unknown reason, asked if they could bring Elle and I with them. My mother said she’d gotten a call from the owners earlier that day and the answer was “Yes.” The reason being that my parents had been there every year for eighteen years, without fail, and they’d be glad to accommodate us. I sat there, totally flabbergasted.

Without going back into family ‘skeletons’, since our marriage my parents had chosen to limit their gifts to our girls. Yes, they’d helped out when we bought the house by giving us some of their stored and unused furniture but had never spent any money directly on or for us. That’s why I was so shocked. The temptation to ask was there but reason ruled and I kept my mouth shut. My mother explained that our room and two meals a day would be provided for five days but that we were responsible for getting there and back. Without even asking about the dates I was all for it. Then my mother told us it was from April 16 to the 20th and I knew, as far as work was concerned, I was home free. Elle was a little more reserved because she knew she’d have to ask her mother to take the kids. But, all in all we were both really excited. Our 10th wedding anniversary was in October and we’d tentatively planned to go someplace to celebrate it. I was already thinking that this could be it and it wouldn’t cost all that much. Little did I know...

To be continued...