Monday, Dec. 27

Up around 7:30, but skipped my exercises yet again, so we could get ready to travel an hour and half east to attend a "cousins Christmas gathering." The gathering was scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., but we didn't get there until after noon. Seemed like we just couldn't get our act together this morning, so we didn't leave until around 10:30. Then Shih Tzu needed to stop to do her business twice on the trip.

When we arrived, everyone was seated, with the kids and some adults eating pizza. We had brought sandwich makings, and many of the adults were waiting for us to arrive so they could avail themselves of it.

Mother opted for a half sandwich and a small piece of pizza. But she said the pizza was cold, so she asked for another half sandwich. Hubbie abhors cold pizza, so he didn't try any of it at all. And of course, I try to avoid restaurant pizza.

There was an absolute abundance of goodies. I shouldn't have, but I ate some.

Afterward, groups gathered at various tables to play games. I'd contributed Skipbo, Uno, and Duo for whoever wanted to play them. Our table chose Duo, which Hubbie, Hubbie's sister, Mother, and I played. We played two games, both of which Mother won.

Another group played Skipbo at the table next to ours. At a third table, a group of young children, five years old and younger, played some sort of pop up game, and a group of pre-teens were engaged in another game at a fourth table. A group of young adults played yet another game at a fifth table.

I was struck by how we all separated into age-groups...very young children, pre-teens, young adults, and senior citizens. Only one table had a mixed group...the one playing Skipbo.

Apparently, the kids had enjoyed a craft during the hour before lunch was served...one of Hubbie's daughters provided plain wooden nativity scene and cross Christmas tree ornaments for the kids to paint and decorate. They'd also decorated Christmas stockings.

At 2 p.m., we cleared away the food, games and crafts, and prepared to leave. Some were to gather at Daughter's house, but we begged off and went to the mall and the discount warehouse instead.

At the mall, I bought eight tubes of a favorite hand and body cream at an intimate apparel shop. The tubes of cream were on sale at buy seven, get one free...plus I had a $10 birthday gift card from the shop. So I got a good bargain on the cream.

Since we were at the mall, I browsed a couple of clothing stores offering 75% discounts. The only item I found was a fleece Christmas shirt, which I bought for next year.

From there, we went to the discount warehouse, where we bought several grocery items, including fresh fruits, and bought a gift card for getting discount gasoline in the van.

Headed home around 4 p.m., and arrived around 5:30. Mother heated leftover soups and yeast bread for our supper, while I helped Hubbie unload the van.

After supper, I accompanied Mother to her house. Back home, Hubbie and I relaxed and watched TV. Tonight, we saw the 2009, R-rated movie, "Give 'em Hell, Malone," starring Thomas Jane, Ving Rhames, and Elsa Pataky. A Sam Spade style private eye tries to retrieve a briefcase from a hotel, but walks into a hail of bullets from thugs. Lots of shooting and killing for the rest of movie after that.

The second feature we watched was the 2008, R-rated movie, "Disgrace," starring John Malcovich. Professor David Lurie, who teaches poetry at a South Africa college, seduces a young female student and is fired. He moves to his estranged father's home, where a horrible incident occurs.