Saturday, December 19, 2009

I never thought I'd say this, but I could really use a decaf caramel iced latte from Dunkin Donuts.

I'm homesick y'all. I think it's the Christmas season. This is the second Christmas in a row that I'll be crashing someone else's traditions and leaving mine behind. Don't get me wrong, I am excited to see how Inspector Climate and the Climate Family celebrate Christmas. What they eat, what they wear, when they open presents: these are all little pieces to the puzzle to Inspector Climate's childhood and how he grew up into the (amazing) guy he is today.

But being excited about that doesn't make it any less easy to put aside what my family will be doing over the holiday. The way we eat potato latkes on Christmas Eve. The way, that even now as an adult, my mom waits to fill my stocking until after I go to bed. Opening gifts in pajamas. And then we have home made Mexican food for dinner, it doesn't make sense. But it's what we do.

One of our traditions is that my mom always buys us a wind up toy. And yesterday as homesickness wrapped around me, I decided that I needed to get myself one. I had to have a wind up toy. So, I went to Target, because that's my first stop for anything fairly basic. And I asked for a wind up toy and you know what the guy in the toy store led me to? DO YOU KNOW? Jack in the Boxes. Now, first of all when I described a wind up toy I said "they're little and you wind them up and they walk around, like if it's a penguin it waddles" and then I preceded to demonstrate how a penguin waddles - that's a true story, kids. And where does this guy bring me? To the JACK in the BOXES.

So, nearly in tears, I went to my second point of call: Borders. I asked for wind up toys and they pointed me in the direction of wind up toys. Oh, Borders I love you so. However, these weren't just any wind up toys they were Wind Up Toys. Metal alien type things that cost $20 or more. So, I carried it around the store for a while trying to convince myself that I didn't need a wind up toy for it to be Christmas. That I am an adult and that it's ok to be sad. This is, obviously, when I started to cry IN BORDERS. I tried all the usual techniques for holding back the tears: biting my lower lip, looking at really crap romance books, wandering over to the travel section where I spied...A guide book to New Hampshire. Oh, Borders how is that you know just what I need? So, I sat down in the deserted aisle and read about home and cried. I read about Franconia and Bethlehem. I read about Berlin and Woodsville. I read about the Lilac Festival in Lisbon. Oh, I gobbled up all the information that I already know and as I put the book back I felt a little better.

I bought the wind up toy, and I am going to send it to my parents to add to our collection of skiing bunnies, waddling penguins, flipping monkeys, and sledding polar bears. It's what we do.


  1. This was such a sweet and sad post. I really hope you're feeling better now.

  2. I am really glad you bought that toy. At my house? Kosher turkey for Christmas dinner. Don't even ask, but is seems to be what we do. The Jewish Walshes promise to eat off my plates if I follow the dietary rules. Meanwhile, we've shared a delicious brisket and potato kugel for Hanukah after our best friends helped us decorate the tree. I like all the mixing things up.

    Have a wonderful holiday with the Climates! Come back with quirky details!

  3. 1) Thank god you bought that toy or I would have told you to go back and get it!

    2) NH misses you! I miss our New Years get-togethers. "He used feminine warfare."

    Lova you and missa you!

  4. Oh, kitten. Wish I could twitch my nose and bring your family to you, or transport you to your family. Hugs to you.

  5. It is hard to be away from the fam around the holidays. Hang in there!

  6. DDG - I am feeling better now, thanks!

    Susan - I *love* mixing up traditions and holidays. My family is such an amalgamation of Jewish and Christian celebrations, I can't imagine it any other way.

    Becky - Me too. Seriously, that was a good new years.

    Skye - Thanks, it happens.

    Chris - Seriously, why hasn't anyone come up with instant travel yet? How hard could that be?

    Scrambled Jill - it is hard. I'll try :)

  7. Ohhhhhh, I'm so sorry that you're so sad. Being away from your family during the holidays is tres tough. I hope you are able to have a happy one in spite of things. : )

  8. Yeah for Borders having the Wind Up Toy and for sending you home through a book.

  9. Kristin - Thanks for the well wishes. It is hard being away from home, but at least I'll get to go to the beach on Boxing Day.

    linlah - I know! Borders is a life safer! :)

  10. I understand completely. I always feel this way after a long stretch of being away from home. Then certain music, or movies, or even pictures will push me over the edge and I'll be bawling my eyes out in a piblic place. I feel bad for my boyfriend becuase he's usually the one there when I do it.