Thursday, January 04, 2007

Home for a rest

There was a moment on New Year's Eve when myself, Dups and Mike looked at each other over glasses of Scotch and came to the conclusion that we wouldn't being doing this again anytime soon.

No, not drinking Scotch or going out at New Years. No, it was coming back to Newfoundland at Christmas. It's just too God damn exhausting. We'd run the gauntlet at that point and were fried.

This was my first time running it. In previous years I was always the one back in St. John's watching others try to cram as much Newfoundland into their brief time home as they can. Even Cathy has done it a couple of times before. This was my first. I won't say never again, but it will be a while before I go home at Christmas again if I can help it at all.

It's just too much. I arrived on the Dec. 21 and hit the ground running. I had a dentist appointment along with a meeting with a financial adviser. I had to get Christmas gifts and try to see as many family and friends as possible in a short period of time. A task I had only marginal success with as there are several friends I didn't see, or see enough of. And hell, I didn't even see most of my side of the family other than my parents, my grandparents, a couple of aunts, one uncle and a smattering of cousins. To everyone I hoped to see when home and didn't, I really am sorry. Hopefully the trip home in August will be more sane.

Oh yes, we also had to resupply on some things we needed and dozens of other small things. By Boxing Day Cathy had one of the more severe allergic reactions I've seen her have in the five years we've been together followed by a cold she still hasn't managed to shake. Naturally, I've got it now as well. I currently sound like Tom Waits after a weekend bender.

It's not that we didn't enjoy our time home or getting to see people. It's just too much. It's too crazy with too many things happening at once. You should come home from a vacation feeling somewhat relaxed. Instead we staggered through the door on Tuesday, unpacked and collapsed on the couch. And, no kidding, we flipped on the TV and Spirit of the West's "Home For A Rest" was playing on one of the stations. We're still tired and plan on doing absolutely nothing this weekend other than watch some of of the many, many DVDs we bought.

Hell, even Boo seems tired. He's been much quieter the last few days. Then again, maybe cutting off his balls has something to do with that.

Cathy's always going to be home over the summer because she has those two months off. My vacation time is more limited. I suspect there's going to be more than one year when I don't make it home at all. But from now on I think I'm going to try come back when it's warmer, there isn't a thousand things happening at once and you can actually relax. So that pretty much rules out Christmas.

I'm pretty sure I enjoyed myself. I just wish I had found the time to actually appreciate it.

8 comments:

Dana said...

Dude, it's just as crazy when you live here. My Christmas season started in late November, with people visiting, parties, shows, etc, and by New Year's eve I felt like I had run a marathon and could see the finish line. I sounded like Tom Waits that night, too, but damned if I was going to stop before it was over. It's been a week recovering, and I'm pretty sure I enjoyed December, but I can't remember a fair bit of it...

I said I would skip it next year, but I was lying. Nothing beats the breakneck highs of Christmas in St. John's.

towniebastard said...

Yes, but you're young, Dana. I now steadily creep towards 40. Even Dups and Mike and approaching their mid-30s. That night you spent hanging out with them at Bar None until 5 a.m. just about killed the two of them. I bet you were fine and recovered in no time.

Ten years ago I probably would have run the gauntlet. Now, it's very much "Yeah, I could go to that party, but fuck it, I'm exhausted. I'll catch them next time."

Btw, it was good to see you for all of the four minutes that I did....;)

Anonymous said...

Minor correction - it was Dups and Niall's health that D wrecked with her early morning carousin'. I prudently went home out of it around 3. Not that I felt all that good the next day myself...
Still, I've made it 5 days into '07 without having to buy or use any pharmaceutical products so I guess it can be declared a successful,healthy Xmas vacation. Like you, I wonder how many years I can keep this sort of thing up.

For now, I'm in recovery mode: sleeping a lot and lying low in La Belle Ville, and being thankful for small mercies -the snowshoeing expedition I idiotically agreed to go on next weekend has been cancelled due to total lack of snow. MM

Anonymous said...

And truth be told, both Niall and I were fine after our 5am carousing. In fact we were so fine, we were beginning to wonder if we had gained some strange power of "hang-over transferance"... my decision to pack it in after 8 days of straight drinking was to try and continue to have a liver.

Strangely from the moment I decided that and stopped drinking... well I got sick... which goes to show that the alcoholic book of remedies is quite true...

As much as it is a lot, I must admit I had a great time and actually love the craziness of it all. Though admittedly by new years day I was feeling the ill effects of so many days of drinking and wanted to come back to Edmonton for a rest. Maybe I am getting old. But then, not as old as you Craig... never that...

Cheers
Dups

Anonymous said...

Poor Boo! I was looking forward to seeing pictures of the Boo/Husky hybridization.

Anonymous said...

You're gonna be in SJ in August! Goodie. Not sure when I'm going to be on the right coast, mostly'll be on the left, but with OM, you and Cathy, and possibly Melissa et. familia it's really just a matter of figuring out the best time to catch everyone.

mireille

towniebastard said...

Claire, that would need to be one very small, and very patient, husky.

Mirielle, the tickets aren't booked yet, but tenatively I will be in town between Aug. 4-20

Dana said...

Craig: Swear to god, I'm not that young anymore. Just younger :) And it was great to see you too. If you're back in the summer, we might have more luck with a blogger get-together.

Mike: Are vitamins pharmaceutical products? Cos I've been rocking the vitamins, hardcore. And I'm off the carousin' for january, it was getting ridiculous. You guys got in on the tail-end of a hurricane.

Dups: Dude. We'll always have Hortence.