...and so I write

Happy New Year!
I know, a blog should be a timely writing event, but timeliness has not always been my strong suit. Today I sit in my new office at Thornridge as Conan the Librarian. Yes, AV Guy is gone but hopefully not forgotten. He was a cool guy. He really liked working with computer and AV Stuff. Conan does too, but he has to do it on the sly. In order to get caught up I may bullet my comments as I have in the past. I will make every attempt to keep this thing up by writing a little more often, but things got out of hand and today is my first chance to actually sit down and write. So here goes...

• Christmas was great. Much of what was described in the pre-Christmas blog held true. The opening salvo of drinks and stirrers went right on cue. One of the highlights was the breakfast for Aunt Stel, nephew Brian and fiance Debbie, Neph Matt and his friend who happened to the be the girl who was thought to be dead after a horrendous car crash and ended up being the one who survived three weeks after her funeral. Inappropriately as it sounds we referred to her as the "Dead Girl" until we got to know her and found her to be a lovely and a very fortunate person. Niece Alyshia was there with her husband and of course Carole, Daniel, Mary, Nora and me. Our friend Karen joined us before she was to head off to Paris TN. Nef Sean was the chief cook. He took orders and he and I made breakfast for everyone. It was a collective chaos that was highly entertaining for all.
• Christmas Eve dinner involved mussels. They weren't the best, but they weren't bad either. Costco was out so I had to buy Jewel mussels. I don't know if you ever shopped at a Costco, but nothing compares to their stuff in quantity or quality. Mass was nice. Sean didn't go.
• Christmas Day was traditional with present opening lasting for hours. Dinner included Charles and the chief guest. We had a very nice rib roast. Very traditional meal.
• We got a short break and then round three. This was a party for Nef Tim and wife Gina and baby Grace. Tim's daughter Ashley and her baby who were reunited with Tim for the first time since the birth. This is actually where Matt brought his friend and they stayed the night. Amber and Hawkins were supposed to come, but they couldn't make it. They would have really added some spice to this mix. Three babies under two in our house????? Anyway, it was kind of a Wheeler Christmas. I originally was going to make a huge lasagna, but when I realized how many there were to feed I kind of freaked and switched directions. Fourth of July! Nora and I went shopping and decided that we were going to have a picnic/barbecue and that's just what we did. I grilled chicken breasts, sausages and hamburgers. We had had plenty of great snacks before hand so the meal was sufficient to feed this throng. The funniest thing was when I set out all of the meat on the counter and asked my nephew Tim how much of it should I cook? He said' "All of it." And that's what I did. We had one hamburger and a couple of sausages left over. During the course of the day there were many margaritas made. I personally was done after the first liter of tequila, but there were those who insisted on a beer and tequila run which contributed to things getting a little out of hand. I think there was considerable smoking, drinking and crying on the porch. Mary and I sort of felt like ring masters. The party eventually moved to Tim's hotel and I think we either went to bed or watched a movie. The next day was a challenge for some, but not for me.
• Friday was a chill day for Mary and Nora and me. Carole and Daniel went out with cousins Ruth and John. We were supposed to see Aunt Stel again, but due to inclement weather, we took a rain check and watched movies. Sean went back to Tennessee with little fanfare.
• Saturday was travel day for Carole and Daniel. We had a nice breakfast and took them to the airport. Wow, what a week. We were back to our nuclear family.
• New Year's Eve was a small gathering. We had Pat and Henry as has been the tradition for over twenty years. We had cocktails and such at Karen's for starters and then moved to our house for the main course of the Frugal Gourmet's BBQ Shrimp. Also a tradition for many many years. Nora went to the U of I with some friends. She had a nice time, but a storm broke out and it took her five hours to get home. Needless to say we were worried, but thankful that she got there and back safely. I think she would have preferred to do something locally, but there wasn't much to offer an almost twenty-year-old in Chicago.
• New Year's day was for our friends Dave and Gail. Somehow we started this tradition many years ago and have continued it. Even though we are pretty tired of partying and guests by this time, we always have a terrific low key time with Dave and Gail. And this is where I busted out the lasagna.
• We took down the decorations on the 2nd and then we had a nice four day weekend in anticipation for the start of the second semester for me and a resumption of the second term for Nora.

We had a great holiday. We enjoyed all of our guests and each other. I am glad it only happens once a year.

All right, I'm taking a break. I'll start a new blog with the transition to Conan.

Peace out.

Rob