Entry 790: Sun-Baked Christmases

I was thinking about it, and I think over the last 15 years, since S and I got married, we've experienced more warm Christmases than we have cold Christmases. In 2010, we were in Sydney, Australia, in the heat of summer. In 2023, we were in Mysore, India where it was quite warm, and I have to imagine that of the remaining 13 Christmases most of them were spent in the southern part of US were the temperature was somewhere between "might want to put on a light jacket" and "thank goodness we have AC". Last year, we were in Tampa at the in-laws, and I can remember a Christmas in each of Columbia (SC), Hilton Head, Fort Lauderdale, and Atlanta. On the other hand, I can only remember two Christmases in cold climes -- one at my parents' house in Washington state (where we got a literal white Christmas) and one at home in Washington DC. That leaves four or five unaccounted for Christmases. I'm sure I could figure out where we were in those years by searching this blog, but I don't feel like doing that. My (not super interesting) point is just that sun-baked Christmases are becoming the norm for us.

And so it goes again this year, as we fly out tomorrow for another holiday week in Florida. I like going down there because it's an easy(ish) flight, it's nice to see S's parents, and it's relaxing. It does get a bit boring, but the older I get the higher tolerance I have for that slow-paced lifestyle (and, honestly, I've always had some old-soul in me, in that regard; I've never minded doing nothing too much). The hardest part is that it gets boring for the kids, which means that it's a lot of screen time, or it's a lot of annoying us. But even that gets a little bit better with each trip we take, as they get older and more independent.

Speaking of this trip, I have a lot to do today before we leave. I still need to finish the laundry, pack, clean out the fridge (once we came home to rancid eggplant, and it made the entire kitchen smell for a week, and I vowed to never let that happen again), and take out the trash. I also need to hit the exercise bike -- while watching football, of course. I took a little bit of my year-end bonus and purchased NFL Red Zone for the next few weeks. My Christmas gift to myself, and Lil' S2, I guess, since he will surely enjoy it as well. 

 So, I'm going to get to it all. 

Until next time...