Boxing Day Baby

Righto, having consumed tea, orange juice, chips and wrestling, I feel up to a proper Christmas-themed update.

Christmas Day: We were in the Tron and headed out to J's parents' place for delicious barbeque lunch. I was totally not expecting to get presents, but more fool me - pretty jewellery and bath smellies from J's parents (aka his mum) and a really pretty blank journal with a sparkly corset-themed cover from his sister R. And J's gift from his brother was labelled "To Uncle J and Aunty S" so clearly I am One Of Them now.

Obligatory Christmas embarrassment moments: J's sister also-J giving him a lecture about Making An Honest Woman Out Of Me before we have kids; J's mother referring to me as "a total Earth Mother" after I had the one-year-old niece thrust into my arms; swearing in front of J's dad. *pauses for expected ZOMG YOU WHAT??? from Tron-people*

J however maintains that this last has only endeared me to his siblings because (a) they would never get away with it and (b) apparently they think I am "a nice polite girl" so find it hilarious.

Non-embarrassing Christmas hilarity: Being in a wonderful outsider-looking-in position to observe Tense Family Dynamics. God it's much better when it's not my *own* family bullshit.

Boxing Day: Driven up to Auckland-town by J's dad. Brunch with Mum/stepdad2/stephellspawn/Grandfather, full of delicious Emotional Bollocks, but the *main* thing was ZOMG DIGITAL CAMERA from Grandfather. J now took the role of Outside Observer Shaking Head Sadly At Family Dynamics.

BBQ dinner with Grandma/rest of Auckland-based fam. More excellent gifts including Borders gift card, iTunes gift card, pretty jewellery. Had to verbally bitchslap Elder Stephellspawn for calling cousin A a "homo". Think he now lives in fear of me. Am pleased.

Back to A&A's for *real* New York pizza and gossip and sleeping. And delicious raspberry liqueur thing.

Today: Brunch with A&A, flight home, semi-comatose setting up of Rock Band, Dunkin Donuts.

Next: Getting well pissed and playing some drums.

Minor political rant: RSA 0, Jewish Council 1. Because nothing screams "we're desperately striving for relevance"* like saying that a group of dedicated WW2 re-enactors "just don't understand the symbolism" of Nazi uniforms.

Side snark: anyone else read the Granny Herald's description of "Nazi uniforms" vs. the re-enactors "suchandsuch regiment" and wonder which of the two actually knows what they're talking about?

*Copyright Paula Bennett, 2009, all rights reserved.