Christmas Eve

Got up at 8:45 and ate breakfast and had coffee. Showered and dressed in my Christmas sweater. Set off to get Middle Brother at the Hicksville train station.

44 bus to Jamaica. Just before I got there I got the phone call from Oldest Brother's nursing homeand we had the conference. Nothing much of note, except the bad news that the water pills have not helped the fluid buildup in his abdomen. And he has pressure sores from his time in the hospital.

Anyway, I got to the train station and found the next train was at 11:01, just enough time to get it. In actuality it was a few minutes late because a previous train was held in the station for some reason. So I got to Hicksville by 11:30 which was fine. They got there with Middle Brother a little later and we met up and started back. He has a really great hat!

Anyway we took the train back to Jamaica and the 44 bus to Flushing where we got out and went to Popeyes for lunch, then took the 44 again back to my apartment.

We spent the afternoon listening to Christmas music. mashfanficchick and RK got here at 6:45 and we packed everything in RK's car and headed to the Kid's.

We found a parking spot right across the street! Amazing, a Christmas miracle. And we had our Christmas Eve. I think everything I gave was enjoyed, and certainly everything I got was appreciated. Oddly enough, no books this year, but that's OK.

We had dinner and drinks and treats and everything and it was lovely. At the end the Kid put some of her favorite music on and we left around 12:30.

RK drove us home and I fed the pets and then set up the air mattress for Middle Brother.

And now time for bed. Merry Christmas!

Gratitude List:

1. The FWiB.

2. No bad news on Oldest Brother.

3. Got Middle Brother no problem.

4. My friends.

5. The Kid and her boyfriend.

6. It's Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

After being up so late last night (til past 2:30, not sure when I actually got to sleep) I slept late this morning. Middle Brother wakes up early, so he was awake and dressed long before I got up. Not sure what he did to amuse himself, but he has numerous books that he asked for for Christmas that he could have looked at.

Anyway, I finally got up, and made us breakfast (Cheerios of course) and put on Christmas music for him. I also gave him his Christmas stocking, which is a tradition we still keep up, it had three things in it, an easy reader book on space, a thing of M&Ms in the shape of a candy cane, and a magnet of Darth Vader.

He listened to the Christmas music while I puttered on the internet and had coffee. Then I left him listening while I showered and dressed and got ready to go out.

We walked to the nursing home and saw Oldest Brother. He was pleased to see us, I think, and was more alert and responsive than the last time I was there.

We stayed about 45 minutes, I didn't want to tax Middle Brother's patience too much. Then we said good bye, and took an Uber to the Neptune Diner.

As he had made plain he wanted, Middle Brother had a cheese burger well done, nothing on it, except ketchup, French fries, and a Pepsi. I thought about getting a major entree, because it was Christmas dinner, but I decided no, what I really wanted was a toasted bagel with cream cheese and lox. So that's what I got, with iced coffee. Then for dessert, Middle Brother of course wanted the chocolate mousse cake, and in curiosity I got a piece too. Delicious. It was all expensive, but worth it.

We Ubered back to my place, and packed his stuff up, and went to the bus stop where we just made a 44 bus. Took that to Jamaica where we just missed a train to Hicksville. But there was another in 12 minutes so that worked out well.

I called his group home and told them we were on our way, and we made it in half an hour. He was picked up, and there was a train leaving for New York just 12 minutes later, so that was lucky.

I got to Jamaica and just made a 44 bus so I got home fairly quickly, and settled in to relax and wait for the FWiB to get home from his Christmas day out so we could Skype.

He did and we talked for not as long as usual because it was late, but long enough. After we finished it was pet feeding time, and then I settled myself to it and deflated and folded up the air mattress and put it away.

And then I started here. Not an Earth-shatteringly fantastic Christmas, but I saw both my brothers, and everything worked out all right, so it was good.

Now I will finish up and go to bed and probably play solitaire.

Gratitude List:

1. The FWiB.

2. Oldest Brother was better than before.

3. Middle Brother safely home.

4. Texted the Kid, she had a good Christmas.

5. Chocolate mousse cake.

6. My Christmas cards are arriving.