Christmas in Privatopia

This is our first Christmas in Privatopia. Although we’ve lived here full-time for four years, we've always celebrated the day either in Chicago or Virginia.

No coy-wolfs bayed last night as the clouds obscured the full moon. There is no wind present as I sip my second espresso and glance outside. And here’s one for the books, thanks to record-breaking El Niño and global warming our Privatopia golf course is still "officially" open. 

I open the back door to take a photo of the idled, from lack of wind, flag on the fifth green. I’m fairly certain no golfers will appear today, but you really never know around here. It seems eerily quiet outside. I turn to go back inside when I see that there is a whitetail deer near the flagstick. I hadn't even noticed her curiously eyeing me. In fact there are several deer spread about, all watching for any suspicious behavior on my part. I take a few snapshots then leave them in peace.

We celebrated the eve of Christmas Eve with our Chicago family, spending the night in our faux-condo, before heading home. Fatigued from the joyful festivities, last minute shopping, gift wrapping, Christmas-feast cooking, gift opening, overeating and clean-up we zipped straight home, making no stops. I awoke today with the realization that I'd made no plans for our Christmas dinner.  I never got around to thinking that far ahead. No grocery stores or restaurants are open within at least a 25-plus mile radius. Besides who wants to grocery shop on Christmas Day? I panic for a moment. But a quick check of the freezer turns up some short ribs with which to make a stock to which I’ll add vegetables and barley for a hearty soup. My larder contains everything I need to make delicious homemade bread. I also spied in the freezer the wild-caught sea scallops, and in the refrigerator the asparagus that I had planned on bringing to our Chicago celebration, but had run out of time and energy to prepare and thus dropped them from the menu. I have a taste for something with an Asian flair and those two main ingredients should serve me well to that end. With my main dish I’m picturing pan-fried dumplings, with which to start, and a zesty Thai cucumber salad on the side, in addition to some fragrant Jasmine rice. We have plenty of homemade cookies and candy left from our partying for dessert, plus a bottle of fancy “unoaked” Chardonnay we received as a gift. So we are all set for a proper celebratory meal.

***

What if you got everything for which you’d ever wished? What if you married the spouse of your dreams and the marriage took, took the way a healthy tree takes to fertile ground that receives appropriate water and sunshine, and perhaps a bit of fertilizer? What if you looked around yourself and saw a safe, sound, comfortable and warm home, with a great view to boot? What if you had, at any given time, all the food at your fingertips that you needed to make a nice meal? What if your marriage produced three great children who, as adults now, were in happy, strong supportive relationships, with in-law children you'd come to love as dearly as if they were your own, oh and then had the cutest, awesomest grandchildren ever - like I mean if you could hand-pick them from all the children ever, they would be the exact ones you'd select!? And what if every single one of your children and grandchildren were also comfortably housed, suitably well fed, educated and clothed? What if you wanted for nothing but still good things continued to come your way?

***

Dear Santa, 

We’re all good here in Privatopia. We want for nothing. And since we know you’re so busy and all, feel free to go ahead and bypass our house as you make the rounds this Christmas. 

Sincerely your old pal, Rae 

p.s. If you get a chance, you know later in the summer or sometime when things ease up for you, drop me a line and let me know - you know, from one senior citizen to another - just how you keep your locks so glisteningly white.

***

Like I said we have this record-breaking El Niño and global warming thing happening, so any dreams of a White Christmas have been dashed. But since I relish life just the way it is, here is my wish to you:

May your days be merry and keen

and may all your Christmases be green.