Monday Monday 12.30.2008

Hi All,

I’m sitting in the Lander Household at 1313 Tanager Lane (part true and part Munster’s humor) and a little more than midway through the Holiday season. While most people returned to work yesterday, Maggie and I have the fortunate ability to work remotely. This allows us to spend time with family and remain up to date with the on-going struggles of the working world.

As for the Holidays, I managed to split my time between my family and Maggie’s by spending the week leading up to Christmas with my family and spending the week following Christmas leading up to New Years with Maggie’s.

The Holiday Season with my family included all the last minute Christmas (and returning home) Traditions like shopping, binging on my favorite hometown cuisine, homemade pizza, the annual family Christmas Eve Bash, Christmas Morning Gifts, and Dad’s big breakfast.

After opening gifts on Christmas Morning and consuming massive amounts of carbohydrate filled and calorie laced foods, Maggie and I loaded the sleigh, reigned up the horses, and went jingle belling all the way to the Pennsylvania House where we unloaded the sleigh and traveled a few more miles to the Lander House for Christmas dinner. Dinner consisted of a lovely Christmas spread centered on the main entrée of Turkey. Due to an over-abundance of Rye Bread, we made a last minute judgment call to modify the dinner from Turkey to Turkey Sandwiches. Christmas Festivities continued to December 26th with the arrival of Maggie’s sister and niece that evening and the opening of Secret Santa gifts.

In the gift department, I think I did some pretty good giving and some super good receiving. I came out of the holiday with almost everything on my list and a little more (rye bread). My parents came down the Saturday following Christmas to spend the day with Maggie and I and to have dinner with Maggie’s family.

Now I’m working (remotely) my way to New Years before heading to Albany for a New Year’s Eve Party. We’ll be driving back to PA the next morning and hopefully meeting up with some friends at our house in PA.

I hope everyone is having a Joyous holiday season.

Ryan.