I am looking forward to this day being over and done with. Perhaps tomorrow will be better.

The day began at 5:45 am, when my alarm signaled the impending take off. The van was loaded and we were on the road by 6:30 am. It was hard to leave the beach behind and head back towards home. It was hard to travel in the string of cars heading north. Let me just say that we were NOT alone. The drive was LONG but we made it.

We got a warm welcome from Lil’ Connor, and Brendan who ran down the street to greet us as we drove in. Of course Lucky was thrilled too.

I am amazed at how quickly the four-day weekend has passed. I’ve begun the pre-packing laundry and cleaning with the hopes of easing breaking up the chore. I only wish that I could do the same with the driving. Although I am not looking forward to BoBo driving, this is one instance where him having a license (or at least a permit) would have helped. We’ll rise early and hit the road. I am certain that we won’t be alone. It’s been fun.

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, the Christmas season can officially begin. No more complaining about the houses that have been lit since Halloween. No more pretending that it isn’t happening. It is time to accept its eventuality, even embrace it.

The folks around the harbor are already embracing the season. The homes are decked from halls to dock with lights, and floating on the water is a row of lighted trees. The Family F rented a boat and toured Naples and Belmont Shores. It was a blast. We sung lots of songs including Christmas Carols, songs from Disney movies, TV shows, and songs from way back to our childhood.

I didn’t participate in the biggest shopping day of the year, but I will be shopping for the holidays. Hopefully, I can enjoy a little holiday cheer now and again.

The day was infused with fun and games throughout. It wasn’t until after dinner, however, that the competitive tendencies were unleashed.

It started innocently; Television Trivial Pursuit questions were read for the members of Family F. As usual, Uncle Butthead Joe (UBHJ) had ALL the answers. His mind is good for things like that – filled with bits of useless information. He actually studies the Scrabble Dictionary and has TP cards in his bathroom for the same educational endeavors.

After dinner we broke out the Guesstures game. This was when the real fun and competition began. There was a lot of laughter and yelling. It was a blast. It went until late.

But the fun didn’t end there. At about 10 pm, the kids (big and small) started a scavenger hunt. Oh what fun!