Part 177 A golden triangle (pre) Christmas


Friday caps off what are almost the fastest weeks of the year (the interim between Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks), surpassed only by the 16 day interlude without work that will follow. Our family leaves immediately after to spend a few days with Becah’s father and stepmother in Nederland. After the two-hour drive we stop briefly at their house before going out to eat. Becah’s dad Billy is on a sushi kick, so we dine at Tokyo, where we enjoy sushi rolls (except for the kids, who will only eat the rice). We stay up late talking at their house after.

Saturday afternoon Billy and Linda have a party to celebrate Christmas early. The girls are treated to a big dollhouse and many other gifts. I make broccoletti and Linda brings in some gumbo from a nearby restaurant. The plates full of other dishes pile up quickly; soon there are seemingly tons of food. It’s a pretty day outside, clear and having turned colder overnight. Becah’s half-sister Lacey and her husband Jared, as well as Billy’s mother and other relatives show up. A friend sits in an easy chair with his slinky girlfriend in his lap, and another attractive lady walks by accompanied by her boyfriend, who I later have a long talk with after finding out that he was on the Baltimore Orioles pitching roster for a short time and played minor league ball in Winnepeg Canada.

We sleep in late and watch a little of “Ms. Doubtfire” on the huge TV in the den. We must switch it over for the Texans game at noon. They get soundly beaten by Carolina, ending their win streak. That is what happens when defensive ace coach Wade Phillips is out ill for maybe the rest of the season. They made the playoffs, though, and that feat can’t be taken away. We drive back to Houston in the afternoon with gifts in tow, ready for more holidays and free time.