Last Transmission from the 10

I doubt very much that I will blog again from 2010. It's been a fine transitory year, but other than the "fine" part I could call any year transitory. I will take a look back at my new years predictions next week and report how I did. Reporting live from the 30th of December though I can say that I'm pleased with my personal progress. I can say with certainty that I am a better person than when I started the year, I have had experiences and I have incorporated them into myself in a worth while manner.

It wasn't always easy, it wasn't always fair...

I get down on myself for not getting done with everything I want to get done, and it's really silly to do that, but I can't help myself at times. Trying to balance happiness with accomplishment is a trick indeed. Enough about that, lets talk about Yuletide in Kansas.

Last Wednesday evening I rushed home from work at 5pm and started doing laundry and helping Angie clean. We wanted to leave a clean place for our bunny sitters to relax in. In addition to Devin and Dylan our old roommate Adrienne stayed at our place and looked after our pets, this was very sweet of them. We returned to super happy, sane and relaxed pets. The absence of mommy Angie can be tough on them but this time our sitters really came through.

We finished the grueling job of packing and cleaning just after 10pm and loaded up my truck to drive to Devin and Dylan's. Since D&D live close to the airport and inside the city of West Hollywood we planned to sleep there and then take a flat rate taxi to the airport. Instead, and once again Proving that having a brother is worth all the trouble Devin offered to wake up at 4:30 am and drive us.
We watched the always sunny in philly xmas special with the boys before going to bed a bit on the late side. After some banging around from our hosts the house fell silent just after 1am. I feared I would not sleep before the flight. My alarm bleated me awake with enough force to let me know that I had slept.
While making coffee in the kitchen to rouse Angela I was shocked to see Devin walk in. Devin has never been one to wake up with out a fight, and he is much less inclined to do so at 4:30 am. Amazingly though he came through.

Our flight was scheduled to leave at 6:55 and we got to the airport at just after 5am. As everyone I know does when leaving LAX before the rooster makes a peep we had breakfast at the airport McDonalds, some how it feels less sinful to eat that crap before a flight. We boarded our plane to find that there were no two open seats together, it would be a long companion-less flight. Once the plain achieved flight i felt the pull of sleep. I dozed off and on for the entire trip, waking up just in time to read a bit before decent. I was trying to read Ulysses, it really wasn't working.
As the plane taxied towards the terminal I texted everyone to let them know we had arrived.
We were nearly the last people out of the plane by the time we deboarded. Mom and dad met us with warm hugs and big smiles. Dad had been at the airport waiting so long that he'd even grown a beard.

Travelling back to Mom and Dad's house in Olathe, I kept trying to read Angies face to see what she thought of my beloved Kansas, her face didn't tell me much.
When we reached mom and dad's house I rushed in too hug my sister and say hello to my Dog/Brother Royal. Adrienne's dog Maddie came right up to me and gave me a sniff. I had never met Maddie, so seeing her black little face was a nice feeling.

Adrienne had been cooking while mom and dad went to retrieve us. we sat down to a beautiful meas of Butternut Squash Ravioli and Wine. An excellent meal to start our visit. After lunch we unpacked in what would be our bedroom for the extent of the visit and then sat down in the family room to relax.

My friend Jason called to let me know that they would be changing their plans due to the impending weather and would be leaving sooner than they had thought. I really wanted to see Jason on this visit so I convinced Angela and Adrienne to come with me to Jason and Ginger's house.

We had a short but nice visit with Jason and Ginger and their cats. Bee bop being the star of the show.

Jason and Ginger needed to get on the Road so we left them and went to a liquor store, which happened to be next door to a thrift store I used to shop at when I lived in KC. Angie loves a thrift store more than anyone so we decided to pop in. Not much had changed since I had last shopped there 8 years ago, in fact I think I recognized some of the shirts.
While Angie shopped Adrienne and I went to buy Sparks from the store next door. The two clerks were certainly strange and most likely drunk.
Angie bought a little sweater and we headed over to my sisters new house, another things that I had yet to see.

I was so proud of my little sister when we pulled into her Driveway. She's certainly grown up, being the first of us tree kids to have the type of life that allows her to own her own home. Her neighborhood is adorable and her house fits right in. We drank our sparks and waited for mom and dad to join us. I was glad to see that the classical guitar which I had given Adrienne long ago sat proudly in the living room with a pick. Adrienne has been learning to play and she sounds like she has what it takes to be rather good.

Mom and dad arrived just as my sparks was waking me up and blurring the edges. We were treated to a drive around Kansas City, to look at lights and other sites but the day of travel and lack of sleep rapidly got a hold of both Angie and myself.
We stopped at a new place called smashburger on the way home and got food to go back to mom and dads.

Shortly after we returned home people started to go to bed. I was the last to lay down, sometime after midnight, and honey dipped sleep came over me for the next 10 hours.

Dad cooked breakfast for us this morning. His famous Spicy Elmo sandwiches were this time converted to wraps with sausage. They were wonderful, dad has his recipe down.

After breakfast Angela and I got a nice treat, Snow~! There was no accumulation but some nice big flakes did fall. We went out front to take pictures and play until we got cold, that took about 5 minutes.


Being that it was yuletide eve I knew that I needed to get out and purchase the gift I wanted to get mom and dad. They don't need much, but I know that they don't spend money on going out to dinner without a bit of a push so Adrienne drove us to a nice place to buy them a gift certificate. We chose a place called "Bonefish" which Adrienne said they had been to once and really enjoyed.
Next we went to a Costco since Angela needed to get new glasses before the end of the year. We had searched all over LA to find frames she would like to no avail. This time we lucked out and she bought a really cute pair.

When we returned home mom had snacks set out and all of us dug in. After the snacks we played some mario cart on the wii and worked up a new apatite for yuletide eve dinner.

The Strecker family traditional yuletide eve meal is Oyster Stew, it dates back to before my Grandpa even I believe. Somehow, despite how gross they could have seemed to us children we have always loved Oyster Stew. This year dad really perked up the recipe and it was enjoyed by all. Angela doesn't care for the oysters but she loved the broth. Adrienne and I were kind enough to take the oysters from her.

After the meal I retired to the back patio to smoke a cigar with my dad. As always we had a nice conversation. It's never too cold outside to smoke with dad and hear what everyone in the family is up to.

After dinner we played a bit more mario cart, this time mom and dad joined in the tournament. Dad must have been practicing because he some how beat everyone.

When we grew tired of mario cart dad flicked on the DVR to play a program he had recorded. It was a biography of Warren Buffet which dad had wanted to watch with me. Dad knows that he and I share a deep admiration for the Oracle of Omaha. We all watched the program and enjoyed it. Angie was very impressed with Warren which made me quite happy for some reason.

Shortly after the program people began to drop off to their respective beds. Angie and Adrienne and I stayed up last watching a horrid movie who's name I can't remember. Soon we were all in bed.

Yuletide morning came and presents were passed out. I was told I had ot open mine in a particular order. The first present I opened nearly made me faint. Angela had gone in with my parents to get me an Ipad. I must admit that when it comes to new technology I am in love with material things, and this material thing took the taco. I really did not expect to receive such a gift, and It has yet to be more than 15 feet away from me since I received it. For my part I had showered Angela with clothing and accessories from an online wishlist she had created. There were many more gifts given and much love spread around.

After the gift giving we had breakfast, adreinne had prepared it, and it was good, but sadly I don't recall the name of it.

After the meal people went their separate ways to enjoy their new gifts. I played some Wii with dad and then initialized the Ipad.

We lazed around throughout the day and then had a gourmet meal prepared by Adrienne, Dad and Mom. It was the same meal we had in 2008, and it was even better this time. The best part was a gravy Adrienne prepared with Wine and Whiskey and other fun stuffs.

We lingered at the table and had many bottles of wine. We talked of yuletide past and future. When dad and I stepped out to smoke Angela joined us, though she grew cold faster than we did.

We played a game of cranium next, parents vs. kids. We kids did win. There is a section in Cranium where you have to hum or whistle a melody and get your team mates to guess it. We enjoyed that section so much that on the spot we adapted it into it's own game. Surprisingly Dad and I were the last two still in the game and I narrowly squeezed him out, losing to dad at a game that requires musical skill would have been too much to handle.

It was out last night in town and so Adrienne and Angie and I gave our best effort to get drunk. Sadly it was not in the cards. Drinking for too long in the day can do that. Eventually we all gave up and laid down to sleep for Angie and I's last night.

I woke up as early as I could the next day and played with the Ipad while having coffee. When Angie woke up she was kind enough to pack for us.

We loaded up around 11:30 and drove to houlihan's to have one last meal. It was good food but already I found myself a bit blue to be leaving my family so soon.

Mom and dad dropped us off at the airport and Angie and I sat down to wait for the plane. As we boarded the plane I found myself a but bluer than usual. This was perhaps the hardest it has ever been for me to leave my family.

I'm not back at my work desk, about to put this year of work to bed.

I'll see you next year.