12 DEC 25

Opening Scene... angry chitter of squirrel somewhere on the roof... or maybe the attic... can't be sure... is this guy hosting a house-warming party?

Get some French toast rolling in the kitchen with whipping cream and vanilla...

...while Puck is wrapped up with his cat and blankets and the space heater in his cozy corner of the house...

...Yali is duct-taping all the fuzz off a pair of my old black boots perfect for pirating...

...and Patience is very busy practicing her card-shuffling skills throughout most of the morning...

They load into the kitchen for plates of French toast drizzled in maple syrup and sprinkled in powdered sugar...

In full pirate costume Yali grabs his plate and announces... “If you don't burp after every meal as a pirate... you get tied to the mast!”

It's early afternoon and we've got Oxbear field-trippin' with Yali and his buddy at the arcade... then grabbing supplies to make boffer sticks... sends me video of the boys whipping charcoal gray pool noodles like tentacles from the back seat of the van while being shuttled towards more adventure...

It's after five o'clock and the whole tribe of us are driving to IKEA in traffic while all the kids annoy each other for no reason at all other than old-fashioned sibling fun..

“Yali... slap my hand as hard as you can...”

“NO! HAHAHA!”

Patience cuts in... “I will!”

“Don't do it Patience! He's wearing brass knuckles!”

“I am not...”

“He's lying! He's sitting on a throne of lies! HAHAHA!”

Insults and laughter continue until everyone is plated with Swedish meatballs and sliced ham and potatoes au gratin and gravy and Swedish Christmas buffet desserts...

...before a short trip down the highway to the lights at Tilles Park where sibling annoyance is mostly reduced to... “Quit unbuckling my seatbelt! STOOOOP!”...