XX: Getting ready for the Holidays
Live from New Jersey, it's the collector's edition of the Watson family update!
So for those of you that were wondering, that last email was just a little fun we were having here at the Watson household while using dangerous solvents to strip wallpaper. Fun with Chemicals! It's the state motto after all. We're getting ready for the big holiday trip out west and what better way to do so than to let you know what we have been up to lately.
Jimmy is playing basketball at the YMCA this year in the 6-7 year old league. So far it's been very fundamental and his dad is trying (desperately) to avoid being "that guy" on the sideline. It's much more difficult for me than it was with football, in that it is clear to everyone that I know nothing about football. Basketball, well, I like to think that playing organized basketball for 12 years and unorganized basketball for 30 has yielded some knowledge of the game. Those of you who watched me play might argue otherwise. Anyway, I'm doing my best and told Jimmy I would be happy to help him but the coach is the boss and he should listen to him. He said "kinda like you do with Mom?"
Maggie and Annie are up to their usual tricks. They visited Santa recently, which, while I did not witness first-hand, sounds like it was a circus. Maggie finally figured out that Santa was a necessary intermediary in her relationship with acquiring new toys, having tried to rely on grandparents to this point. "Don't need to talk to Santa, Dad, I'll ask Grandma" had been the motto until she finally realized she should hedge and cozy up to the big guy. So, while there was no lap-sitting, she did have a heart-to-heart with him at the Rockaway Mall. Annie was less complicit. She carried on the Watson tradition of at least one howling child that forces Regis to consider Swiss boarding school. Happy Holidays indeed. Maggie didn't seem to mind - I think she figures she will now receive Annie's allotment of Taiwanese-manufactured plastic.
Jimmy and Maggie's school has a "Christmas store" in order to teach youngsters the lessons of good old fashioned Biblical capitalism. The store is stocked with homemade and donated items and run by the 8th graders. The little ones, after fleecing their parents for money, go to the "store" and pick out items for their family members. As you might imagine, in spite of my cynicism, it is the cutest thing in the world. The notion of them thoughtfully picking these items out is enough to make the whole place seem a little dusty ("no, those aren't tears, it's the dust bunnies, I'm telling you"). Anyway, Jimmy gave Regis a necklace, me a basketball tie, Annie a purse, and Maggie a tea set and a magic wand made of gold glitter. Maggie gave me a football clock, Regis a Santa, Jimmy a squishy basketball, and Annie a set of markers. Now, this was the most ingenious purchase of them all, since Regis and I immediately said, "that was nice, but Annie can't have markers." Maggie, without more than a tenth of a second hesitation said, "I'll have them." In addition to shrewd gift selection, Maggie, like her Aunt (I'll let you all decide which one, ahem, hint, the one in the habit), came home with money left over and "offered" to "keep it." We'll need to keep an eye on her, but the problem is, while we are doing that Annie will eat off our plates.
My immediate family will be happy to know that one of its traditions is being passed on. For those of you that know the Lafayette Watsons well, you may have heard of our epic games of "hide and seek." Basically, I was known for hiding in bizarre places and Dad was known as the one you didn't want to find because he was going to scare the holy heck out of you when you did. Well, we have taken to playing those games. Annie doesn’t seem interested yet, though she is good at blowing your cover. Maggie is very cute and typically hides behind doors. Jimmy is the master and hides in some great places. Once he hid under our bed but in such a manner that Maggie and I looked under there thrice (that's right I said thrice) and couldn't find him. He said "I closed my eyes to camouflage myself."
We're looking forward to seeing some of you very soon; Happy Christmas and Merry Hanukah to the rest of you.
Cheers.
So for those of you that were wondering, that last email was just a little fun we were having here at the Watson household while using dangerous solvents to strip wallpaper. Fun with Chemicals! It's the state motto after all. We're getting ready for the big holiday trip out west and what better way to do so than to let you know what we have been up to lately.
Jimmy is playing basketball at the YMCA this year in the 6-7 year old league. So far it's been very fundamental and his dad is trying (desperately) to avoid being "that guy" on the sideline. It's much more difficult for me than it was with football, in that it is clear to everyone that I know nothing about football. Basketball, well, I like to think that playing organized basketball for 12 years and unorganized basketball for 30 has yielded some knowledge of the game. Those of you who watched me play might argue otherwise. Anyway, I'm doing my best and told Jimmy I would be happy to help him but the coach is the boss and he should listen to him. He said "kinda like you do with Mom?"
Maggie and Annie are up to their usual tricks. They visited Santa recently, which, while I did not witness first-hand, sounds like it was a circus. Maggie finally figured out that Santa was a necessary intermediary in her relationship with acquiring new toys, having tried to rely on grandparents to this point. "Don't need to talk to Santa, Dad, I'll ask Grandma" had been the motto until she finally realized she should hedge and cozy up to the big guy. So, while there was no lap-sitting, she did have a heart-to-heart with him at the Rockaway Mall. Annie was less complicit. She carried on the Watson tradition of at least one howling child that forces Regis to consider Swiss boarding school. Happy Holidays indeed. Maggie didn't seem to mind - I think she figures she will now receive Annie's allotment of Taiwanese-manufactured plastic.
Jimmy and Maggie's school has a "Christmas store" in order to teach youngsters the lessons of good old fashioned Biblical capitalism. The store is stocked with homemade and donated items and run by the 8th graders. The little ones, after fleecing their parents for money, go to the "store" and pick out items for their family members. As you might imagine, in spite of my cynicism, it is the cutest thing in the world. The notion of them thoughtfully picking these items out is enough to make the whole place seem a little dusty ("no, those aren't tears, it's the dust bunnies, I'm telling you"). Anyway, Jimmy gave Regis a necklace, me a basketball tie, Annie a purse, and Maggie a tea set and a magic wand made of gold glitter. Maggie gave me a football clock, Regis a Santa, Jimmy a squishy basketball, and Annie a set of markers. Now, this was the most ingenious purchase of them all, since Regis and I immediately said, "that was nice, but Annie can't have markers." Maggie, without more than a tenth of a second hesitation said, "I'll have them." In addition to shrewd gift selection, Maggie, like her Aunt (I'll let you all decide which one, ahem, hint, the one in the habit), came home with money left over and "offered" to "keep it." We'll need to keep an eye on her, but the problem is, while we are doing that Annie will eat off our plates.
My immediate family will be happy to know that one of its traditions is being passed on. For those of you that know the Lafayette Watsons well, you may have heard of our epic games of "hide and seek." Basically, I was known for hiding in bizarre places and Dad was known as the one you didn't want to find because he was going to scare the holy heck out of you when you did. Well, we have taken to playing those games. Annie doesn’t seem interested yet, though she is good at blowing your cover. Maggie is very cute and typically hides behind doors. Jimmy is the master and hides in some great places. Once he hid under our bed but in such a manner that Maggie and I looked under there thrice (that's right I said thrice) and couldn't find him. He said "I closed my eyes to camouflage myself."
We're looking forward to seeing some of you very soon; Happy Christmas and Merry Hanukah to the rest of you.
Cheers.
posted by Watts at 8:43 AM
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