MERRY CHRISTMAS!

posted Sunday, 25 December 2005

As often happens, I have neglected my blog for a week or so, prefering to focus on living life, rather than regaling it! A few of you have noticed that you sometimes will check my blog and not see any new posts and then suddenly, 3 or 4 posts will appear.... that just means that I finally got around to sitting and writing again... and I did a few posts in one sitting!

I truly hope that you were all able to have a wonderful holiday. I let the stress build a little bit when I got word that my surgery would be scheduled for January 4th (I had been planning for mid/late January!) I am definitely not complaining though! I went up to New Brunswick to get a second opinion from the Chief of Plastic Surgery at Robert Wood Johnson. Immediately, I felt much more comfortable with Dr Borah (especially compared to the first plastic surgeon that I had met with). He made me feel smart and really set me at ease, so that I was able to ask him even those questions that are a bit embarassing or uncomfortable. He made eye contact when we talked, as opposed to burying his head in my file, with his back turned... the only complication was that he works in a different hospital than Dr Dultz... but at this point, I "ain't too proud to beg"... and so I did... and it worked out (quicker than I imagined!). Anyways, with a lot to do in the two weeks before my surgery I must admit, I was a little bit stressed out the week before Christmas (with my family visiting and trying to travel to see friends and extended family...) Of course, much of that stress was unnecessarily self-inflicted... were my parents really going to be inspecting my house for dirt while they were here?

Once the holiday arrived, I was able to sit back and relax a little. Mom and Dad came out on Saturday evening and I prepared a Christmas Eve dinner for them, Charlene & Jeremy & Nancy. After an early dinner, we sat around, playing games for a few hours, enjoying each other's company. It really was a nice evening.

Christmas morning, we got up and drove out to Long Island, to visit my dad's sister. The Casill Family Christmas is always a fairly involved event, with nearly 25 people there (only a few of the clan were missing... I was sad that I didn't get a chance to see Donna & her girls, Brian & Tommy). Of course, Aunt Doris and Grandpa were also in my thoughts. I especially love to see all the little ones as they raced around the house - Diana, Brian, Jessica & Courtney... with Alyssa & Hannah, who are on the brink of being too old for all the play and with whom it was nice to sit and chat with for a while. It's also nice to see my cousins Laura & Gene, David, Michael, Paula, Vinnie & Kerry and my brother John & his girlfriend Bonnie -- and to get to know them better as adults. Then there's my crazy Aunts & Uncles, whose love and support and laughter always makes my day. Last, but not least, is Grandma. What a tough lady she is. I am so thankful for Marilyn, her care-taker, whose compassion and love are evident to all. Christmas at the Casill's is not complete without a visit from good old Saint Nick! He takes time out, at the end of a very busy night, to come and hand out the Secret Santa presents and pose for pictures. What a guy! Thanks to my secret santa. I actually wound up exchanging the wine glasses for martini glasses at Pier One, since I have a full set of wine glasses... but I loved the pattern and I pretty much love anything from Pier One!

Of course, my Christmas visits with friends didn't end there... on Monday, my roommate from college, Sarah & her husband Chris stopped by for a visit on their way back to DC from his folk's place in north Jersey. It's always great to catch up with them.

I hope that you all had a very Merry Christmas. I was disappointed with myself for not getting cards out this year. I really enjoyed all the cards that I received, especially the ones with pictures of the little ones! I hope you all know that you were in my thoughts despite the fact that I was unable to get out personal greetings. I wish you all the best for a happy and *healthy* 2006.

LC