“Let ANGELS guide thee on thy lofty quest.” -as heard while watching ANGELS AND DEMONS, a 2009 mystery thriller
Diary Notes December 24, 1987
PHOTO: 'me' and Carmen McTiernan at a San Francisco Holiday Party
I was invited to David Vigil’s pad in San Francisco for a Christmas Party. He didn’t attend my party but why should I hold a grudge. He lives in an apartment and I figured it would be a different sort of outing for me on a Christmas Eve, so I chose to attend. I knew several people there including Mary McTiernan (another coworker) who had attended my party. Mary introduced me to her sister in law, Carmen. She was quite friendly. I really enjoyed her company and outgoing nature. I wasn’t sure if Mary’s brother was at the party of not; however, I guess it was a nice holiday escape for Mary and Carmen to come into the city from South San Francisco (where they live).
Diary Notes December 25, 1987
PHOTO: Mom dressed for Christmas morning
It was early Christmas morning and mom and I set out to go to the cemetery and to my Grandma’s house. We delivered presents there and returned home to get the festive meal started. I helped with setting the table and before the entourage arrived I took a photo with mom.
PHOTO: Mom and I, Christmas 1987
Christmas Day at ‘356 Magnolia Drive’ was the usual festive way even though my dad was absent—and in heaven—this year. We all made it fun and I enjoyed shooting instantaneous Polaroid photos.
PHOTO: Helen in Blue
Helen, Tony and Lauren arrived first. Helen was wearing a beautiful blue dress. She was very pregnant. I snapped a hot while we were near the refrigerator.
PHOTO: me, mom and Helen in the kitchen
Lauren was in shy mode but she allowed me to shoot a few photos of her, wearing her Christmas dress. She’d like to hide out behind her dad, Tony.
PHOTO: Lauren and Tony
Lauren was cute; asking me which presents belonged to her under the tree.
PHOTO: Lauren behind the fig plant
I called about Ashley because Lauren was asking about her cousin. John and Sherri weren’t ready yet, so I guess we simply had to be patient for their arrival. Soon they arrived and Ashley looked pretty in her Christmas dress, too. I snapped a photo of her with her Grandma Virginia.
PHOTO: Ashley with my mom
John and Sherri soon arrived with gave the approval we needed to get started with our festive noon Christmas meal. Sherri was very pregnant (like Helen) and was in Holiday ‘red’.
PHOTO: John and Sherri
We filled up on a very yummy meal. I managed to squeeze in a few more photos at the dinner table, showing off the desserts. Then it was lounge time. We all tried to organize Christmas gift opening time. This was a challenge.
PHOTO: Opening Gifts
It’s hard to keep the kids under control because they just want to haphazardly open everything in sight. It was fun though. I think my Bert and Ernie Sesame pals were a hit.
PHOTO: Asleep during the VHS-video
Soon it was time to just relax and select a movie to watch. We watched THROW MOMMA FROM THE TRAIN which provided a few good laughs. The tummy tremors allowed us to enjoy leftovers. Then we started to watch the Barbara Streisand movie, NUTS, and that’s when many of us dozed off into a dream state (namely, me, John and Sherri).
PHOTO: Leftovers
By 8pm it was just me, mom and a slumber party with my nieces, Ashley and Lauren. Lauren loved her new, silk pajamas. We watched THE PRINCESS BRIDE movie but Ashley and Lauren started to doze off themselves. It was a great movie. Mom and I loved it. We were optimistic and our day of family on this holiday turned out memorable and loving.
“Find out what your destiny is and the river will carry you.” -as heard in the 2004 film THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS, based on a true story
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