Down the coast for Christmas and down the hatches with cocktails

My trip to SD was a solid B rating.

I arrived and headed to the hotel, looking forward to the signature fresh scent they pump into the vents and have as a handsoap, but it seemed to have been replaced by something else. I immediately stocked up on vodka and edibles, then took an Uber to my old haunt of Hillcrest for a trip down memory lane. This was a little on the redundant side, as whenever I get nostalgic, I do exactly the same from the comfort of my computer via Google Maps.

Later that evening, the plan was for my mom to pick me and go out for dinner at a vegan restaurant with her boyfriend and former co-worker, Troy. Troy had made a sour impression on Marie, having talked down to her at times and being generally weird. He once even told her, "I'm sorry about whatever happens next," in relation to our mom, which could either be rather ominous or simply mean that he knew he and my mom were getting closer even as Marie was not thrilled about their relationship.

I'd had a couple of drinks, so was in good spirits, but I noticed the smell of fecal matter when I got into the car. Later on in the vacation, I couldn't tell if this was actually my mom's breath or if in fact Troy had soiled himself. We powered through the dinner nonetheless, even with me tearing up at the news that my nineteen-year old niece is pregnant, and the conversation seemed to flow just fine. Troy told me a few times I was a good person, and when he switched seats with me after mom dropped me off, he gave me a long hug and kiss on the cheek, which rather grossed me out. Needless to say, the outfit I was wearing is being laundered as we speak.

The following day, Marie, her son Abel, mom, and I went to the cemetery to place flowers on the gravestones of our dearly departed, and afterwards to Belmont Park. I had wanted to ride the roller coaster, but the hangover I was experiencing, and its attendant nausea, exacerbated by car sickness, all combined to decide otherwise.

That night, I met up with Veelishis and Raina at Mo's in The Crest, and we had a fabulous time reconnecting and talking smack about our fellow alumni. It was sadly here where I made a major misstep by consuming one of Mo's trademark drinks that tasted like sugar water, and was probably chock full of cheap alcohol. The whole next day, I was reeling. In fact, most every day of the vacation began with a vomit-filled regret at the altar of the porcelain god, something that would probably have been kept in check if Grandma Petunia had been staying with me.

Nevertheless, I powered through, and met up with Aaron to do The Crest proper that night, as we passed by the many places of our past that had changed, finally landing at Flicks, which was flocking with trendy millennials, and had been completely redone from the last time I had been in '99.

It was then Christmas Eve dinner at my in-laws and Christmas Day dinner at Marie's, the latter of which included fun playtime with my destructive, but adorable, little nephew, before I bid everyone adieu, and settled in for the trip home.

I'm a little fluffy around the mid section, and the alcohol consumption has gone right to my face, but am trying to muster up the energy to hit the gym or at least work out at home today, and def must go tomorrow. I got sick on my last day there, and still feel a little under the weather. I had planned to adopt a second cat today, but after reading up on the idea, the notion of failure and creating a hostile home environment for both Shazaam and a new kitty, seems too much to bear. Unsurprisingly, my lovely holiday vacay feels like it's whipped by in a flash, and I'm shocked that I only have five days left of it. I'm supposed to have lunch with Lea on Saturday, and have no plans for anything on New Year's.

Taking deep breaths, and trying not to let these little pangs of anxiety balloon into an emotional overload. Good Lawd...

The T

I went to the work party on Friday, Ubering there on my own, and stayed 'til about twenty three of sixty something in the white elephant gift game. To my great joy, there was a side exit out of which I slipped and Ubered right on back home. This counts as one of the good things about my old boss retiring as she most assuredly would've kept tabs on me.

In addition, I'm in the midst of a rather productive vacation. I even went to the gym, whitened my teeth, and cleaned the kitchen yesterday; and cleaned the bathroom, including scrubbing down my vile shower, today. Teeth whitening and gym to follow.

I wisely mapped out happy hours with two groups of friends while I am in SD, have my nephew's birthday party to go to, dinner with mom and her new boyfriend, and, of course, Christmas and Christmas eve. One of those friends is Rachelle, who I haven't seen in ten years, and Raina, who I haven't seen in over ten and a half. Raina had been living in the Bay Area, but moved back to SD after her mom died. So the days are rather accounted for, not that that's a bad thing. Since my grandma is unable to come, which is both a bummer and a relief, I'll still have sufficient freedom to do my own thing, including checking out the old gayborhood, even though I've been doing that daily via Google Maps.

Stretching out every lovely minute of this vacay.