Aching out the end of the year

As a year, any year, draws to a close, it causes people to review their triumphs and travails, ups and downs, and to plan for the year ahead. Goals and resolutions are made, which typically fall apart around 30 days into that new year. I'm no different than any of you and as I ponder the highlights of 2013, I'm aching it out.

Aching? Yes, aching. Why, pray tell? This past Friday night, after our big anniversary dinner at a Brazilian temple of meat, my right big toe began to burn a bit. I thought it might be due to the fact that it was the first time in six days that I was wearing a dress shoe. I paid it no mind although I thought it strange that night as I crawled into bed that the touch of the sheet on said toe hurt. I had no idea what was coming.

I awoke Saturday morning in wicked pain, with a swollen toe, sporting a raging purple ring around it, and radiating heat. It was no better, even worse, on Sunday when we had to march ourselves, or limp in my case, through the Orlando airport. I chose to march through the airport sans a shoe on my right foot. I actually had to argue with the TSA Fascist agent when we were routed through the Pre-Check lane that I WANTED to keep my shoe off. Just for that, they made me get my hands swabbed for bomb residue. Have I mentioned how awesome they are (not)? At this point, the Boy had used the hypochondriac's interweb crack, WebMD, to diagnose me, correctly it turns out, with gout. I shrugged that off as I was under the false impression that gout was reserved to morbidly obese elderly men.

Upon our return to the mildly frozen tundra of Connecticutistan, it was clear I would need to see a doctor and that was first order of business on Monday. Before the doctor arrived in the exam room, the nurse asked me to remove my sock so she could see my toe. As soon as I removed it, she took one look at it and declared, "Oh honey, you've got the gout!" The doctor was in shortly after that, took a look, and declared the same. Diagnosis: Gout. While I'm not elderly and just a little obese, I got the gout just the same.

According to the Boy, when you say you have gout, it sounds like you have an STD. Based on a few of the reactions I've gotten since declaring my status as one who has the gout, umm, he's right. I might as well be saying, 'Well, hi there, I have a raging case of the Clap. Good to meet you!' based on the way people draw in a deep breath and step back ever so slightly when you say you've got the gout. Good times.

So I'm not contagious. I just don't want anyone close enough to even graze my toe. This gout crap hurts something awful. Seriously. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy, probably. But thanks ever so much to the wonder that is pharmacology, the pain ebbs and flows. I'm looking forward to it going away completely. Soon. Really soon.

Suffice to say, I will not be dancing in the New Year. For any of you who have seen me dance, you will see this gout attack as a blessing knowing that I won't be darkening the dance floor this year. I'll just be glad if I can sleep without the sheet acting as an agent of pain as 2014 makes its arrival. Happy New Year to me!

25

On December 27th, 1988, in Mesa, AZ, a starry-eyed, ridiculously young (but not Appalachian hill people cousin marrying young) couple, surrounded by a small cadre of family and friends sealed the deal, as it were, and began a life together. 

Since that day, twenty five years ago, they've called five different states 'home,' and not because they were running from the law or low-level participants in the Witness Protection Program. It's just where the corporate life has taken them. They've been blessed with three children, two girls and a boy, who have brought that couple more joy than words can describe. The oldest daughter has married an outstanding, even awesome young man, and has brought this couple an immeasurable sense of joy in a grandson. 

In the twenty five years they've been married, they've seen a bit of the world together. They've been fortunate to show their children what an amazing place this world is. They've served together. They've been sad together, supporting one another through the sudden losses of both their dads. They've not been perfect but they've tried to learn from the times when things were tough. They've tried to be better for one another.

I know a thing or two about this couple because I'm one half of it. Today the stunningly patient and mighty fine SML and I celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. We are celebrating it with our children and it's been great. We've tossed around the word 'perfect' more than once to describe the celebration. Not sure I could ask for much more.

We look a little different tonight than we did twenty five years ago. And by 'we,' I mean me.  I've gained two pounds for each year we've been married. Good for me! My wife is as beautiful tonight as she was the day we married. It's been an amazing first twenty five years. I say first because there's many more to come. I'm looking forward to each and every one.

Because I'm a bit of a social media dork, I wanted the denizens of the interweb to know about our anniversary so I tweeted, I Facebook'd, I Instagram'd. I didn't do anything with Google+ because I wanted to share! remember? I even asked Joe Scarborough, from MSNBC's "Morning Joe," to give us a shout out and he did. Here's the proof:

Joe's pretty cool. Little icing on the cake on what has been a fantastic day. 

I'm more blessed than I should be and I know that. It's been an incredible ride so far and I don't take that for granted. I could not have asked for a better partner in this life and I sure am glad we have one another. I am a better man because of her. 

21

It's another birthday for one of the residents, albeit a part-time one, and it's one of those milestone birthdays. It's CAL's 21st birthday!

We feel very fortunate to be able to spend this birthday with her. She spends so much of the year in her own private Idaho, working hard to complete her undergrad degree. So being with her this week in Florida has been great fun. It's been a CAL kind of a birthday - sleeping in, shopping, and some fancy pizza for dinner. Do NOT get me started on just how epically wrong a decision it was to go shopping today. My role was to simply drive and watch Benson. The 5 mile drive to the Temple of Hell that is the Orlando Premium Outlet Mall quickly devolved into a two hour exercise in wishing for the sweet relief of death.

Anyway, CAL found more than a few things for her closet and that made her happy. And her happy, big, brilliant smile lights up a room. It always has and that's one of the myriad things we love about our CAL. She's grown into a thoughtful young woman who makes us proud each and every day. I can hardly believe she's 21. I'm excited for her and what the next few years will bring her. She will make a difference for good in the lives of those around her. That's pretty cool for a parent to see.

Happy birthday, CAL! Glad we get to share this one with you.

Christmas Wonder

Being more than 1,000 miles away from home in the artificial Paradise that is Little England, wait Little India, no wait, I mean Orlando, Florida, Christmas takes on a little different feel. The stunningly patient and mighty fine SML has labored to insure Christmas would still feel like Christmas while we are here. For example:

The Christmas Tree? Right on the wall. Paper discs taped to the wall with a paper star on top.

Tree lights? No need lights and bows are hung along the bar.

Traditions? The Christmas bells made it down here so we could FaceTime with dear friends and keep up the silliness of ringing the bells across the country.

The food? Brisket was smoked. Buttermilk pancakes were made and Mexican Christmas dinner is cooking now. The only fail? Tamales. For the first time in, well, forever, tamales are not on the menu. Apparently that's too 'ethnic' here in the Mouse-controlled hermetically sealed environment that is Orlando. But I did manage to find a Colombian bakery and we've got empanadas de carne on tap. The pan dulce con guava y queso got wolfed down before dinner.

It has been an amazing Christmas Day for us. We are surrounded by our three children an awesome son-in-law, and this one:

I love this picture. We took it this morning as we watched him take in all that is his first Christmas. The wrapping paper was more intriguing than the gifts themselves but no matter, the wonder in his eyes made our day. It was such fun to see him take it all in. Our Christmas celebrations are going to take on a different feel now that there is a grandchild! There is wonder in this day and we are blessed to see it through the eyes of a child once again.

Merry Christmas all!