December 25. Sunday Night.

Hi Journey.

Christmas, and at last I am in Sisi's dining room pecking away on my tired laptop. It's well after midnight, but I'm still full-on wired from a fabulous three days with my people. I'll try and get it all down, Journey.

Friday in Manhattan was a delight; I made it in just as the transit strike ended. NYC was growly and relieved, all rolled together. Percy, Carmen, Mom and the boys met me at LaGuardia. Dad had stayed back at the Siriso house, reading Clement Clarke Moore to Cora. After raising three girls, my father utilizes the best inflections of any storyteller I know.

Percy exchanged the wife and mother-in-law for my rollaboard and backpack, and toted the twins back to Long Island .

Macy's was a gas. New York always is at Christmas-time. I came across a sweater that will look super on Eddie, plus a pair of Enzo loafers for me. Mom picked up a couple of faux suede jackets for the twins. Carm just looked.

The three of us shared an early evening meal at Café Asean. I had panaeng nua and a bottle of San Pellegrino. First time I went there was three years ago, when Carm and Percy were shoehorned into a little apartment not far away on Christopher.

Went to bed way past midnight Friday night. Twins were zonked from zooming about with Mom at a cart-ranch all afternoon on Thursday. Dad had wisely parked himself at home. Mom is a NASCAR fan, and fancies herself Kasey Kahne when she's behind the wheel of anything with inflatable tires. Despite all her swimming and her natural athleticism, twin grandsons still siphon off her energy faster than Kasey's Dodge Charger slurps down 110 octane. And I was especially proud of her, because she didn't have to win. The second I saw them at the airport each of the twins bragged about lapping her multiple times during their race.

Cora and the twins and Mom all bagged it in the rec room in a giant jumble of sleeping bags and comforters. Carm and Percy took the rare break from their kids as an opportunity for some alone-time in the bedroom.

So I stayed up and chatted with Dad.

“I heard about the fire at the shop,” Dad said dryly as he sat on a stool next to the counter in Carmen's kitchen. I was pulling dishes out of the dishwasher and putting them away as best I could remember. It's been over six months since I've been at Carm's.

Mattie?”

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