Dashing Away

When I was a mere tadpole my Mother would refer to a man as "dashing" so I first learned this word as a synonym of "handsome". Once I started school and started learning holiday lyrics like "dashing thru the snow", I came to understand "dashing" could mean other things. Now, this very Christmas, I have yet another experience with the word "dashing"; it means you have too much to do in too little time!

I don't mention this too often but the truth is, Blowfish is a yankee.

Last year he got a hankering for a "white" Christmas . (I NEVER in my entire life wanted a white Christmas, I like mine green and warm....preferably swimming weather). So last year we made plans and reservations to go up to Mermaid's where snowy Christmases are a standard. Thing is we didn't go cause Blowfish was a guest up at the Cardiac ICU. Mermaid came rushing down the mountains from afar to be with her Daddyfish and we found we could fa-la-la-la-la Christmas spirit into most everbody on that unit. It was a fine Christmas and we joked with Blowfish he got his "White " Christmas wish.... just as a sea of medical personnel in their crisp whites.

We were back up there in the CICU in March, July and just here lately the week before Thanksgiving. So you can imagine my surprise when Blowfish started pushing the idea of a "white" Christmas for this year. Really, has he never heard the saying, " be careful what you wish for you might get it!"? First he mentioned it, I though it was those medicines talking. But nope, it was the real Blowfish saying what if he only had one Christmas left? What if he never again got to experience a white Christmas? Fine with me, but Blowfish was all puffed out about it.

Well, I could understand that so straight away I offered to fetch in a damn truckload of snowy white sugar sand from Siesta Key. I even offered to fetch a sled so he could ride down the driveway on it as much as he wanted but none of that cleverness or generosity was good enough for that yankeefish.

Blowfish was adamant about going to Mermaids for Christmas.

Now understand, Mermaid doesn't actually have a Pond. She's young, not yet even a quarter of a century old and Ponds are right pricey in her location so we can't actually " go to Mermaids" like Blowfish was thinking. No, we can go to Mermaid's city and spend Christmas in a hotel and travel around in the fierce cold visiting her a bit each day. Oh joy!

I pointed out to Blowfish there were a lot of reasons to NOT DO THIS!!!!!!

First off...did he remember what happened the last time he wished for a white Christmas? Did he realize his docs would not be giving up their family time to come with us ? Did he realize we did not have any frozen pond attire? Did he accept the reality that we would not be experiencing Christmas morning next to a nice warm fireplace with a beautiful tree with a great cup of tea in our pajamas!?
Did he understand Mermaid has housemates that might not wish to have our entire family making merry at their place before noon? Did he remember I have a business to run in a failing economy and that I just should not risk being unavailable to my in-progress projects? Did he remember he has very, very low opinions of holiday meals in restaurants? Did he give thought to the sheer damn logistics of getting us there with all the Christmas?

Blowfish was not to be deterred as his response was,
"You can do it sweetheart".
Not, "we" can do it.
"Sweetheart" can do it.
All.
"It?" I questioned
.
" Sure," replied Blowfish, " we'll have Christmas dinner at Mermaids and we'll tell her to invite all her friends for a Christmas afternoon open house for football and a real Southern Christmas dinner." I mentioned Mermaid , or her housemates, might not be on that same page. Blowfish mentioned he had already mentioned to Mermaid to mention it to her friends.

There is entirely too much mentioning at this pond!

Reckoning I was out voted I sweetly offered to make the reservations.
We will be staying in a beautiful hotel , in a suite overlooking a pond in the middle of which is a beautifully decorated Christmas Tree. "We" have requested tea in our suite ... not just coffee, and real cream and real sugar...none of the fake stuff. Our hotel has a beautiful paneled Library with floor to ceiling stocked bookcases, a ginormous fireplace and tasteful Christmas decorations. I have reserved it for Christmas morning for the Fishys to open their presents. The hotel staff will bring the Christmas breakfast to the Library. The hotel website says they have a state of the art spa on-site with a Sweedish sauna. I have reserved that too for regualr defrosting sessions. Blowfish will be happy with the "White" in his Christmas, I will be happy to sit in the warm Library, next to the Christmas tree, sipping my tea and waving ta-ta to the fools dashing thru the snow.

Which,( you probably noticed), gets me back to "dashing" through my list with no time to check it twice! I have dashed ahead of all my projects and done my best to keep things smooth. I have dashed along and gotten all the gifts for scattered loves acquired, wrapped and shipped. I have dashed thru decking the Pond for Christmas and I have dashed thru laundry and packing and last minute baking. Tomorrow morning we will take the Pond dawgs to their hotel, drop off remembrances to a few favorite locals and then commence our 6 hour dash away haul to Mermaids.

Merry Christmas!