Simple Pleasures

My daughter is home for Christmas....well, sort of. She's working on the staff of a political campaign so has to fly back for an event on the 23rd, but will return home on the 24th. I won't say which political campaign because she gets a little fussy about me posting sassy things or being too free with my opinion lest I make her look bad in the ever-watching public eye. I think turn about is fair play for all the times she made me a little fussy with her sass and attitude as a teen, but I will try to behave and not embarrass her.....but only because I love her and want her to succeed. Anyway, we got to enjoy some simple pleasures today and do a little mom-daughter bonding. That basically means we ate foods that aren't good for the body....however, they do wonders for the soul....and we went shopping.

Our shopping was mostly about finishing up our last minute Christmas shopping before our family Christmas tonight with my parents. We had lunch at one of the places that has become our guilty little pleasure, and always reminds us of the "Will and Grace" episode where Karen takes Grace to the Mexican fast food place where all the rich women indulge in sloppy, fat-filled burritos while sharing their tacos with their shoulder bag dogs and wearing huge sunglasses to hide their shame at being "common." We, however, had no shame and walked right in sans sunglasses and shoulder bag dogs. The lack of dogs simply because neither of our dogs would fit in a shoulder bag....or any other kind of bag for that matter. We then did our shopping mostly at local small businesses because we have come to know many of the shop owners in the neighborhood and prefer to support them rather than the big chain stores. I don't mean to sound self-righteous here, I just prefer to help out a friend who pours their heart and soul into their business rather than a faceless conglomerate who makes a killing selling mass produced products that are not very unique.

After our mom-daughter day was through, we met the rest of the family for dinner and gift exchanges. I feel that I have been very blessed in my second marriage.....for many reasons, but today it was because of the sheer pleasure I get from watching my own children from my first marriage interact with their stepbrothers from Steve's first marriage. I have heard stories of the horrors and hardships of "blended" families, but our, now grown, children get along quite well. There is all of the teasing without any of the bickering. A simple pleasure, but one that I treasure.

We ended the evening with a trip to my dad's warehouse to return the car my daughter had borrowed before she leaves in the morning to visit her Dad's family for Christmas....or so I thought. The real reason for the trip to the warehouse was so I could get my Christmas gift. They surprised me with a beautiful pedestal table which was a joint project between my son, daughter, husband and father. I will post a picture tomorrow since I didn't have my camera or even my phone with me to snap a shot tonight. The pedestal part of the table is made from an old lamppost that used to be in my husband's backyard, and the table top is a mosaic tile top made by my daughter with tiles that my son found at an architectural salvage store. My dad provided the tools and finished the grout work. I was stunned....and so very pleased. They know me well....I love those gifts from the heart and made by hand! Simple pleasures....are the best.