Isn’t it fascinating that the voice of God always sounds suspiciously like one’s own voice? When politicians start citing God as the authority for whatever they want to do, they are usually promoting some policy that defies human reason.

– Susan Jacoby

I’ll admit it, I watch the occasional episode of the Family Guy. One night as we watched an episode before my favorite TV show, I marvelled at the juxtapositioning of the two.

Anyway, as part of their Christmas special, they featured a cartoon of KISS saves Santa — which reminded me a little too much of all those 80′s cartoons I used to adore (20! years ago).

And of course, no Christmas season is complete withoute a retelling of the Christ-child story, Peter Griffin style.

A belated Feliz Navidad to all.

… aren’t nearly as fun as Arrivals — at least, not when you’re the one who’s being left behind.

She blogs again! For the past week and a half, my parents have been visiting/spoiling me, hence the lack of posts. I just dropped my parents off at the airport. They’re leaving the “balmy” -21 Saskatoon temps for the South (Richmond, VA) once again. It’s been a good visit.

Highlights:

• The aforementioned Dido conversation
• Hearing my dad admit that the last US Congress really was a “do-nothing” Congress — anytime my dad admits to Republican faults, Armageddon is nigh
• Introducing my folks to Thrills gum (“still tastes like soap!”)
• Having them feel my baby kick, and seeing the looks on their faces when they saw how big my belly is
• Listening to the baby’s heartbeat with them at the doctor’s office
• Taking them out to coffee/lunch/supper with several of you
• Opening Christmas presents (and better yet, watching their reactions as they opened the presents from us)
• Lots of conversations, laughs, embarrassing stories
• Watching Christmas movies and listening to Christmas music (finally, someone else who appreciates them as much as I do!)
• Going baby-stuff shopping with my mom, and oooh-ing and aaah-ing over the little things for my little one
• Watching my dad rig a new deep-freezer on the top of my trunk, using a block heater cord and jumper cables (he later bought me some rope and bungee cords)
• Filling said deep-freeze with lots of casseroles and food in prep for baby arrival
• Speaking of which, watching my dad play sous-chef, Mr. Fix It, and sappy grandpa-to-be
• Watching my mom’s reaction to the Enchanted Forest
• Being spoiled, fretted over, and hugged. Lots.
• Introducing the folks to BK’s Veggie Burgers and my favorite Asian restaurant
• Setting up the nursery (pictures to follow on the baby blog)
• and the best part — coming downstairs every morning to company.

The house feels awfully empty now. It’s visits like these that really make me feel the distance between myself and my family. While I have amazing friends to fill in my missing family gap, it’s still not any easier walking away from that departure gate.

EDIT (11:45AM): Well, I got very little sleep last night (due to setting up nursery and getting up at 4AM to take parents to airport), so I crashed pretty hard around 7am or so this morning — only to wake up just now and hear that their plane was “defective” and they ended up waiting in line at the Saskatoon airport for THREE HOURS to rebook new seats. Here I was oblivious to it all, as I was sleeping like the gestating dead.

Anyway, all’s well that ends — they’re going to be back on the pathway home in about an hour and a half, flying first class the whole way (with some coupons for money off their next flight, too!).

EDIT (part two): Maybe it’s the wacky pregnancy hormones, but I’m really homesick all of a sudden.

EDIT (yet again): I just heard from them again, this time they’re stuck in Minneapolis. They volunteered to be bumped off the flight, and now they’ve got two FREE vouchers to come see us in the Spring (along with a free hotel/food voucher for tonight). They’re also letting us use the Saskatoon vouchers they got this morning, so that we can save some money if we decide to fly down for a visit this summer. Pretty good way to end an evening.

A very happy Festivus to you and yours.

I’m taking a bit of an Internet holiday to hang out with the fam who’s in town.

Air out your grievances in the comments below.

Scene: My parents and I are having breakfast around the table when Dido’s song Christmas Day comes on my Mp3 player.

Mom: Oooh, I like this song. Who sings it?
Me: Dido. Do you know the background behind her name?
Mom: [blushing] Um, isn’t it a … sex toy?
Me: It’s not DILDO!
Mom: Oh, okay. I always thought it was a horrible name a mother could give a child.

[When responding to the bishop of Oxford, after he asked if Huxley traced his gorilla heritage from his grandfather or his grandmother]

“I should feel it no shame to have risen from such an origin; but I should feel it a shame to have sprung from one who prostituted the gifts of culture and eloquence to the service of prejudice and of falsehood.”

Christmas Garlands
Originally uploaded by peachicken.

My mom reminded me of this picture today on her blog — along with some special memories I have of Christmases past. While the meaning of the holiday is a bit different for me these days, there are some elements of it that are undeniably tied to me, and the way I approach the season.

And now that I’m done with my work, I can really focus on getting into that holiday spirit. Today Jerry and I even braved the crazyness that is a Saskatoon shopping centre, in pursuit of some last-minute additions to our Christmas list.

Tomorrow my folks fly in for a visit of a little over a week. Luckily for them, the temperatures look fairly survivable (well, for someone from Virginia, anyway).

Now’s also the time to finally focus on baby-preparations. As someone who’s already caught the “nesting” bug full-force, I’m sure my husband will be glad to pass on the baton of accompanying me on my quest for the most perfect dirty-clothes basket for the baby’s room.