the tonedef blog

Christmas started for us on Christmas Eve. All of our Christmas shopping was completed before today…Really. Granted yesterday (Saturday) Band Mom and Pooh made a run to finish theirs and so did I. So today was pretty laid back.

Around 4 Band Mom, Things 1 & 2 and I headed up to South Hills to pick up Band Mom’s Mom. We were all heading to my folks’ for a Christmas Eve dinner. We got there around 5, and had some hot sausage and perogies. We hung around till 10 or so and then took Band Mom’s Mom home. We had to get home so Things 1 & 2 could get to sleep and Santa could come.

Band Mom had some last minute wrapping to take care of and we got all set up for the big day. We headed to bed around 2 and figured we’d be up bright and early.

Saturday night Band Mom threw here annual Christmas party. The usual suspects showed up. It was like a Shot:30 reunion almost. We had 3 singers (Jason, Mike, and Kenn), 2 bass players (Jimmy and Ed), a drummer (Bill), 2 guitarists (Sal and Rock) and of course me. It was cool hangin’ with all those guys for sure.

Plenty of other folks were there along with kids galore. It was a pretty good party. Band Mom laid out a ton of food, and we of course had plenty of beer. We did a little grab bag and threw a ton of darts. Band Mom and I finally got to bed around 4 after the last guests left. Hopefully everybody had a good time. I think they did. Unlike some of our parties, no one seemed to leave mad, no couples broke up and no one cried. I think that means it was a good party.

All week it was close to 70 degrees outside. Of course this Saturday it was below freezing. Why of course? Well Band Mom was involved in Canonsburg’s Old Fashioned Christmas celebration. At least it wasn’t quite as cold as last year. But it was still cold.

We got up early and headed to the Chamber office to pick up tents and other supplies that Band Mom needed for the festival. When we got there Band Mom got a call from Bim that she wouldn’t be coming because of car trouble. (Likely story it was fuckin’ cold if I could have gotten out of it I would have too) Then we unloaded the supplies and I got my first excuse to get a little warmth. I had to run to the Iceoplex to pick up tables and chairs. I got back and we set them up. Then I got another excuse, I had to run back to the Iceoplex to get table cloths.

It was pretty slow during the morning hours of the festival and we just kinda stood around the two little heaters we had trying to stay warm. Finally at about 11:30 I came up with another excuse to get warm. Pooh and I went across the street and had some breakfast/lunch at a pizza joint.

Then around 1 I got to really be warm for a while. I walked the block down to Bill‘s house and jammed with him, Sal and Jimmy R. for a few hours.

Then unfortunately at 4:30 I had to head back to the festival. Everything was kinda wrapping up so we tore things down and hung out untill 5:30 for the fireworks. Then we took the stuff back to the Chamber and the Iceoplex and headed to my folks’ for dinner. After dinner we took Things 1 & 2 and went home for the evening.