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Christmas

We had a nice one in Durham. The children came away from it satisfied and exhausted. Smart Wife made a devastating French onion soup and a small roast beef sandwich which I had when I got home from the airport.

I got to experience "I Wish It Could Be a Wombling Merry Christmas Everyday" by Roy Wood and the Wombles, and I hope you do too.

I got everything I wanted, including hi-hat cymbals, and it was all very chill, with one exception: in the first half hour I was at work, I heard a father loudly berating his daughter for forgetting her book. His voice carried throughout the store, and the sound was harsh and unnerving. They came around the corner and the father announced that his daughter "needed a book." The girl looked like she was in shock but not unused to this. I addressed her, not Dad, and I showed her A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'engle. They bought it and left, and I hope she lost herself in that book when they were on the plane to wherever. Merry Christmas to them both.

The day was tempered with the bad news about the death of Vic Chesnutt. His friend Kristin Hersh has set up a fund for donations to help Vic's family with costs from his recent hospitalization and death.

Now we can not hear "Wonderful Christmastime" again for another eleven months, or "Santa Baby". My Christmas song this year was Darlene Love, and no, I didn't see her on Letterman for the twenty-third year but I wish I had.

Merry Christmas everyone, thanks for reading.

Comments

Anonymous said…
What a perfect book choice for that young girl. I too hope she was able to lose herself in it during her trip, and maybe it has helped her find an avenue to escape her perhaps unpleasant home life.

I love reading your blog. Your perspective and the way you express it are always a pleasure.
Rob said…
Glad you had a nice Christmas. Will you be working on Tuesday? I will be picking up a friend flying from RDU to Atlanta, and I was hoping he might have a chance to give you my regards via a more personal proxy than the Internet.

I hope you'll be making music again soon--I need the fix of another Hootie & the Blowfish concert badly, but at least Borders will make an extra sale Tuesday because of you, and I'll ask him to put in a good word.

It was sad to hear of Vic's passing. "Gravity of the Situation" is a beautiful song (being a fellow Athenian notwithstanding). I suppose it puts a cap on a rough year for a lot of us.

Best wishes for a great 2010.
halfpear said…
Hi Rob, yup, I'll be there from 7 til 3:30 in Terminal 2. Please feel free to tell your friend to drop by.
James said…
Peter,

I really enjoy your updates and I hope 2010 is a good year for you. Just a random question, ever consider doing a solo acoustic or piano version only of Where Does The Time Go?

I hope you have a very happy new year.

James
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