Sarena
What a sleepy friend-full day this was! I was up very early into the morning working on my latest piece, a shiny hot pink paper mache Christmas tree. I finished it just in the nick of time!! As I was working I was also mulling over what kind of teddy bear I’d be (as it related to a silly conversation in my international writers group’s discord) and I found this snuggly sad looking fella who I thought matched my energy.
Then, I slept a bit, crawling back under my pile of blankets on the bed. I woke up a few hours later and my fiancée Miles and I did presents as the coffee was brewing. I gifted him some professional quality air dry clay (the brand was Amaco Marblex) and clay tools because he has been majorly excited by all the clay hand building sessions he’s gotten to attend. I also got him a heart shaped locket that he intends to put a picture of me on one side and her best friend/cat on the other. I was gifted the trilogy of a series of sentient object erotica that I have been obsessed with but haven’t been able to get ahold of yet. It shall not be named but there is a clue to its title in the sugar cookie picture!
Miles and I spent the day cleaning and resting and cooking, getting ready for our sweet friends Rose and Nkozi to come for dinner. I ducked out midday to check on the cat I’m babysitting, Tai, and we had an amazing Christmas cuddle. When I got home I unloaded the dishes but was starting to feel weird, palpably weird, so Miles shooed me out of the kitchen so I could take a shower and reset. I showered then ate a comforting meal (buttered noodles with shake cheese) before our friends got here.
I was a little sick of typical Christmas music, since I’ve had to listen to it every day at work, so we put on this album called “Crying In My Subaru” by Small Fools. It doesn’t sound at all like the name might imply. It is a brother-sister duo who make medieval-inspired music that’s so mystical and gorgeous, I highly recommend it.
Rose and Nkozi arrived and my cat Junie immediately got cozy on Nkozi’s lap! We ate the delicious chocolate-pecan and chocolate-peppermint bark that Rose brought and we drank sparkling ciders and hot chocolates while Miles cooked.
I looked over at one point to see Nkozi resting her eyes but definitely not sleeping on the red chair with my sweet cat still in her lap. And Rose was hugging their cup of peppermint hot chocolate, bouncing with contentment. I was delighted to have my friends feel so comfortable with me in my home.
When cooking, the smoke alarm went off twice, threatening to ruin the vibes, but our row home with windows open and a CR-box running can ventilate really quickly. The smoke cleared and dinner was almost ready!
The menu was Cornish Game Hens, Shaved Brussel Sprouts, & Mashed Potatoes for the main course. Miles really outdid himself as head chef for the night! For dessert we had a traditional fruitcake and sugar cookies which we decorated. The sugar cookies were amazing! The fruitcake was a sensory experience we did not like but Nkozi told us to try Jamaican Fruit Cake because it’s amazing, so that’s on my list of something to try in the next year.
We finished the night off by playing on my new-to-me vintage typewriter, making a Good Things List together. Our friends went home and Miles and I immediately put on pajamas, deciding after we put the food away that we’d clean the kitchen later. I fell asleep so fast that night. Now I’m thinking back on this wonderful day, feeling like I spent it exactly how I wanted to with people I love who also love me. Here’s to more of that in 2025.
