Winterfest Portraits

Happy and well-fed, ready to go sleep the excess of food off, smiles and crumbs of cake all over our faces. Only Mom and Cléo found it in themselves to go for that second slice of pie, and we stay around the table with them, not talking so much now that we’re tired, but just… enjoying. Enjoying the company, the season, the Winterfest spirit.

Family Conversations

It’s a three-course-meal, because Gram is not just a recognized chef, and a grandmother: she’s a great-grandmother, and she’ll make well sure we’re well fed. And though Loladorada wishes she could help, it’s really up to the humans to clean the plates…

This does make Winterfest dinner a marathon. With a lot of talking in-between, to motivate each other, or really, just to talk about what a crazy year it’s been — and how much crazier next year might get. Aunt Miranda slips something about how maybe we kids will find love, with very strong looks at her son and me. Nolan and I exchange a look, and I choose to just laugh about it.

Winterfest Dinner

Nolan, Aunt Miranda and Gram have arrived, and we lose no time sitting around the dinner table. Again, with the vegetarian tofurkey for Gram, and it’s even better than last time — probably because she cooked it herself and brought it over this time.

Gram got in the spirit as much as my parents, siblings, and myself did, and she’s sporting the cutest ugly sweater you’ve ever seen an eighty-year-old wear (how old is Gram anyway?) Miranda and Nolan put on fancy clothes but aren’t quite repping the wacky Winterfest spirit.

It’s okay: we have more than enough winter-themed freezer bunnies to bring the wacky back up.