What I did (saw and read) on my Christmas vacation……(and how I got there) PART ONE!

This year, as in every year for the past 30 odd years, I spend the winter holiday season in Florida. My parents became snowbirds many years ago (meaning they leave the cold and miserable Toronto weather in exchange for the hot and humid Florida temps.). This year (and some past years) it’s been almost hard-pressed to tell the difference (give or take a few degrees and snowfall). We were lucky (by about a week) and got some lovely sunshine to read and relax in, (though the tans and ‘relaxation’ have long since faded).

Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Whether traveling by air (the preferred choice, even with today’s security breaches, long line ups and my ‘slight’ fear of flying), or driving (correction, MY husband driving) – I prefer (though he does not) to navigate loudly and with raised arms to ‘brace’ against sudden imagined impacts, while also pointing out tall buildings, ‘falling rock signs’ and commenting and squinting over every upcoming Cracker Barrel, rest area and fast food and lodgings that we are approaching. I also keep track of how many Ontario license plates we pass (while I secretly peek over at the odometer to ensure cruise control is on and we are NOT going ‘too much’ over the speed limit (hubby likes to refer to the ‘lie in waiting police’ as ‘cowboys’), and continually ask him if ‘he’s ok?’ The answer is always, ‘Yes’, which I then foolishly follow up with, ‘Would you tell me if you weren’t?’ and he responds, ‘No’. I’m never sure if he is joking, so of course, I stay awake. It’s a grueling job driving to Florida and one we try to avoid, though this year, after many years respite, we found ourselves once again, behind the driver's, and passenger’s seat, with Sam in tow.

Don’t feel too badly for Sam – he packs his 17 year old self comfortably in the back seat, amongst his pillows and covers from home, small laptop (which he shares reluctantly – hence the short facebook status updates and emails from moi) and loaded iPod. I’m outnumbered by the testosterone in the car, so laughter is exchanged every time I attempt to switch on ’20 on 20’ or EStreet radio, courtesy of Sirius Radio. The men control the music and while I happily listened to everything from U2 to Dave Matthews (our 11pm staple – hours of music and driving are guaranteed once the Live at Luther College set starts to play). Eighteen or so hours the first day, and the next day feels like 18 but is usually 8 or 9. End result, we arrive, tired, anticipating the sun, and already dreading the return drive home.

This year we stayed with my parents as opposed to our previously renting a time share near my father in law. I know they say you can’t go home again, but if you know it’s temporary, you can.

My mother is a bargain shopper extraordinaire, so as expected; we set out to shop, always with the understanding that ‘if it’s not on sale, we’re not buying it’. Between the seniors discounts, Kohls dollars, ‘take an additional 10% off card, save $25 when you spend $75, etc., I think it’s safe to say that we did alright, though I’m hoping to shrink some of the ‘extra large’ items my mother insisted was my true size.

Food Glorious Food
As desired and expected, I did my fair share of reading, movie watching and restaurant hopping. We visited our stand by favorites, Chilis, Cheesecake Factory and PF Changs, more than once, as us Canadians can’t partake of the fine cuisine (and two for one drink specials at Chilis). We also became huge Chick Fil A fans (again, not available in Canada) and scarfed down our share of waffle fries and nuggets.


Books!
Read a few books; one actually that my father recommended. Not Me, by Michael Lavigne. Interesting and compelling story of a middle aged divorced Jewish comedian who is given a ‘gift’ one day while visiting his elderly father who is suffering with Alzheimer’s disease in a south Florida hospital. To the best of Mickey’s knowledge, his father is a Holocaust survivor, supporter of all Jewish causes (pictures of himself with Golda Meir, Elie Wiesel, etc.). This gift is 24 volumes of journals and is told, “These are your fathers”.
The journals are written in the voice of a German, Heinrich Mueller, an officer and accountant with the Waffen-SS Budget and Construction Office, whose final job for the Reich involves keeping track of the confiscated personal possessions of Jews interned in the Majdanek Concentration Camp. As Mickey reluctantly reads, he finds himself wondering if HIS father was Heinrich Mueller; who Heinrich Mueller was, as well as wrestling with the issues of parenting, life and death choices, and what it means to survive.
I also thoroughly enjoyed Andre Agassi’s memoir, Open, in which he ‘openly’ and honestly shares his hatred of the game of the tennis, his insecurities and chronic pain, not to mention his feelings about fellow players Pete Sampras, Steffi Graf (she prefers to be called Stephanie) as well as the intense pressure put on him by his father.
Started and finished in Toronto, yet another quirky book by Paul Auster, called Invisible. If anybody out there understands the last few pages of the book, PLEASE LET ME KNOW, as it went completely over my head.

Movies
Saw quite a few: Avatar and Sherlock Holmes were both outstanding, The Blind Side was just okay, Up in the Air wasn’t bad (Mr. George Clooney was delicious eye candy and the soundtrack was lovely as well), but Nine was absolutely a huge disappointment and a waste of time. We actually wanted to walk out.

Seeing movies in Florida, or at least at CityPlace (a lovely ‘newer’ section of West Palm Beach – filled with restaurants, shops, bars and a Muvico theater) was ‘interesting’, to say the least.

The night we saw Sherlock Holmes, the theater was packed. It was Christmas Day and every seat was filled. When the show ended, since we were in the second row, we decided to exit via the doors located at the side of the screen (which led out into a well lit and more or less heavily populated alley). To get to the ‘main street’, we simply had to turn left and walk about ½ a block. As we started to do so, my husband noticed how ‘bright’ the street seemed to be, and we heard some ‘popping’ noises and then screams, as a stream of people charged down the street.

“Must be filming a movie”, my hubby mused.

“At 11:30 at night! – I don’t think so”, I hesitantly responded and then clutched both my son's and husband's arms, and said; “I think there must have been a robbery or something”.

So of course we head towards the ‘danger’, and see quite a few policemen milling about, as well as broken glass on the road. No movie cameras were in sight! We ask, and are told, “Yeah, some teenagers got a little rambunctious, fired some shots and now we’re just trying to clear them out, so you might want to stay close by”.

Uh…..ok…..

Oh, did I mention that he said they would be using teargas to clear them out!!!!!!

We were trying to stay calm for Sam’s sake, but we couldn’t even remember where we parked the damned car, and somehow hailed a cab, who drove us a block away to the Publix where we had parked, and then my son and husband totally ‘George Costandza-ed’ me. They ran from the cab to the car (as the teenagers swarmed past, shirts pressed over their face to avoid the teargas) as I said goodnight and thank you to the cabbie and closed the sliding door to his van. Every man for himself, it appeared. We almost ran down a cruiser that was heading towards the crowd of teens, and drove off in a frenzy.

I think I’ll save our PJ Changs story, New Years Eve and the drive home, for another post.

To be continued…..

Happy New Year!