We’re about to go over to the “mainland” for our
Christmas shopping trip. Along with wrapping paper, tape, and double A
batteries, we’ll be looking for great deals on toilet paper and Scrubbing
Bubbles. This is what we’ve come to.
Periodic trips off island to eat Big Macs and buy Tide.
And the excitement that comes from this whole thing is akin to earlier feelings
about a ZZ Top concert or a book signing someplace. It’s pretty darn thrilling.
We have to call the Steamship Authority to make a
reservation to take the car over to Cape Cod. This comes to $80 for me, Chris, Dan,
and the car. This is why we don’t leave very often. If we did the same thing in
the middle of high summer it would be close to $200. And people wonder why I’ve
taken up crocheting.
So this is what will happen:
We’ll get up at the butt crack of dawn to make a 7 a.m. ferry
on a Sunday. We’ll leave early for the boat because I will need a coffee from
the Black Dog before we get underway. Dan will have no part of going up to the
top deck to watch the trip across Vineyard Sound. He’ll prefer to sit in the
back seat and guzzle his Black Dog coffee. Chris — come hell or high water —
will watch most of this trip from the outside top deck. His lips might turn
blue but he’s no quitter. And going on four years now, that view is always
amazing no matter if it’s our first trip across or our most recent.
Then we’ll disembark and make our way to Falmouth and
then we’ll probably head to Hyannis first, the big city of Cape Cod. The mall
is there and the Bath and Body Works. I stock up on foamy soap there once a
year. And I’ve been instructed that Cate needs white tea and ginger everything.
Danny loves to open all the containers in the store and take a big sniff.
I might want to look at Old Navy next. I just like that I
can get good sweats for Dan there because he only ever wears plaid shorts and
dark sweats from Old Navy. He doesn’t have a lot of options in the closet and
it is winter and he’s down to two pairs of sweats that he’ll even consider wearing.
And sometimes I like to buy Chris one of their fleece pullovers. And, okay, I
look in the men’s department for roomy sweaters for myself.
By this time we’ve either noticed the Fanny Farmer
chocolate store or maybe the Dunkin’ Donuts at the food court. There will be a
stop for something by this point.
I’ll persevere through American Eagle only because Cate
swears that it’s the only place that sells jeans that fit her. We’ll browse
through the store and I will come up empty handed because my idea of Cate’s
taste is completely jaded by my assumptions of what she should wear. I want her
to wear jewel tones, put her hair up, and wear a flouncy skirt. She wants to
wear skinny jeans with a black shirt and spiked boots. Chris however knows this
and always picks the Christmas present Cate likes the most. I should just leave
him in the store and move on.
I know exactly what to get for James. I know the
form-fitting sweater in just the right color. I know the slim fit jeans in the
right size and shade of blue. I know his underwear size. I know what books he
likes. And I know he’s grateful for anything he gets, which I appreciate. With
Cate it’s harder because she’s very in tune with trends and what looks best on
her. I tried to share a couple of pairs of my black shoes with her just tonight
when she was getting ready for a Christmas party. Result was that they were
both “square toed.” Apparently no one has worn square-toed shoes since 1996.
She didn’t take me up on the offer, and I have to admit she left the house
looking like a million bucks. Maybe I should really consider a whole day where
she just makes me over. It would never last though. I’d like the day but in the
end, I’ll put on Chris’ flannel shirt and some sweatpants.
It’s a lot easier to be Santa when your kids are young.
Surprise and delight everywhere. As they get older it’s harder to surprise them
or bring a smile to their face. But then again, when you do, it’s even more
rewarding.
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