WHAT DID I DO OVER CHRISTMAS

“What did you do over Christmas?” they’ll ask when I am back at work on Monday.
I will sigh, and think, and say, “Not much,” and we will discuss the mail.
What did I do over Christmas? I’ll wonder. And then I’ll remember that we celebrated our 34th anniversary at home, and Mark’s birthday at the New Asian Village, which will remind me that we had a greasy diner breakfast with Ruth, a Chinese lunch with Jean, and sherry and coffee and liqueur chocolates with the Ennises while we admired their new look. And then I’ll recall playing Hearts at Donna’s Christmas eve, and Olympics at John’s Christmas Day, and Court Whist at our house on Boxing Day, not to mention Phase 10 Rummy at our house on New Year’s Day, as well as occasional games of Scrabble, backgammon, and Honeymoon Whist. Which will remind me that we played Ruth’s Rummy with the Merretts while we practised the music for the singing and storytelling program we put on at their seniors meeting two days after New Year’s. Which will remind me that I played the music for two church services and attended two others, and went to a concert on New Year’s Eve. We did last minute shopping, and post-Christmas reshopping. We climbed the hill with Mark and Ruth on Christmas morning and delivered coffee and treats to people on the inner city streets. We climbed the hill again and did a two-hour downtown scavenger hunt sponsored by the Edmonton Journal. We didn’t win anything, but we saw the art gallery, the fireplace at the Matrix Hotel and the brand new YMCA. We watched Million Dollar Baby and I read three books. We bought a new living room rug and tried to teach the cat not to scratch it. We lost the dog in the park and searched in worry until he was returned safely by a neighbour who was on his way to do a radio feature on beer. I’ll be recalling that we attended a traditional Ukrainian Christmas eve celebration on January 6 in Vegrebille, and took down our tree, and started dreaming of a spring holiday.
But when they ask what I did over Christmas, I’m pretty sure I’ll say, “Not much.” I’ll even think it’s true!