My 2020 Pandemic Christmas

Definition of my 2020 Pandemic Christmas: sad events surrounding the actual holiday. 

 

Christmas week began with the death of Georgie. The outpouring of kindness and compassion from my family and friends was extraordinary, getting me through the first couple of days. I’m not ashamed to say, I mostly cried. I holed up in my apartment as encountering neighbor after neighbor in the immediate aftermath was like pushing a thumb into an open wound.

 

Here is what my friend Steve said in response to Georgie’s death: “You did a great thing by adopting a pup who had a hard life and making his last few years a spoiled dream. He couldn't have asked for a better way to spend his old age.” I received 100’s of such condolences, many encouraging me to rescue another pup looking for a home right away.

But, as the acual holiday approached I had to make a choice ... be miserable or allow myself to get caught up in the making of Christmas; I chose the latter, playing "Santa Neil" to some of my neighbors. On Christmas Eve, my neighbor Mary invited me to dinner. It was just the two of us and really nice. She ordered from a local steakhouse, “Erte”. Mary has a Norwich Terrier named Mack who loves me and I walked him while Mary watched the food items in the oven. We had a blizzard on December 23, so Mack and I made quick work of the walk outside in the frigid temperatures.

 

I spent a couple of hours FaceTiming with my sister, niece and their immediate family on Christmas Eve, getting to participate in the chaos that is celebrating the holiday with a four year old and two year old.

 

In the evening, I went downstairs to our community room with a few pieces of sheet music and sat at my mother’s piano which I donated to the building when I moved in. I plunked out the melody line and sang along. To my surprise, my friend Daisy entered the room with her walker. At one time she played piano professionally, but Parkinson’s has slowed her down and she never plays. She gave me a very special gift in that she sat down and played “Oh, Holy Night” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, so I could sing out. Neither of us were perfect, but it allowed me to wrap myself in the memories of past Christmas Eves when I sang those songs as solos in church or for family.

 

On Christmas Day, I called on 10 of my neighbors, showing up unexpectedly, mask in place and gift in hand. We’ve been in a bubble for about 10 months now and the pandemic has created close friendships within the community ... bubbles within bubbles if that makes sense ... My Christmas meal was made and hosted by my neighbor Edie (84); the only other guest was Liz who is 92. We did share the roast beef dinner with Daisy (75) who chose to eat alone in her apartment. I especially enjoyed the razzleberry pie for dessert; I was gifted with a bottle of pomegranete-apple non alcoholic sparkling wine which I shared with the ladies. To my surprise, it was delicious.

 

On Christmas evening, I drove to the Minnesota Zoo and rendezvoused with thespian15  for “Nature Illuminated”, a drive-thru event. Jon and I exchanged gifts in the parking lot of a middle school in Apple Valley then proceeded to the holiday lighting event in his car, both of us wore masks the entire time. It was wonderful to get out of the building and enjoy some quality time with a dear friend.

 

Christmas week began with the sadness of losing Georgie; the actual holiday was a happy one; but, as I drove home from the Zoo, I chatted with my brother-from-another-mother, Coy, in Texas. (His 3-year old daughter calls me Uncle Neil.) We were going through happy memories of Christmases past when he suddenly said, “Oh, my god, I’ve got to go ...” and he abruptly ended the call. 

 

Coy texted me later that his daughter had been carrying their 12-year old Yorkie, Sweet Pea, around the house. Sweet Pea wanted to get down, jumped out of MG’s arms, landed poorly and broke her neck. The 3-year old was inconsolable, thinking she had killed their dog. Coy buried Sweet Pea in the backyard. (I’ve taken care of Coy’s dogs in the past and had a special bond with Sweet Pea. My bond with Sweet Pea gave me confidence I could be a fur dad to Georgie.) When I arrived home, I discovered the actor I covered in "Phantom of the Opera" had died Christmas night. Stephen Stein-Grainger was a very talented opera singer and a kind man.

 

I worked December 26th and 27th. On the 27th, I had to deal with a crisis right off the bat. Earlier in the week, my neighbor Carol was walking her cat in the hallway on and fell. She hit her head pretty hard, suffered a black eye and a cut on the bridge of her nose. She broke a couple of bones above her elbow and I think she’s concussed. She received medical care, but was in much pain yesterday morning; she was found dazed and confused by a neighbor near the elevator; that neighbor contacted me immediately. We got hold of Carol’s son and he came over immediately. It appears Carol regularly takes a sleep aid that didn’t mix well with the painkiller she was prescribed. She rebounded slowly throughout the morning; thankfully,  I didn’t have to call 911 (which was the protocol if we hadn’t been able to reach her son). As of today, she's in a cast and help for her is scheduled.

 

The family Christmas in Texas was to occur on the 27th; it turned out to be only my brother’s side of the family that gathered. My sister, niece, her husband, grandsons, Ross and his caregiver did not go because 4- year-old Jordan caught Type A flu earlier in the week; consequently, they stayed home. I FaceTimed with the group of 13 family members who did gather at my brother’s remote place in Central Texas, six of which are kids under  the age of seven. Again, it was chaotic. Let’s just say, I didn’t regret staying in Minnesota for Christmas. Disagreements over politics and the pandemic were avoided due to a four year old’s flu. He said, “I sorry Mommy!”

 

So, that’s my pandemic Christmas - the loss of Georgie at the beginning of Christmas week, much happiness on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, followed by the loss of a theater colleague and an adorable 6lb Yorkie on Christmas night. Bookends of sadness ...

 

How did you celebrate your 2020 Pandemic Christmas?