I have a Christmas hangover. No, I don't mean a physical alcohol related hangover. Just a clean the house, face the gray rainy icy day, find places for the stuff, avoid the laundry (again), take a nap kind of hangover. It's the holiday rebound effect. I didn't sleep well last night, read a book with an unexpected suicide, and woke up to a layer of ice. Somehow the fog that has rolled in seems appropriate. And the dire warnings of flash floods and street closings are also a let down after the most anticipated day of the year.

It was a nice Christmas, don't get me wrong. The girls repeatedly said it was the best ever, and A. told me that Santa knows her really well. G played with Viva Pinata Trouble in Paradise for many many hours. We ate nice meals (lemon ricotta pancakes with eggs and bacon for breakfast and prime rib, yorkshire pudding, with roasted potatoes for dinner, and trifle for dessert (yeah, the whole english meal thing is a far cry from the lasagna and meatballs and roast beef with salted potatoes we'd have for Christmas as a kid). It was pretty yummy though, with a 1997 wine that was quite tasty.

But there is so much anticipation and build-up, that it seems inevitable that there is a day after let down. Ahhhhhhhh. A sigh, a deep breath, a nap, a glass of wine, and I'll be ready for what comes next. Oh, like another week of kids at home and New Years.

Viva Underpants to all and to all bon nuit.