My Great Holiday Trip to the Other Coast

My journey started with a trip down my hill. Normally, I’d drive my car down it, but there was about six inches of snow with ice and my road was closed. Thankfully, Kenny (my supervisor) was able to pick up both Jason and I up at the bottom of the hill. Jason and I only fell on our butts once each while going the four or so blocks down with the hill with luggage in tow. (Yay for garbage bags to protect luggage from wet snow and also long, waterproof jackets to protect me and Jason.)

Thankfully, the day we flew out (Jason had to reschedule his plane and we seriously considered not going if we couldn’t reschedule) was the first day that the Seattle-Tacoma airport was fully operational. Planes were delayed and lost, but we made it safely to Virginia sometime after midnight on separate flights. I also witnessed an almost fistfight by some hicks over people touching their stuff in overly-full overhead bins and creeped out the woman next to me by reading Alan Moore’s From Hell, a graphic novel about Jack the Ripper.

The initial landing at Jason’s parents’ home in Virgina Beach was interesting. I’d never been there and they certainly have a lovely house. But this is really the first time that Jason’s been back that he has another home that wasn’t his parents’ house. (His former bachelor’s pad was really nothing but a place to sleep.) His parents have also been doing a bunch of remodeling and making changes. Changes to his room, oh, noes. (I was completely unsympathetic as he’s 28, until I realized he needed a bit of a pep talk.) Jason also made a huge deal of the big stocking, bigger than the other stockings, with no name, hanging on the mantel. Yes, the stocking for me. I just reminded him that I was their new favorite. (Okay, I will never trump the cat as the favorite.)

Cassidy, Jason’s cat

The Sellers’ Christmas Tree

The stockings of the infamous stocking debacle ’08

Anyway, due to jet lag, Jason was wide awake at 7 a.m. and I was going to kill him since I didn’t get to sleep until like 3 a.m. (Turns out he was secretly wrapping gifts, but still incredibly awake.) I tossed and turned for about two more hours before admitting defeat. Of course, defeat meant making Jason make me breakfast and curling up on the couch with him to watch Psych Season 1. There’s a reason he’s the best boyfriend ever. I did manage a short nap before the festivities.

For Christmas Eve, his parents had a dinner party with their life-long friends and some of Jason’s and his brother Jake’s friends. So now I have met all the people to go with all the stories that Jason likes to tell. Everyone was very nice and there wasn’t too much awkwardness. His mom made a wine and tomato-based shellfish and fish soup that everyone loved, while I had a very good salad.

Jason

Jake, Jason’s younger brother

Jason with two of his friend, John and Matt

Then there were some presents exchanged. I got tea, lots of tea. Jake got everyone amusing presents — Penis Pokey book, among other things — and wrapped them in a body-builder magazine. (Jake’s a crazy bluegrass musician so that’s all the excuse he needs to be wacky.) Jason’s friend Matt gave him a huge, dusty used paper shredder. (Apparently, last year, Jason wrapped up Matt’s shirt that he’d left at Jason’s parents’ house years ago and gave it to Matt.)

Hank gets the Penis Pokey book from Jake

Jason gets an ice scraper. Hahaha. He now hates snow.

The book gets passed to Jeanette, Jason’s mom

Eric shows off his bright red face and packaging

Jimmie, Jason’s dad, does the dishes

The next day, we drove several hours to Jason’s paternal grandma’s house. It’s always kind of strange to arrive somewhere that people couldn’t wait to met me and size me up. (Granted, I don’t think their opinion would sway Jason’s. He’s very stubborn sometimes.) I managed to avoid the question of how Jason and I met by telling them that I found him in the gutter like a little stray kitten, took him home, gave him a bath, and decided to keep him. They were all very amused by this. Everyone, of course, liked me as I’m very cute and likable. Jason is the oldest grandchild and there are pictures of him everywhere in his grandma’s home, including a table that is the Jason shrine.

Grandma Sellers’ house and Tommy’s (Jason’s uncle) house is very holiday-ed out.

Jason poses for me. On his grandma’s bed, just to make this creepy.

Jimmie reads from the Bible. Pure comedy gold.

Jason poses by the Jason shrine at his grandma’s house.

Jason and his Grandma look over the scrapbook her family made for her 80th birthday of their memories of her.

More of the family joins in.

Jeanette tries to make her sons behave. (No, Jason is not wearing that tiny hat.)

Jimmie

Jason and Jeanette

Grandma Sellers

Then we drove back to Jason’s parents’ house and had more gluttony. Jason and I gave everyone clothing from the company I work for, which was a big hit. Jason’s mom really loved her Chenille sweater. In fact, she said she now needed 6 more, one for every day. Everyone loves the sweaters. Jason’s dad really loved his jacket. And Jake got a lot of underwear and is testing how many days he can go without washing them.

Jason’s parents bought both of us a truckload of gifts. (Seriously, I don’t think I’ve seen more packages with my name on them since I was a small child and still believed in Santa.) They also get extra points for following wishlists. Besides my ridiculous gift (which I’ll get into in more detail), my favorites were probably The Flavor Bible (cooking book based on what spices go with what) and Dr. Who Season Four on DVD. (Donna is the best. Also Jason’s mom apparently used to be a big old school Who fan and make him watch it with her when he was kid. (Jason doesn’t recall this.) So she was very nostalgic.)

As for the ridiculous gift, I get a small gift from Jason. It’s Hellboy, the Director’s Cut, on blu ray. During the snowpocalypse, my DVD completely died. Jason and I were discussing what we should replace it with — normal DVD or spending the money for blu ray. Apparently, this was all an elaborate rouse and Jason was glad I was locked up so I couldn’t make it to an electronics store. Jason’s parents (with some Jason-help) bought us a blu ray DVD with a surround sound system and iPod dock. Holy shit. I think I’m still in shock. It’s totally awesome, especially from my new red couch (which some of that was the Christmas gift from my mom and fake!daddy).

Jason digs through the presents.

And has a hard time reading a tag.

Cassidy is not a fan of the holidays. Or perhaps kitty blinding toys.

Jimmie admires(?) Jake’s choice for wrapping paper.

Me opening some holiday gluttony.

Cassidy chills and waits for her next meal.

The next day, Jason, his mom, Jake, and I went and saw The Spirit, which was the worst movie I have seen in a long time. In fact, I’m sure I heard Eisner rolling in his grave. And yes, I “got” what Frank Miller was trying to do with the dialog. Really, this movie proves that you cannot have a good film unless you have a good script. This is why we pay writers. On the upside, Frank Miller actually did something where none of the women were prostitute and/or raped. That was kind of amazing. Afterward, Jason and Jake demonstrated how even in their hometown, they needed a GPS as we went to Jason’s friend Brian’s house. Later that evening, we all went out to dinner, plus Jason’s friend Amber who’d come to visit him.

On Saturday, Jason and I did a tour of downtown Virgina Beach and I saw the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. (Well, from the Western Hemisphere.) It was about 60°F so I dipped my feet into the ocean. (Wool socks were not a smart idea and they didn’t go back on my feet until I was able to properly wash my feet. The water spickets at the beach were turned off for the winter.) I also met Jason’s old boss and coworkers. He wanted to take me to a comic book store, but all of them had either moved or shut down. Instead, we climbed to the top of Mount Trashmore, which is the only successful garbage dump to be turned into a park and is the tallest hill in Virginia Beach.

Virginia Beach’s beachfront. (And Jason’s shadow.)

Virgina Beach’s beachfront hotel strip. Jason assures me that it’s usually not this foggy.

Me in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Atlantic Ocean is way warmer than the Pacific Ocean.

Yes, Jason is my personal pack mule. I know you were wondering how I know him.

Me under the pier.

Jason under the pier.

Pier

More pier because I can.

This palm tree is keeping warm in December.

Me on Mount Trashmore, the only dump to be successfully converted to a park.

Me on Mount Trashmore with Lake Trashmore in the background.

Lake Trashmore

That night, I made dinner — tacos with Boca Burgers, which everyone liked. Then we went to see the Norfolk Admirals, local amateur hockey team. It was a lot of fun, though there wasn’t enough blood. It was pretty crowded, which surprised me and made the game better. Plus, they won which put everyone in jolly spirits.

Me like hockey

I demand more fighting. Every hockey fight leads to a hug.

Jason capitalizes on kitty snuggles before we leave.

Jason, Cassidy, and I enjoy the great outdoors. Or the back patio. It was in the 70°F that day.

We had a good time in Virginia Beach for the holiday. Getting a GPS for Jason for Christmakkah Yule was the best decision ever. So helpful when we were somewhere I didn’t know since Jason gets lost a block from our home. (I wish I was kidding.) Though I’m glad to be home and I’m glad that Snowpocalypse ’08 has gone. Next time, we’re going to take a longer break and subject Jason to some of my friends who live out that way.