[Magdalen] Happy Christmas!

[Jim Guthrie]

I opened the listgiv on Christmas Eve -- a nice collection of OLD Old-Time Radio 
shows, including one with a youngster named Betty White. Always great fun to 
listen to. Thanks Mike!

We did not go to the Christmas Eve services -- I long ago gave up on "Midnight 
Mass" as being way past my bedtime <g>, and the 4 PM Children's service promised 
to be more a paean to the two children who constitute the St Luke's Sunday 
School than anything palatable.

We caught the 7:20 AM bus for NYC on Christmas Morning, and arrived a bit 
ear;y -- so we scarfed down breakfast and went to St Bartholomew's  in Park 
Avenue -- our favorite C&E parish. I got my requisite dose of Ideo-ho-ho and 
Malcolm's "Mass at the Crib."

We were greeted by a couple who used to live in NYC, moved to Chatham NY, and 
have moved to North Carolina in July. We had sat together at Easter a few years 
ago, and they come even farther than us each C&E  now. But of all the people in 
a crowded church, it's fascinating to see the dynamic of two C&E couples 
socializing twice a year for 5-6 years now!

Then there was a really good-looking young man sitting in front of us. The 
church was warm so he removed is (very preppy, very expensive-looking) sweater 
and demonstrated just how buff he was in a tight-fitting undershirt. Albert and 
I found ourselves a  bit districted, and agreed he hade someone a nice Christmas 
present <g>.

We then had an expensive but superb Christmas Dinner at Uncle Jack's Steak House 
(steak melts in your mouth; Albert had the Salmon) on Ninth Avenue, then took a 
subway down to our old neighborhood in Bay Ridge. I appears that they've kept 
everything the same since we left <g>.

I had found a $128 rate at the Doubletree Hilton on 36th Street (including 
taxes!) so we stayed overnight. We were so tired we went to bed by 8 PM and woke 
up at 6 AM -- a good night's sleep for both of us.

Yesterday consisted of some errands, an hour at the NYPL, and then treatment at 
MSK. We caught the 7 PM bus home and were here by 10 PM.

A Happy Christmas Indeed!

Cheers,
Jim