The Holidays are Here

Did you have a nice Christmas/Holiday break? Did you get anything that you loved, as a gift? I really, truly wanna know. Tell me what you got.

I mentioned a couple weeks back that Rob and I don’t do gifts. We haven’t done so in years. It’s not really our thing, but I do love hearing what others got.

We had the most beautiful Christmas, as my family is all here from England, and it’s just magical to have them here. It’s so damn hectic in the house, but being South Asian, we’re all pretty used to that. They got in on Christmas eve, and on Christmas day we spent the whole day cooking, baking, eating and laughing. It was so lovely.

I didn’t know what my family would think of America, but they seem to be loving it so far. They’re shocked at how wide open it all is, compared to England, and how friendly everyone is. These are some of the things I love most about being here, so I'm glad they’re enjoying it too.

Most of them are out and about today, exploring. I'm not with them, as I'm cooking a feast for all 19 of us, tonight, which is what I wanted to be doing. My sister is here cooking with me, which we both love. We’re so close. I text her at least 5 times a day, and FaceTime her every couple of days. That’s the way it's been for years now, and I'm so grateful for our bond. She’s 8 years older than me, and she practically raised me, as my parents worked most of the time. So, it’s a bond I pray will never break.

She’s obsessed with Ismail. All of my family are, but my sis treats him almost like he’s her grandchild, which is so sweet. However, Ismail is terrified of all of my family. They’ve only been here for 2 days, so I'm hoping he’ll warm up to them. Honestly, I think its because he hasn’t really seen people other than me, Rob and the night nanny. We haven’t taken him to any friend’s houses, and no one has been over to our place since the pandemic, so I think he just needs time to get used to seeing other people. That really is the hardest part of the pandemic for us. Not being able to get him socialized with others. I'm hoping a time will come, soon, when it’s a little safer for him to play with others.

We’re all going to DisneyLand later this week, which I think will blow my family’s minds. I’ve only been once before, but it blew my mind and I'm a grown man. If I were to have gone as a kid, I would have been elated. I can’t wait for them all to experience it. Mostly, I wanna go for the Pineapple Ice cream (dole whip). I had it the last time, and it was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. I’ve craved it ever since.

I have just a few more days with them before they head back to the UK. It’s bitter sweet. I'm looking forward to some quiet, as I'm definitely a home-body, but I will miss being around my family so much. I miss them terribly.

Well, off to finish this curry and then start on cakes for dessert. I hope you enjoy the rest of this Holiday break and I’ll be back on here next week…. In the new year!!

xx