Well! After ten years of struggling to get to Thanksgiving on time. Here we are.
Finally, it’s my Friends’ turn to have a late Thanksgiving.
“The One With the Secret Wedding”
It nearly didn’t happen at all. Monica and Chandler were desperate not to host as they’ve got so much on. Like my elder sister, who is so stressed with her two young kids she’s trying to do as little as possible with the extended family.
I want to say to her that it’ll all be fine soon. “I was where you were six months ago” (Her new one’s younger than ours). It will get better. But it’s her second child, so honestly, what did she expect?
With the stress of all the kids, and copious alcohol over the holiday season, we’re all a bit scatterbrained. Monica’s worried about trusting Chandler with any of the cooking. And Rachel and Phoebe forgot their ONE job: picking up the pies.
Man, I forgot to do so many things over the holidays. As usual, I had many plans “ooh I can finally do this! This! And This!” But I really embraced the feeling of slowing down, letting myself be OK with doing nothing. And this made the actual things I did get done more enjoyable.
I hope I can carry this attitude through into the new year. I’ve still got a big decision to make about whether to go back to New York™ to take up this job offer. I’m not sure if having more free time at home with the kids has made it easier or harder.
One thing that was super hard (steady…) was mum’s turkey. There was a bit of an issue with it not defrosting properly, which delayed our own meal slightly. It caused a massive worry for her “oh god, what if it’s not cooked properly!” But in the end, I actually thought it was nicer than usual… once I got my tongue unstuck from it. And anyway…
AT. LEAST. NO-ONE. GOT. THERE. HEAD. STUCK. IN. IT.
(Genuinely makes me sad this was our last chance for it to happen… And my last time saying that after god knows how many years.)
It looks like Monica’s doing a better job with cooking. Shame all the others aren’t sticking around to enjoy it! Yes, after strong arming Monica into hosting, they’ve all fucked off to various things. Right as food is about to be ready. Pricks. Though not unlike the challenge of getting all my family in the same room to unwrap our presents.
Phoebe has convinced Rachel to enter Emma into a baby beauty pageant. And is getting WAY to into it. Especially considering it’s not even her baby. Has she always been this weird? Good job Chandler and Monica’s adoption lady didn’t meet HER.
Strangely, though not quite pageant level, my wife attempted to sign our son up for a baby modelling agency a few weeks back. Perhaps she’s worried about needing an additional source of income if I do go to New York…
Joey and Ross have a bit more of a normal time, checking out some ice hockey. Hard to believe it’s nine years since Ross was getting smashed in the face with a puck. If you ask me he deserves another, given how he’s been acting the last few years.
Now I mention it. EVERYONE’S being INCREDIBLY rude. Forcing poor Monica to make them dinner then showing up late. I wouldn’t let them in either.
It’s funny them all being stuck outside, making up stupid excuses.
Joey goes to extreme lengths, tearing off Ross’s shirt pocket (and accidentally getting more than he bargained for) to pretend they’ve been mugged. I did this exact thing to my friend on a stag weekend many moons ago. I think it was for Ross Number One’s wedding. We were mucking around and one of us remembered pulling people’s shirt pockets off back in school.
I tried to do it to my friend, but the stitch work must have been a lot better than our old school shirts, as I ripped the shirt clean open. He wouldn’t have minded, but it was a whole weekend and it was the only shirt he had. Poor guy had to safety pin it back together for the rest of the trip.
Those days are long behind us now. He’s just had a baby himself. They sent a beautiful picture. Their first Christmas together as a family, no need for Friends anymore..
And that’s where we end things, Chandler and Monica find out, they too, will soon be on the baby train. The adoption agency’s found them one!
They’ll be well shot of the others. Joey was incredibly mean about the vein on her forehead. But it’s hard to stay mad at him when he’s licking turkey grease off his face because his head’s stuck in a door.
Finally, it’s my Friends’ turn to have a late Thanksgiving.
“The One With the Secret Wedding”
It nearly didn’t happen at all. Monica and Chandler were desperate not to host as they’ve got so much on. Like my elder sister, who is so stressed with her two young kids she’s trying to do as little as possible with the extended family.
I want to say to her that it’ll all be fine soon. “I was where you were six months ago” (Her new one’s younger than ours). It will get better. But it’s her second child, so honestly, what did she expect?
With the stress of all the kids, and copious alcohol over the holiday season, we’re all a bit scatterbrained. Monica’s worried about trusting Chandler with any of the cooking. And Rachel and Phoebe forgot their ONE job: picking up the pies.
Man, I forgot to do so many things over the holidays. As usual, I had many plans “ooh I can finally do this! This! And This!” But I really embraced the feeling of slowing down, letting myself be OK with doing nothing. And this made the actual things I did get done more enjoyable.
I hope I can carry this attitude through into the new year. I’ve still got a big decision to make about whether to go back to New York™ to take up this job offer. I’m not sure if having more free time at home with the kids has made it easier or harder.
One thing that was super hard (steady…) was mum’s turkey. There was a bit of an issue with it not defrosting properly, which delayed our own meal slightly. It caused a massive worry for her “oh god, what if it’s not cooked properly!” But in the end, I actually thought it was nicer than usual… once I got my tongue unstuck from it. And anyway…
AT. LEAST. NO-ONE. GOT. THERE. HEAD. STUCK. IN. IT.
(Genuinely makes me sad this was our last chance for it to happen… And my last time saying that after god knows how many years.)
It looks like Monica’s doing a better job with cooking. Shame all the others aren’t sticking around to enjoy it! Yes, after strong arming Monica into hosting, they’ve all fucked off to various things. Right as food is about to be ready. Pricks. Though not unlike the challenge of getting all my family in the same room to unwrap our presents.
Phoebe has convinced Rachel to enter Emma into a baby beauty pageant. And is getting WAY to into it. Especially considering it’s not even her baby. Has she always been this weird? Good job Chandler and Monica’s adoption lady didn’t meet HER.
Strangely, though not quite pageant level, my wife attempted to sign our son up for a baby modelling agency a few weeks back. Perhaps she’s worried about needing an additional source of income if I do go to New York…
Joey and Ross have a bit more of a normal time, checking out some ice hockey. Hard to believe it’s nine years since Ross was getting smashed in the face with a puck. If you ask me he deserves another, given how he’s been acting the last few years.
Now I mention it. EVERYONE’S being INCREDIBLY rude. Forcing poor Monica to make them dinner then showing up late. I wouldn’t let them in either.
It’s funny them all being stuck outside, making up stupid excuses.
Joey goes to extreme lengths, tearing off Ross’s shirt pocket (and accidentally getting more than he bargained for) to pretend they’ve been mugged. I did this exact thing to my friend on a stag weekend many moons ago. I think it was for Ross Number One’s wedding. We were mucking around and one of us remembered pulling people’s shirt pockets off back in school.
I tried to do it to my friend, but the stitch work must have been a lot better than our old school shirts, as I ripped the shirt clean open. He wouldn’t have minded, but it was a whole weekend and it was the only shirt he had. Poor guy had to safety pin it back together for the rest of the trip.
Those days are long behind us now. He’s just had a baby himself. They sent a beautiful picture. Their first Christmas together as a family, no need for Friends anymore..
And that’s where we end things, Chandler and Monica find out, they too, will soon be on the baby train. The adoption agency’s found them one!
They’ll be well shot of the others. Joey was incredibly mean about the vein on her forehead. But it’s hard to stay mad at him when he’s licking turkey grease off his face because his head’s stuck in a door.
It’s just struck me, this is it. It may well be the last Thanksgiving/Christmas we all have together.
So let's raise a festive glass to holidays past, present, and future.
As Phoebe says “God Dammit, it’s Thanksgiving” [Read: Christmas] “And we should not want to be together. Together!”
Real Live Sitcom Moment:
New years has now come and gone too. I heard a delightful story from one of my wife’s mates as we saw in the new year.
He told me his dad has been with his partner since the mid 80’s. And excitedly took him aside to share some big news over Christmas!
“So, me and Sue” (Can we call her Sue? Sure. After many New Years pints I don’t remember the real name anyway.)
“Me and Sue”
At this point expecting to hear his dad’s got engaged.
“Me and Sue… got married in 2017. Thought you should know.”
I’ve heard of parents keeping things from their kids, but come on! Being secretly married for seven years and not feeling ANY need to share? Just incredible.
So let's raise a festive glass to holidays past, present, and future.
As Phoebe says “God Dammit, it’s Thanksgiving” [Read: Christmas] “And we should not want to be together. Together!”
Real Live Sitcom Moment:
New years has now come and gone too. I heard a delightful story from one of my wife’s mates as we saw in the new year.
He told me his dad has been with his partner since the mid 80’s. And excitedly took him aside to share some big news over Christmas!
“So, me and Sue” (Can we call her Sue? Sure. After many New Years pints I don’t remember the real name anyway.)
“Me and Sue”
At this point expecting to hear his dad’s got engaged.
“Me and Sue… got married in 2017. Thought you should know.”
I’ve heard of parents keeping things from their kids, but come on! Being secretly married for seven years and not feeling ANY need to share? Just incredible.
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