hot in your mouth

The mistletoe chai latte:

It comes with a kiss.

and bright!

Merry Christmas.

Early morning with Mrs. Claus. I messaged my friends saying that I wasn't missing my father as much this Christmas, as I have become he. Fully. Down to wearing a holiday-decorated fedora, his long black cashmere topcoat, and sitting in the driveway, with the car running, honking for my mother, an hour late.

May the circle be unbroken.

Christmas morning really is for the young ones. I got completely schooled in dragons by a very authoritative six-year-old at breakfast. When I tried to debate the relative size of newly hatched baby-dragons, he adopted an exasperated tone and told me in no uncertain tones, "Now look Uncle Wilson, I know dragons…"

However, he was an overly-excited whirling dervish to see that I brought him, among others gifts, a present as big as he is.


I remember how exciting it was when the size of the present was a (ahem) big deal. As we age, the better things come in smaller packages I suppose. I have a great photo of Bradley as a child hanging over a chair and looking expectantly at a large box that had to be wrapped in black plastic leaf bags and tied with tinsel—I called the photo "Anticipation."

Also very Christmas-morning-child-like: robot presents! Including a robot raptor.  Note the Franna petting it fondly.


And pretty presents. And silly puppies. And exhausted dogs.





And as is my tradition, the Uncle series of t-shirts for all the kids. This one is a Hamlet reference:


To Bee or not to bee.  Get it? Hahahahahaha. I love that he has no concept of the reference but it's his new favorite shirt.

After an exhausting day, and a little nap, Franna and I joined Jay's family for their Christmas Day Christmas Dinner.

The Christmas night sunset was quiet and contemplative. That made me miss Dad quite a bit.  He would have paused before getting in the car and watched with me.


Dinner and cheer with Jay, the new Hardcastle patriarch, and his family was warm and lively. With cousin Price, and newest animal addition who wandered in and was adopted: Jerry Snakedusky.


Merry Christmas!

sweater weather

Tribe hosted a Christmas Sweater Party and Contest tonight at Tribe. Well, they had one scheduled, but it turned out to be in the 80s today and still nearly 70° at night, so it wasn't exactly the night for wool. The word went out to the staff, and the non-text/non-twitter bartender didn't get the memo. But he's skinny enough he had turned a child's sweater into a belly shirt. He brought a special Christmas sweater he found on his travels for the delightful club owner David Taylor.

Note the label.


I love being home.

traditional family

I love that for the past six years or so I have been the escort for my parents to Ensworth Grandparents' Day/Christmas Sing/Winter Assembly. I was so glad to be back in time to go with Mom to Ensworth for this, and this year it's just the high school. The concert included Ellen playing with both the jazz and (to her surprise just seconds before curtain) the rock bands. Ellen is awesome.




And diminutive.

We tried to take a selfie. This is with me slightly crouching.


Honestly, can't get enough of her! I love my niece so much.


As is also our tradition, Mom took us to the Pancake Pantry. It's a Nashville institution. Mom's father built the first one, and my father built the new one. The always hospitable David (who took over from his father) came over to speak and visit too. I wish I could remember our waitress' name too as she became a fast friend. Bradley was able to meet up and it was three generations of Hardcastle hometown love. It was a moment to be treasured. And selfied.


It's not the heart-attack plate, but pecan pancake-y love.


This was the only shot that wasn't (1) blurry and (2) featuring my mother's fork tasting something from the unhealthy array of goodness.

holiday drag

I think someone needs to take on the seasonal drag persona of Burly Ives.

Sundance Santa!

Last night was the Sundance Saloon Holiday Ball, and another year of fun photos with Santa. Thanks Dave Hayes!




Looking for your photo? Click through to the full set here.

run run skimpy Rudolph!

Boston has the winter speedo run, but San Francisco has the Santa Skivvies Run, benefitting the SF AIDS Foundation. It's a shirt 1-mile run through the Castro, of a self-selecting set of gym-bodied exhibitionists. A nice way to spend an afternoon of voyeurism. Which in my case was a little more hands-on as I volunteered face and body painting again. It was madness for a solid five hours, and I left lots of boys adorned with holly, mistletoe, snowflakes and lipstick kisses.

For photos of the scantily-clad revelers, you can browse the professional photos of Georg Lester, or let your fingers do a Google image search and flip through the pale skinny torsos to your winter heart's delight. That should warm you up.

New this year were poinsettias and Christmas trees. And request for mistletoe in increasingly intimate places.










Naughty boys get presents too.

Tis the season to be!

Jolly!

And what a fun night. And a bunch of Christmas hams. Enjoy the Photo Booth photos here!












By the way, we added the owl. He's awesome. His name is Bruce. Bruce the deuce is loose in the spruce!

Classic

Countless next reason to love Kevin: The Classic Christmas festive attire. Period hair, grandfathers tie and tie clip, 50s apron, for the only time the man was allowed in the kitchen, and in his wife's apron, and one foot out of the closet.

Listen up, Jingle Panties

Thank you for being a friend!