MrsHughey.com

Ghost Town

Today was my last day of work until January 2. The library closes at 5 today and doesn't re-open until the new year. It'll be nice to have a long break with Andrew where neither of us have particular demands on our time. He still has plenty of studying to do, but we can schedule that as we like. It was a surprisingly busy day in the Bodleian. Not that it was really busy, it was just about as busy as normal for the readers - more busy than normal as far as tourists coming in. I expected there to be very few readers coming in, but it was normal Monday traffic. Nice because I was on a busy point and it helped my shift go quickly. The readers have been in remarkably chipper moods for the last week or so. I think they appreciate that they can come in out-of-term and use the library without a lot of undergradautes around. The undergrads are kind of kicked out of town during the breaks. The colleges use their rooms to interview (high-school aged) candidates for next year. So it's mostly faculty and some grad students here.

It's been increasingly empty and quiet around Oxford. Except for the shops, that is. They are teeming with people from all over the country, seemingly, finishing their Christmas shopping. But the University is shut down, more or less, and after the shops close town is empty. I don't mind it. I think it depresses Andrew a little.

Tomorrow is my dad's birthday. YAY! Happy birthday, Dad! All my immediate family members' birthdays fall near major holidays (my sister's is December 30, Mom's is October 29, and mine is May 7, which is close to Mother's Day). I just discovered that a few years ago and pointed it out to my family, who also seemed to never have really thought about it before. Funny, that.

So Christmas. Yeah. I'm ready for it as far as gifts and such. Got Andrew's all wrapped the middle of last week. Done. Our families' gifts are off in the mail - "two to four weeks" they told us two weeks ago. We'll see. It'll be a Christmas in Oxford for us. We'll probably sleep in (what else is new?), open presents, then walk down to the city centre and play on our computers/let Simpkins snooze in the library for a couple of hours. After that, we'll go to Moonlight Tandoori for dinner and then to our friends' for board games and stuff.

We've done the "just the two of us" Christmas several times before, so it's nothing new. Andrew and I like to mix it up when it comes to Christmas. Sometimes we visit family in various states/cities. Sometimes we travel (we've spend more than one Christmas at Walt Disney World). Sometimes we just stay home together.

What we'll miss this year is our kitties. Usually we enjoy all kinds of Christmas kitty antics. They play with the paper and bows and ribbons and boxes. We usually get them a few little gifts and often my sister's cats and our cats exchange gifts. Once they're worn out and we've over-eaten, we enjoy a Christmas cat-nap. All 5 of us piled together on the couch or the bed. Ophie loves to sleep on my legs. Laertes might be convinced to rest in the middle of the bed or on the floor nearby. Romeo will snuggle with one or both of us. There's nothing warmer than a bed full of kitties. Then we'll let them out on the screened porch for a while (it doesn't get cold in Florida on Christmas) and Romeo will fuss at the kids playing with their new toys. Or they'll take turns hiding under the now-visible tree skirt, which has been hiding under all those presents for so long. ::sigh::

After Christmas, we'll still have several days off together before I return to work. Andrew doesn't actually resume regular classes until the middle of January, but will be plenty busy with papers and reading well before then. Still, I always enjoy a few days off when there isn't some big special occasion. Just time to hang out and enjoy life. We'll no doubt play with our new "toys" and spend lots more time here in the Hertford Library (although the lodge is closed and Hertford's employees and undergraduate students, as well as most graduate students, are gone, the library is still accessible if you have the proper keys).

We've been really enjoying coming here, using their wireless network, and allowing Simpkins to hang out and rest. A library kitty is a kitty out of trouble! And believe me, this cat can get into trouble if left to his own devices! So we're keeping an eye on him over break. Making sure he is warm and safe and not robbing convenience stores and all that. Plus, no internet or phone at home, so it's a lot easier to get online from here than from our cave! Er, flat, I meant flat.

I must admit I'll be a little sad to see all the people return from break. I like having the library to ourselves. Not to mention having Simpkins to ourselves.

Posted by Erin at December 23, 2002 03:58 PM