What I meant to convey was ...

 It all started when Auntie Mary's Christmas package arrived. Ali was trying on her new sweater-like slippers, Jeff was talking about how pretty Amaryllis bulbs would be when they bloomed, and I was examining the chocolate treat that came along with the other items.

"Looks like some kind of bark," Jeff remarked.

I bit in. "Hmm. It tastes kind of whang-y," I remarked.

Jeff and Ali looked at each other and one of them said, "What did you say?" 

"It has a kind of whang to it," I repeated. 

At that point, my two housemates set off into a fit of snorts and giggles such that they lost their breath and fell over each other laughing at me. As is his wont, the Captain crossed the line a few times as the pair of them reminded me that "wang" is a euphemism for "penis" and Alison was 100 percent sure that Auntie Mary's cookie ingredients would never involve that particular ingredient.

My efforts to define the word as an odd or unexpected taste - and a non-genitalia-connected saying I'm sure I grew up with - were met with derision.

Ultimately, it was discovered that the taste I'd detected was ginger from gingersnap crumble, candied ginger and clove. While Jeff and Ali were both fans, none of  those (as much as I appreciate the effort, Mary) in my humble opinion - should be paired with chocolate.

Anyway, that's how we ended 2020 -- opening late-to-arrive Christmas presents and laughing at each other. Not a bad way to finish, really, as we did our best to keep the Covid at bay. 

Our survival tactics  included: 

• Listening to House of Merle Christmas music and watching Christmas movies, classic and controversial, and laughed at the fact that Bill Nighy is equally but very differently terrific in Pirates and Love Actually;
• Playing cards and Liar's Dice, which was extra fun during our marathon of Pirates of the Caribbean when the pirates played the same game; 

Exhausting ourselves by decorating, undecorating and sorting through things we thought other families might need; 

• Breaking out the Wii Sports stuff we hadn't used in years where I stunned everyone by hitting some amazing golf shots. 
• Ali actually won, but my shots were more spectacular, and we were both happy to have gotten the best of Jeff, who'd crushed us in bowling. 

• I was TERRIBLE at tennis. Just couldn't get my swing down, though I did appreciate the black cloud that appeared overhead every time my Mii swung and missed (and often fell down.) 
• Jeff and I declined to race Mario Carts as Alison is exceptional at it and delights in explaining how bad others are at it. 
• Keeping to our Cookie Day tradition with Auntie Jen and making (and eating) even more. Ali was particularly fond of her creation of herself in a lab coat; 
• Having delicious meals that featured home-made hot & sour soup, bacon steak (it's a thing and you should look it up and then ration yourself so you don't overindulge and die) crab legs, The Little India (it's a thing and you should order from there if you're anywhere close to Indy; it's worth your drive) and hot fries from Fat Dan's Deli during a wintery walk;  Donating items we didn't need but others maybe could;
• Tossing things that have been hanging around much too long and are no good for anyone;
• Returning to YouTube yoga with Ali that is KILLING us but apparently making us stronger; 
• Celebrating via Teams and phone with family and reveled in gifts like the repair of Jeff's ancient iPod (Thanks for the tip for the repair shop, Andy Seiwert) a heated vest for those wintery walks for me (Thanks for the tip, Tracy Wiseman) and new leggings/pants for Ali that she has worn nearly every day and a Rocketbook she will fit in her new school bag and make it much lighter to carry; 
• 
• Gorging on decadent pastries from a new place we'd not heard of (INDulge Bakery; thanks Jasehways)  and an old favorite The Gallery Pastry Shop. (See why we need the Yoga and walks?)
  
• Scoring some amazing new footwear, courtesy of Alison; and 
• Taking an impromptu trip to Lafayette to pick up a replacement for Jeff's dying computer which turned into a super fun hike through Clegg Memorial Garden along Wildcat Creek. (No wildcats were seen, sadly, though it did give us a chance to remember when we were trapped by elk in the Grand Canyon. Jeff was afraid we'd get stampeded off the cliff but Ali was scouring the bushes for wildcats and mountain lions. "I'm not afraid of the elk; I'm afraid of what eats the elk," she kept muttering as I laughed at both of them for being terrified.) 

Mostly, we just enjoyed each other's company (mostly) and shared much love and laughter. It wasn't the holiday break anyone had planned for, but it was awesome in many respects because we made the most of our situation. We made note of the many examples of good fortune we've had and didn't dwell on what we could have done had things been different.

I think that's the best thing anyone can do as we go forward into what we all hope is the end of this pandemic. 

Happy New Year and best wishes to you all for a 2021 that is safer, happier, riddled with silliness and memories that will take you immediately back to a time of love and laughter.