Here's a picture from my walk along the Thames a few weeks ago. This statue, "Taxi!" by J. Seward Johnson, stands on John Carpenter Street near Blackfriars. As Londonist put it in a headline, "This bloke's been trying to hail a taxi since 2014!" Apparently he used to stand on a street corner on Park Avenue in New York, where he was equally unsuccessful at catching a ride. Maybe the barricades are meant to keep him from diving into traffic in desperation.
Yesterday was possibly the quietest Christmas of my entire life thus far. This is not a bad thing! We did no presents. We didn't go anywhere. We didn't listen to Christmas music or watch Christmas TV (well, we watched "A Charlie Brown Christmas" on Christmas Eve, but nothing yesterday). Instead Dave dabbled in schoolwork and I read, and we agreed last night it was an ideal holiday.
We did Skype with Dave's parents and one of his sisters, who for some reason we could hear but not see. And Dave made coq au vin for dinner, so we had a special but not ridiculously complicated Christmas meal.
We have also finalized our plans for Florida in February -- we reserved airline tickets using the credits from our cancelled trip. Let's try this again!
A New Yorkers nightmare. Forever trying hail a taxi and never getting one. February seems to be the replacement Christmas holiday month for many people we know. Hope you’re feeling much better now.
ReplyDeleteTime has almost made the statue obsolete. It would be more in vogue if the statue was poking at a smart phone to hail an Uber.
ReplyDeleteSometimes we all need a quiet, lazy holiday! No hustle and bustle and a video chat works well!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you are feeling better. Enjoy your break now - it always zooms by! Glad you had a lovely Christmas with Dave.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand the barricade.
ReplyDeleteI like a simple Christmas, too. It's always just the two of us, and the fur kids, and a nice day and a lovely meal and just peace. I love it like that.
That sounds like a perfect Christmas to me!
ReplyDeletePoor taxi guy. He should call up an Uber.
ReplyDeleteGlad you had a very decent Christmas. No stress. Sounds like a dream.
That's how we spend it every year. No christmas anything. We did get a visit from the twins since they are in town.
ReplyDeleteWhat you described is a Jewish Christmas. That's what Dec 25 looks like at my house every year.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a nice, relaxing day. We dropped Jack off at his grandma's,took Katie to West Edmonton Mall for lunch at Mcdonald's, her favorite, and then relaxed at home and watched some Jack Ryan, season 3. I love John Krasinski. The thinking woman's hottie:)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you and Dave had a lovely and quiet Christmas. That's just how our Christmas was here too. Just the two of us, a yummy dinner and a glass of red wine.
ReplyDeleteLove that taxi-hailing statue.
That man hailing the taxi looks very realistic. That's a fun statue.
ReplyDeleteYour Christmas was a lot quieter than mine and it sounds lovely. We had lots of complicated food but we spread it out over a about 6 hours. Eat a little, cook a little, eat a little more, and so on. It was a long day but it was fun.
I much prefer the quieter Christmases. Ours was in between with the chaos of little kids but still low key enough that no one was stressed.
ReplyDeleteOur Christmas Day was much like yours, although no one cooked me a lovely meal like that! We are still eating leftovers from the two prior days of celebrating with our kids and their families. (and trust me, there was nothing as nice as coq au vin on either day!)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you've been able to reschedule everything for the not too distant future!
Like here, I suppose the barricades will sit there for months, for no apparent reason. Cool statue though.
ReplyDeleteI think you have created a new Christmas tradition. I could imagine nothing nicer. Your post really highlighted the idiocy that Christmas has become for many. Obligation and nothing more. The need to be busy and sociable. I think quiet and content is much more preferable.
ReplyDelete-caro
Christmas was just as quiet here. we talked to the two kids we have.
ReplyDeleteYour Christmas sounds quiet and lovely. Ours was too.
ReplyDeleteSteve, Dave and Olga,
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you had a lovely Christmas. It was the same with us yesterday as we stayed in and had a quiet day. All of the hustle, bustle and festivities can become a little overwhelming sometimes.
Glad that your feeling better!
Our holiday was low-key, but not quite so low key as yours. It sounds stupid, but I love to find the perfect present. I don't care at all about getting them, but I like to see people being surprised and happy.
ReplyDeleteI like the statue. I haven't seen Charlie Brown's Christmas in decades. I hope the Florida trip happens when February rolls around.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to being so absent around here -- I've been reading your posts but haven't commented at all, so here's a belated merry Christmas (yours sounded sublime, however quiet!), and I'm glad that you're feeling better. I had the flu a couple of weeks ago, and it, too, kicked my butt! I hadn't felt that sick in many years! Here's to a healthier 2023!
ReplyDeleteMitchell: I guess February is the next school break for everybody. Maybe that's why.
ReplyDeleteEd: It's true! Flagging a taxi is less common these days.
Marcia: A great way to spend the day!
Ellen D: Yeah, my health is pretty much back to normal, thank goodness.
Bob: I don't either. I can only assume the statue has been destabilized somehow, or is undergoing some kind of repair work.
Bug: Amen to that!
Ms. Moon: Isn't it weird to think that not too many years ago, no such things as Uber existed? We adapt quickly and forget the past!
Ellen: Well, a visit is good! That counts for a lot!
Vivian: Ha! That made me laugh. We didn't get Chinese food, though. Isn't that the tradition too? :)
Pixie: I've tried to get Dave interested in watching "Jack Ryan" but he just won't go there, which is weird because he loved "The Office." Must keep trying!
Robin: Isn't it fantastic?
Sharon: Well, that sounds fun too!
Margaret: It sounds like you hit the magic balance of excitement and relaxation!
Kelly: We've got a lot of leftovers to work our way through as well. :/
Andrew: Exactly! Don't you love that? LOL
Caro: We need to start a "Just Say No to Commercial Christmas" movement!
Red: Well, that's the way to do it. Touch base with family. That's what the holiday should really be about.
Catalyst: Nice! I'm glad to hear it!
Beth: Glad you had an enjoyable holiday!
Debby: I admire people who are into the challenge of gift-giving. There IS a thrill that comes from knowing you've found something perfect for someone else. Unfortunately that rarely happens for me!
River: "Charlie Brown" is one of my few Christmas traditions. I try to watch it every year.
Elizabeth: Yes, let's hope! I read on your blog that you were sick as well. 'Tis the season, right?! Anyway, glad you're better!
Sounds like an absolutely perfect Christmas to me.
ReplyDeleteAfter three days with a four and five year-old, I was LONGING for a quiet Christmas. I'm sorry about the trip but I suspect you will enjoy the weather better later!
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