Crystal Trino's Journal Dec 31, 2006

December 31. Sunday Night.

Hi Journey.

Happy New Year. I do love this night, Journey. That a new year can begin and an old one end is just a kind of magical, mystical time.

I've made a decision, J. I'm taking one month off from writing any more. I need to concentrate on Tea Time all this next month. Sorry--but with Joni gone I just need some time away.

I'll be back in a month, Journey.

Goodnight--and thanks for a great year!

Crystal Trino's Journal December 28, 2006

Thursday, December 28

Hi Journey.

Hey, Journey you know I really, truly do loathe self-pity. When I catch myself wallowing about in it. Well, that's exactly what happened this morning.

I was missing Joni. And the new girl, Amy, well she tries hard, and she's efficient, and she certainly gets on well with Viv and Dana, but she's not Joni. I can't just go into her office and spill my fears out and find some reassurance in the calm listening of a trusted employee.

Funny how you come to rely on another person in work, J. I know I'm strong, and I'm the leader of the company, and all that, but dammit, without Joni there to back me up I feel like a soldier going into battle without her rifle.

I couldn't roll around feeling sorry for myself too long, though. I had a ten o'clock with the tellers and the loan officers at the Stubborn Branch of First United.

A truce! Amazing! My little ploy of using the tellers to leverage the loan officers worked. The original plan has been approved.

Not a bad way to end my last client call of the year.

Goodnight, Journey.

Crystal Trino's Journal December 26, 2006

December 26. Tuesday Night.

Hi Journey.

On the plane I can just sit quietly alone in a kind of solitude I don’t feel anywhere else. Strange, eh, Journey, this coming from a girl that lives alone? Maybe, but at Whitby there’s always the TV and the internet and the phone. Up here alone among these strangers I find an energy to push my imagination beyond its normal comfort zone.

Maybe that’s why Case travels so much; she feeds off the rush of change.

Great time at Dakota’s family, Journey. I’ll have to tell you a bit more about it when I have time. But just now new ideas are flooding in, and I want to jot them down and then flesh them out a bit before I lose them. It’s only an hour flight home from St. Louis, and I must be quick to pull as much creativity out of my mind as I can at these times when the muse graces me.

Goodnight, Journey.

Crystal Trino's Journal Dec 24 2006

December 24. Tuesday Night.

Hi Journey.

Oh J, you know what I love? Just running far on a Sunday morning with that light coat of snow under my feet.

I can never get enough mornings like these in my life, J. I puffed along for six miles, and at a steady clip, too.

Tee and Jack Heckstrom perfectly played the Holy Family--no fighting at all. And I'm not relieved or surprised. Mostly I'm just bursting-out proud for both of them. For all their squabbled sparring, thre is a tacit respect between my two most headstrong students.

Maybe it's closer to like, J.

Scary.

Percy orchestrated a four-way Skype call between Egypt, Florida, New York and the Midwest. The twins and Cora entertained us with a surprisingly in-tune rendition of "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem". For a moment I thought I heard Casey sobbing in the background. I lied to myself that it was just the connection, that my valiant little circle-the-world-on-a-whim sister wasn't desperately homesick.

But I hate lying to myself, especially at Christmas.

Going to bed now. Early flight tomorrow.

Merry Christmas, Journey.

Crystal Trino's Journal Dec 21 2007

December 21. Thursday Night.

Hi Journey.

A good week for me, since Christmas shopping wasn’t too tough this year. Actually, I ordered most everything on line or just bought folks coffee and tea at CoHo.

We held our office Christmas party at the maternity floor’s waiting room. Brady was just beaming as he held little Manny. You know how overprotective those first-time dads are, J—I thought he might break a rib from holding his breath so hard each time we passed the baby from one of us to the other. Finally Shelly poked him in the side just to get him to lighten up a bit.

I imagine that’s the same way Joseph felt on that first Christmas, so many years ago.

Like I said, a good week. No client complaints, plus several of our vendors have brought food plates over to the shop. Heaven.

Goodnight, Journey.

PS: I do so love palindromes.

Crystal Trino's Journal Dec 19, 2006

December 19. Tuesday Night.

Hi Journey.

A quiet, serene joy grips me tonight, Journey. Today was Emmanuel Anthony Clover’s first day on planet Earth, and I am grateful.

Mom, son and Dad all doing quite nicely. APGAR scores great and no jaundice for young master Manny, who burst on the scene at 3:20 this morning.

Shelly and I both dawdled about the hospital most of the afternoon, just looking at little Manny through the glass and cooing like a couple of teenagers. I could tell that Shelly really wants to make one of her own with Dirk.

I don’t understand why that lunk doesn’t just propose to her.

Me? I’m in noooo hurry, J.

Viv and Dana plus the new temp, Amy, kept the shop under control all afternoon. Although this week has been pretty quiet, all-in-all.

Grateful tonight, J. Grateful for a new life, and that my friend Joni is OK.

Goodnight, Journey.

Crystal Trino's Journal Entry Dec 17, 2006

December 17. Sunday Night.

Hi Journey.

Dakota is the one friend that truly knows when I am full o fit.

OK, maybe Sid does, too.

And Carmen.

And Mom.

“Alone? For Christmas? What about your friend Shelly?” Dakota asked.

“She’s heading to Dirk’s parents’ home then.”

“What about your Church friends?”

“We host the pageant on Christmas Eve, but that’s it. Most everybody has family time on Christmas Day.”

“Plains, fly down to St. Louis and just chill with my family. C’mon, it’s only an hour.”

“Too much hassle, flying on Christmas Day.”

“Not that much. Or are you afraid you’ll have to spring for Christmas presents for my whole family?”

“Maybe I’ll give them a free house makeover.”

She just laughed. “Bring a book of matches and a Debbie Gibson song; that’s the best makeover our old house could have.”

Even I had to laugh at that, self-pity and all. We talked another half hour. It was good to unwind.

Goodnight, Journey.

PS: OK, I couldn’t sleep, so I booked the flight on-line just now. Leaves at 6:00 AM. Ugh!! Later, J.