So Long to the Cheery O's.

It's January 2, so we guess Christmas is over. The Great BZWZ is home in Providence, and the Greats PD, 5H and B-B are home in Brooklyn. But the high today in Providence is 21 and the high today in Brooklyn is 20. Plot just jogged down to the bagel store in a his new Plotzer sweat shirt. Plotnik and Ducknik have to be honest: they like it a lot more out here.

This was a Perfect Christmas with a Capital P. There were fewer people than in past years and everyone was delighted to be at World Headquarters taking part in all the silly Christmasy things. Ducknik even brought out the old stockings for the first time in at least five years.

There were lots and lots of fun presents given and received, but none nicer than the new Plotzer shirt, because it came with a serving of humble apology. But you'll have to get Ducknik to tell you about that one.



It was rewarding to see Grandma Joy and Paul Carroll together. No one was sure what to make of this whirlwind romance, or what seemed like one from the outside anyway, when GJ moved from her professorship in Wisconsin into Paul's life in Seattle. But now we know. Paul is a great guy who is happy to pitch in to become part of the family, and, though there seems to be no hope of making a Plotzer fan out of him, at least he doesn't like the Giants. Plot and Duck are already planning to head to the Northwest next summer to spend more time with these two.



The Great BZWZ spent New Year's Eve with Ben-Z's family in Connecticut. While we were watching alien prawns hovering above Johannesberg, they were probably playing Pass the Pig.

The streets were wet this morning so Plot walked instead of rode to the bagel shop. He ran into several neighbors, who wanted to talk about their children, and none in a flattering way -- it was all about what the kids or the parents didn't do this Christmas.

It made Plotnik feel funny -- here he was laughing to himself, thinking about Isabella hiding under the comforter on the bed, but never being able to hide all her hair...



...and realizing how lucky he and Ducknik and their children are to all live interesting lives but be willing and excited to share those lives with each other whenever possible.

There were so many great moments this year -- like Belly wrapped in a bubble at the absoultely delightful Bubble Man Show at the Marsh...




...and BZ and Lisa in the studio with ukelele and baglama...



...and the 40th Anniversary party of Bill and the Woman Who Does Not Seem To Be In This Picture But Actually Is If You Look Close Enough.



But nothing was more spectacular than the night before New Year's Eve that Plot and Duck spent with Isabella in the playground at Moscone Playground downtown. The moon was full and surrounded by a full moonbow of misty gorgeousness.



All the downtown skyscrapers were lit up, as well as the red-lit dome at MOMA.



PD and 5-H had gotten the day off and were up in Muir Woods on their way to Slanted Door for dinner, so Plot and Duck got the whole day with the Belly Bone. At first Belly was afraid of the big slides but soon she made friends with other little girls her age and then they were all holding hands and sliding down the slide together, then racing back up the embankment to do it again, again, again.




Plot called his Mom on the phone and described the scene to her, the lights and the buildings and the kids and the moon. Belly screamed "Hi Gwandma Wose" from the top of the slide. It's hard to put into words how filled up with happiness this hour or two made Plotnik feel.



(Sigh.) But now it's time to get back to work. Plot rang the New Year's Bell and made a resolution to try and keep himself from committing those 108 badnesses for as long as he can. All those things that other people do that make him sneer with frustration: he will try to not do them all himself first. He made great progress in music in 2009, he'll keep at it in 2010.

It's 2010. The Cheery O's are done with. We're all teenagers again. Hide the car keys, Dad, here we come.