So here I sit at the Little Rock airport, enjoying the free Wi Fi (take notes, Austin and Atlanta) and reflecting on my holiday week. It’s been busy around casa de KITW lately, which is why I’ve been incommunicado.

Last Tuesday was Amy’s birthday (29 again! Amazing!), so she invited a few select co-workers to dinner at Bone Garden Cantina in the wilds of industrial west-end Atlanta. It was mighty fine, a little less traditional than the nearby Nuevo Laredo, and cheap as well. It might become a favorite.

Thursday I had spur-of-the-moment tickets to the Stars-Thrashers game. I couldn’t bear the idea of a whole month with no hockey. I invited Amy and Kyle, but only K could make it, so we got pretty good upper-tier, center-ice seats for what turned out to be a great game. Lots of action and turnovers. It ended up going into overtime, which the Thrashers won. We were jumping around and screaming like lunatics. Then, borne by feelings of goodwill, we went downstairs to the team store, and K purchased a t-shirt and puck for my Christmas present. Hooray!

Saturday I flew to LR. Had a little time to decompress before Mom and I went downtown for the annual Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Holiday Pops show. We’d gotten into the tradition of going every year when I was in college, but scheduling difficulties meant it had been at least 10 years since we’d gone. It was a great show, highly entertaining, lots of variety. I love seeing the older ladies in their sequins and furs mingling with younger attendees in fleece and denim. Definitely one of the better things about living in Little Rock.

Sunday was church, a nap on the couch, gym time and then a party hosted by one of Mom’s church friends. You just can’t beat a Southern house party for amazing recipes.

Monday Mom and I hit the mall briefly (sale at Banana Republic! Who knew?) before picking up Dad and heading up to the lake to visit my inheritance. We had dinner at the Mexican place in town, El Jefe, which we call “The Jeffy” because that’s how all the locals pronounce it.

Tuesday: Visited briefly with friends before having an amazing breakfast at the Country Kitchen (I know). Drove back to the city so I could meet my junior high friend Erika and her husband for dinner at Sonny Williams’ Steak Room downtown.

It was amazing. John Mark, E’s Cajun husband, is a man who loves his food and insists that everyone around him enjoy it as well. After drinks, we had an appetizer of cheese and wild game sausage (buffalo, venison and pheasant). Then Erika and I had filets mignon while JM dug into his dish: pork loin stuffed with boudin, a traditional Cajun sausage, and smothered in some sort of crawfish goop (not etoufee; this was crawfish boiled down into almost mush). I even tried a bite, and it was pretty damn tasty. Then we had coffee and dessert: dark chocolate creme brulee for them and an apple-cherry tart cobbler thing for me.

Wow. I was so stuffed, my stomach made thumping noises when I tapped it with a knuckle. It might have been the best meal I ever had.

Wednesday, the folks and I had tickets to “Avatar” in Imax 3-D. It’s not going to win any prizes for the story, but it was worth it to see the astonishing effects. Even if I did have to pee for the last hour. Kyle had to see it on a plain old movie screen at his parents’, so another showing might be in our future. This time I’ll know when to run to the bathroom.

That night I went to dinner at Star of India (fantastic garlic chicken) with Heather, a friend from high school with whom I lost touch several years ago. She’s gotten things together and is married to a guy we went to school with, and things seem really good. I’m so happy for her; she deserves a good life.

On Thursday, Mom and I had lunch with Jennifer’s mom at Olive Garden (hell yeah) and then saw “The Princess and the Frog.” It was really cute, a nice return to the old days of animation. Gym again and then tamales at home.

Friday, we had brunch at Mom’s friend Susan’s house before returning home to open our gifts. My primary present is sitting in the living room at home (at least, I hope so), but I got some books and jewelry and other little things. I gave Dad a little remote-controlled helicopter that he really seems to like, and some clothes and whatnot for Mom. It was a good Christmas.

So now I’m ready to get back to my cat and my bed and my stuff. I’m really hoping there’s not a repeat of last year, when the plane was too heavy and they took my bag off and I had to go get it at the airport after work. Fingers crossed.