The Night Before

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Scene: Christina Osburn and Paul O’Connor, next photo, at their home. In the country and around the bend to their Holiday Party we went. Neighbors and friends gathered together and toasted the season on Christmas Eve. Christina is an Art Teacher and Artist. At the gathering there were actors, builders, carpenters, engineers, teachers, and others.

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Scene: Paul is Technical Director and Set Designer for the Drama Department at Vassar College.

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Scene: Jim, Billy, Kathy and Rachel. The invitation that Kathy is holding was hand crafted by Christina.

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Scene: Cheerful Kathee, Dave, and Terri.

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Scene: Nancy and Kathy loving their moment.

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Scene: Marty, Mario, Josh and Paul sitting around the work table, in Paul’s amazingly equipped and self-constructed workshop. Paul also built a studio for Christina on their property.

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Scene: Mario who lives down the hill near the river.

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Scene: Josh with his device sharing a photo of him and Aya.

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Scene: Marty who lives next door.

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Scene: Paul and their wonderful dog Cali in the kitchen.

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Scene: Jim and Kathy smiling.

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Scene: Kathy and Debbie embracing the season’s spirit.

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Scene: Paula and Fred, wine makers and owners of Cerrighino-Smith. Fred is also from the band Television, in the link that’s him on the right in the vintage newspaper ad for the East Village Eye. They will be performing at Irving Place in NYC on Sunday, December 28th. Then off to the Theater of the Living Arts in Philadelphia, PA, and then to The Stoney Pony in Asbury Park, NJ.

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Scene: Fred watches Christina as she strums along to Dick Dale, 60’s surfer music, which was streaming at the party.

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Scene: Veronica enters the scene.

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Scene: Rachel makes a move.

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Scene: Billy watches Christina as she makes a calculated advance.

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Scene: That’s me enjoying the moment.

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Scene: Cali sensing something in the air.

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Scene: “When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter.  Away to the window we flew like a flash. The moon on the new fallen snow. When, what to our wondering eyes should appear, but a sleigh, and nine reindeer. We knew in a moment it must be Saint Nick. On the roof, the prancing of each little hoof. Santa sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, and away they all flew. But we heard him exclaim, Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!” Paraphrased from Clement Clarke Moore’s The Night Before Christmas.