>> ADIA: AFTER A LENGTHY TIME-OUT DUE TO CAT SHENANIGANS LEAVING A FEW BELOVED VINYL RECORDS WITH DEEP SCRATCHES, OUR RECORD PLAYER SLASH RADIO IS BACK IN ACTION.

IT'S NOWHERE NEAR THE MOST IMPRESSIVE SYSTEM, BUT IT WAS FREE.

99 AND WITH SMALL PEOPLE IN THE HOUSE WHO ARE STILL LEARNING THE FINER POINTS OF THEIR MOTOR SKILLS, IT SUITS OUR NEEDS.

MY KIDDO PLAYS RECORDS AND ZOOMS AROUND THE FIRST FLOOR, AND I TURN ON JAZZ 88 WHILE I PUTTER.

I'M SURE MY DAD IS LAUGHING AT “JAZZ 88."

MY SISTER AND I USED TO MERCILESSLY MOCK HIS “SMOOTH JAZZ” RADIO CHOICES AND NOW LOOK AT ME.

IT'S THE PERFECT TIME OF YEAR FOR JAZZ-INFUSED HOLIDAY TUNES IN THE BACKGROUND, THOUGH.

WITH THIS COLD SNAP, I JUST WANT TO DO THE MOST CLICHÉD, HALLMARK CHANNEL CHRISTMAS MOVIE THINGS: TURN ON THE TWINKLY LIGHTS, SNUGGLE UP UNDER A BLANKET, AND DRINK A MUG OF HOT CHOCOLATE WITH BOTH HANDS.

I WON'T BE TRYING TO ESCAPE MY HIGH-PRESSURE CITY LIFE BY LEAVING MY CORPORATE JOB TO BUY A FARM IN THE COUNTRY AND MEET A HUNKY LUMBERJACK, THOUGH.

I THINK MY HUSBAND MIGHT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.

GOING BACK TO THE “SITTING STILL UNDER A BLANKET” PART: EVEN THOUGH I RARELY GET TO DO THAT, WHEN I DO PAUSE TO LISTEN TO THE SOFT HUM OF THE RADIO, I REALIZE HOW GRATEFUL I AM TO BE SHELTERED, WARM, AND WITH MY FAMILY.

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, I HOPE THE SAME FOR YOU.