Friday, December 22, 2006
* 3 days till Christmas...
Thought I'd like to say "Merry Christmas" to all as well as update since my last post in November. The tree is up and decorated, the outside lights have been up since the weekend after Thanksgiving, and I've put a few Santa's, etc. around here and there. However... time has been limited so there's no garlands on the hearth (to the cats' dismay) and no Dickens town hall, school, and church displayed (also to the cats' sadness). I have made oreo truffles, whiskey balls and date bars... but need to make much more.
The cats are enjoying knocking the ornaments off the bottom tree branches, chasing them around the house and rearranging the tree lights (to DH's dismay). I think that they firmly believe we put the tree up for their entertainment (and maybe we do). I visited my next door neighbor's house just the other day. She had invited me over for tea and munchies. Her house is so-ooo perfect... furnished and decorated with exquisite taste. It really looks beautiful.
But unfortunately our cats would totally dismantle most of it given half a chance. And we do love our babies... so our house must be as is.
It is now December 27, 2006. Christmas has come and gone... some good, some bad, some ugly. I developed a 'killer migraine' Friday night (one that almost sent me to the hospital begging for Demerol), but I survived and even worked Black Saturday at the bookstore (albeit shakily). The kids drove in Saturday and we all went to breakfast Sunday morning (Christmas Eve) before I went in to the bookstore.
That night we usually go to a friend's place out in the country for our annual Christmas Eve party... lots of fun, friends, family and food! Baby B, who is 5, wasn't feeling too well, but was determined she wanted to go, so we all dressed and packed into the car with loads of presents and food. It was cold and pouring raining so we snuggled up comfortably for the hour's ride. About halfway there B asked me something that I didn't quite hear (we had Christmas carols on the radio and it was raining hard). But before she could complete her question, Baby B (uh... what's a nice way to say 'got sick' everywhere?) It was surreal. The car suddenly got very quiet. We were shocked! B said she was expecting it. I said that I wish she had told me as I had had no idea (but that had been her question that she was unable to complete... 'do you have anything in case...'). To make the story short, we "cracked the windows" as best we could as it was pouring rain, turned the car around, called our friends, and headed back home.
Once there we put Baby B into a bath, threw all the clothes, etc. into the washer, cleaned off the CD's etc. that had been in the line of fire, and got into our pj's. We then built a fire in the fireplace, called for pizza, and spent Christmas Eve snuggled together (with Baby B hugging her bucket). It was fine... different, but fine.
Christmas morning came and all was well. You would never have known that Baby B was sick the night before. She was up, dressed, and ready for Santa. All the kids and their families came by and I picked up Mama and brought her to the house for 8:30 am. We opened presents, watched the kids play, ate, and took pictures. It was fun. The cats joined in and those that weren't playing with the kids and their toys (Jack was especially fascinated by Chase's beyblades and stadium), were laying on blankets or chairs by the fireplace listening to Christmas music. By noon all the kids had gone off to their respective spouse's homes and DH, Mama, and I had a quiet roast and potatoes dinner by the fire.
Later that evening when it was quiet DH and I exchanged our gifts. He got a Waterman pen (among other things) and I got a Bose wave radio/CD (among other things). The cats exchange gifts with us also. They give us pj's and chocolate and we give them various types of furry and noisy balls and catnip mice. It's a nice arrangement.
Going to close for now. Will try to continue, finish, and post tomorrow.
Well, it's now January 2nd and I didn't get another chance to finish this. So here it is. New Year's Eve passed quietly. We don't do the 'going out' thing on New Year's anymore. We prefer to sit by the fire with our home-made eggnog and watch the Waterford ball go down in New York (wondering how those thousands of people are enjoying being out in the cold and the noise?).
Anyway after a bit of a lie-in to counteract staying up late, I cooked a pork roast marinated in bacon and a sweet and sour sauce, fresh blackeyed peas with ham, and cabbage, potatoes, and onions for our New Year's Day meal. For dessert we had baked apples with a little bourbon butter, marshmallows, and toasted pecans. A friend of ours picked up Mama on her way here for dinner and we shared a nice restful afternoon. The kids all were either working or doing their thing... besides, they don't care for the traditional blackeyed peas and cabbage.
So, that's about it. I will post this now and end with:
"Have a safe happy healthy 2007!"
Rian
