5:35 p.m. - 2011-12-30
Ready for a long winter's nap
Did you have a good Christmas? Hannuka? Eid? Quiet time? Solstice?
We did. Had a good time with my brother and SIL, good dinner with my local brother, SIL and their kids; nice Christmas eve and Christmas morning. The company that was coming for breakfast Christmas day decided two days before that they weren't going to come. I was relieved and it made things less stressful - not that I wouldn't have enjoyed it, but it meant we didn't have to rush as much.
Got alot of scrapbooking stuff from Andy and my sister; a beautiful bracelet that my Florida SIL made from one of my grandmother's old necklaces; massages and manicures and blouses from Spouse, as well as some of my favorite candy. Spouse liked his new clothes; Andy was thrilled with his banjo and ukeleles and books, and teeshirts, and CDs, and gift cards, and new socks and undies.
Our neighborfriends gave us a gift card to Cracker Barrel, and my folks, my sister and I gave spouse a 19th century silk collapsible top-hat that my sister found in an antique shop in Savannah in October. It fits him perfectly and he loves it.
For Christmas eve eve we went to my local brother's and had a very nice dinner of shrimp scampi and caesar salad. We brought dessert (cheesecake and brownies.) We exchanged gifts - I got a nordstrom's gift card, spouse got a new belt and socks; and Andy got a stand for his saxophone, and an obscure indy band CD. Spouse's MIL also gave us a restaurant gift card, because we've been sending her meals while she's on chemo.
Christmas eve, my Florida brother and SIL and I finished up our Christmas shopping and wrapping and delivering, went to Mass at 4, then came home to a splendid roast beast dinner that my brother did on the rotisserie. We rounded that out with baked potatoes, asparagas and broccoli, and cookies for dessert. We also made butterscotch poached pears in the crockpot. Very tasty if you want the recipe.
Christmas morning, my brother (who is 6 feet tall and about 350 pounds and usually likes to sleep until noon) came bounding up the steps at 8:30 and threw himself on our bed telling us to get up! We laughed so hard I nearly fell out of bed.
It was a nice morning - we opened our gifts, made breakfast: Scrambled eggs with herbed cheese; cheesy grits, bacon, fruit salad and coffee cake.
SIL's sister came to pick them up to go to Christmas dinner at their house around 1, and we got preparations ready to bring to MIL's house for Christmas dinner at their house. MIL made roast beef, and we brought roasted brussels sprouts with pancetta, smashed potatoes, bread, and petit fors for dessert. They liked their gifts, but we forgot FIL's main gift - the satellite radio which was from both our family and Spouse's brother's family, so we had to go back a few days later to set that up.
Monday we crashed, cleaned, and conducted the delayed festival of laundry. Tuesday we met my Florida brother and his wife in Providence, which was his old stomping grounds during college. We had a fun lunch, shopped around Federal Hill (the Italian section of Providence), and returned a couple of things on the way home.
Wednesday morning we picked up my folks at the airport at 9, all the way in the big city, then came home and opened gifts. Yesterday, I went to the hospital to get my spine shots, then we went out to dinner at a local red-sauce restaurant that was pretty tasty; and came home and went to bed.
Today - Friday, we met my Florida brother, SIL, and her sister and parents for giant lobster rolls in Plymouth and had a nice visit. Then "I came home to do the shopping for Sunday's New Year's Day party. Tomorrow is cooking and cleaning.
So it has been fun! My parents will go back with my local brother Sunday after the party, and we may go and visit them on Tuesday before they fly home. Then of course, I have to get serious about finding a job. And losing weight. And getting organized. And cleaning my house. And getting fit. And loving myself just the way I am.
And for now, that's what I got.
I hope you had the happiest of holidays that you celebrate, and that you have a wonderful, happy and healthy 2012.
|
