An Early Morning Update

Tom and I are newly returned (recently returned?) from his staff Christmas dinner. We had it up in Canada - at a place just south of town. It (the location) was a compromise for those of us driving up and for his two staffers who live on the far (other) side of town up there. But, for the money we paid for the food we got, we would have been better served to meet in town at one of the really good restaurants. Oh, well. Even tho the food was nothin' to write home about, it was an enjoyable evening, and that was the main point of it all!

Afterwards, Tom and I did drive into town 'cause I had to make a quick run through the Superstore in preparation for New Year's Eve. I just hadn't planned on it being QUITE so quick a stop! I, for some reason, had always thought they were open 24/7. Not so! We got there at 10:45 (their time), and they closed at 11:00! So, with me in high heels shoving the cart frantically up and down the aisles, yelling at Tom to grab this or that, and the "sweeper" kindly (but oh, so firmly) informing me that "aisle 16 is ready for you", we got what we could in our limited 15 minutes. I've thrown all the perishables in the refrig, but I'll have to look my list over tomorrow to see what I missed. I do know that I ended up with light cream cheese instead of regular. Ick. That French lettering was too much for me in my hurried state!

As some of you might have guessed, I haven't gotten my Christmas cards all done. It was either that or clean the house for Christmas Day, and you can guess which one got the priority. I remember looking at the calendar on December 5th
this year and thinking about starting them . . . only to chastise myself with, "Oh, don't be silly - it's too early!" Ha and double HA! Maybe I should start them at Thanksgiving next year! That is one of my (seemingly eternal) goals: to get ALL my Christmas cards out BEFORE Christmas some (and then each, thereafter) year. Maybe next year . . . .

As is our (relatively new) tradition, we spend Christmas Eve EVE (the 23rd) with my folks at their house. Then, we all have Christmas Eve to ourselves - to do with what we want. We always used to do Christmas Eve at their house and then Christmas Day at ours, but the back to back celebrations with the same exact people just got to seeming . . . unnecessary, I guess the word would be. But, this way works out really nicely. After a lovely, RELAXING night at Mom and Dad's on Sunday, we spent Christmas Eve with friends in town - eating good grub, drinking good wine, and kicking back. And, double bonus, we started early enough that we were home by 10:15!

Christmas Day was really nice out here. Mom and Dad arrived around 11:00 and left about 8:00 PM. A full day, to be sure, but a very, very good one. Even I managed to sit down for a little while, here and there! We had our annual Christmas meal of Nut Lumps and the all fixins . . . but that's a story for another day. ;) And, if Maisy hadn't been sick six times later during the night (ALL on the carpets, thank you very much), it would have been a perfect day! Ah, yes, life with animals . . . .

Okay, my cup of tea is long gone, and it's too late to be up. I'll try to write more tomorrow, but I'll be preparing for our annual little New Year's Eve soirée.

'Til then . . . .