I’m writing this very late so it seems like ancient history. It was a huge week in so many ways but I’ll try to recall it all now. The week started out with prepping for Christmas in between work and cramming in social engagements and ended with Christmas in RI. Here goes.
I spent Monday morning catching up from being out Friday afternoon. How can that much email pile up from just half a day? Darla and I went to Trader Joe’s over lunch, where I got a few more stocking stuffers and goodies for work. I knitted after work and then stopped at Anne Marie’s, where I got to hold little Gina, who at 7 pounds something is outweighed by every one of my cats. She was SO tiny.
The next few days flew by. We were interviewing six people for our open positions so every couple of hours, we had another interview. Between that and my lunch dates – Tuesday with Anne and Kate, Wednesday with Darla after sexual harassment training and Thursday with Dodie – the work days flew by. And my nights were filled with finishing wrapping and packing for my trip. I left work at 4:00 on Thursday to drive directly to the airport. The cats were all set and the plants watered so I called it good and flew east for Christmas at Carolyn’s.
I got in Thursday after midnight and slept like a rock that night. It was a good thing because Friday was a busy day. We started baking first thing with cookies – mint chocolate, Scandinavian almond and gingersnaps. We stopped at lunch time to meet John at the Crow’s Nest, where I enjoyed fried clams, clam cakes and clam chowder. I’m sensing a trend. Yum! Then it was back home for more baking. Other than stopping for dinner and sleep, we didn’t finish until the final stuff – cardamom bread, pecan pie, lemon tart and Christmas pudding with hard sauce – until 3:00 on Saturday. Sheesh!
Bob couldn't come to Monday's open house so he stopped in on Saturday morning with his daughter, Daisy. It was wonderful to see her again and as a walking, talking kid (I had last seen her 2 years ago, when she was only just 1.) After he left, I put on the Christmas pudding, which I dumped out of tis mold at 3:00 and I left for my cousin’s for my family’s Christmas. We had our traditional lasagna meal with yummy antipasto salad and my Christmas pudding. All good. Then it was on to John’s mom’s house for Brian’s skate (a fish that looks like corduroy) in browned butter caper sauce. Delicious! I enjoyed the company and conversation, getting home ~11:00. After filling stockings, we didn’t get to bed until 1:00 a.m.
Christmas day was wonderful. We opened presents and ate cardamom bread for breakfast. Carolyn and I were working on the prime rib by 9:30 to get it in the oven by 10:00 so we could eat on schedule. Jen, Carolyn’s neighbor, and her parents were coming to dinner. We had roasted potatoes, Brussels sprouts and rolls along with the beef. The best part is we were all in our sweats – comfy and cozy while eating yummy food and chatting. Isn’t that the best? It was a wonderful holiday and it felt good to relax after so much getting ready. A very merry Christmas indeed.
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