Category: holidays

…and I checked the mailbox… TWICE.

Tomorrow is another day… thank goodness.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2003 will end in a few minutes. I don’t make resolutions any more, but I feel more resolved than usual. I’ll leave it at that.

I am enjoying my evening of football and occasional ventures downstairs to see what the roommate is up to. She made pecan caramel candy and it was very tasty while warm, but we are still out of karo syrup, so the candy turned hard rather quickly. Imagine, if you will… the roommate attacking said candy with large, stainless steel knife to remove it from glass 9 x 13 pan. Both of us have broken teeth… so the pecan caramel jawbreakers are now in the wastebasket.

I hope wherever you are, you did something that you enjoyed tonight — whether that means you stayed home alone, ate some popcorn (or chocolate) and watched Dick Clark (who just now nearly exclaimed, “Happy Birthday!” instead of “Happy New Year!” to one of his co-hosts) or you danced the night away with dozens of other people, spent the night with your family or curled up on the couch with your honey and watched a movie. May the new year bring you all you hope for and the wonderful delights you couldn’t have created in your wildest dreams that will surprise your socks off.

Happy New Year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS! — IT’S THE KITCHEN PROGRESS REPORT

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE: We arrived at 6:55 for the 7:00 service. Sat in the chairs added in the aisle — you know, the ones added for the late people. The service was good, highlighted by great music and a little boy who sang, “Away in a Manger,” with such confidence it was moving. Afterward, we made it to Kroger before it closed at 9:00 for Christmas Eve to get some last minute items.

FOOD: The turkey is thawing in the bathtub and must be turned over and the water changed out in a about a half hour. It has to start cooking in five hours, so I hope it’s thawed by then.

Strawberry cake cookies and the rice crispy bars are baked, the cranberry sauce is finished and the stuffing is ready to be cooked. The pecan pie is… well… about an hour ago, Jene’ started to make the pie and the karo syrup she bought a couple of weeks ago is moldy. (HEB is getting a letter I bet). Of course, it’s after midnight, and even in Houston almost everything shut down early tonight and will not reopen until tomorrow afternoon. After deciding the corner convenience store, if open, would most likely not carry karo syrup, Jene’ decided to improvise with some honey, maple syrup and a little karo syrup from another bottle she had (but only about a third of what she needed). Rolls, mashed potatoes and the turkey will be cooked after we wake up. I’m pretty sure Jene’ won’t get much sleep tonight because the pie has to cook an hour and someone needs to be awake to make sure it gets taken out of the oven.

Jene’ has felt better and has done a good portion of the actual cooking. I, of course, busied myself with stirring things, and cleaning up behind Jene’.

INJURIES: Ahem. It is me, remember? Actually, I’m not alone on the injury report tonight. Jene’ slammed her thumb in a door and her thumbnail is sorta blue. I stubbed my toe on the chair we moved away from the table and placed by the kitchen door… and for some reason, when furniture gets moved, I have trouble navigating until I injure myself and therefore I pay special attention not to run into the particular offending piece of furniture again. We’re fairly confident my toe is not broken, but it aches and is swelling a bit on top. Another night for the memory book, eh?

Elizabeth and Corinne will be here around 12:30 for lunch. We will have a great time and eat some good food… and while everyone else sleeps in Friday… I’ll be at work… probably reading a book.

I hope your day is filled with good times, good food, and lots of Kodak and memory moments. 🙂

FROHLICHE WEINACHTEN

…that is… Merry Christmas! I have the next two days off and then go back to work Friday. If anyone can explain to me why a church would be open the day after Christmas when there will be about, oh, 10% of the staff present and maybe four people will bother to call or come into the church… please, fill me in. Not that I’m not grateful for the work (’cause if I don’t work, I don’t get paid), I just think instead of Wednesday & Thursday off… most people would rather have had Thursday & Friday off (and not had to take a vacation day)… but that’s just me.

Now, with that bah humbug out of the way, the Roommate and I are going grocery shopping shortly. As I cruised by the grocery store (actually both of them — we have two about a half mile from the apt) at 5 p.m., both parking lots were FULL so I came on home. If it’s one thing that gets under my skin at Christmas — it’s impatient crowds of people all fighting for the same parking spot and hot sale item.

The Roommate is also sick, which translates into me being very busy in the kitchen cooking tomorrow night under the careful tutilage of the Roommate. Like I’ve said before… I like to cook… but cooking under pressure is not enjoyable. Of course, it’s just the Roommate, my friend Elizabeth, her daughter Corinne and me for Christmas dinner, so there’s not that much pressure. Ha ha… it should all be fine and yummy.

Just in case I don’t get to say it before Thursday, may you have a safe and joyous Christmas. If you find yourself pondering what I’m pondering (trying to wrap the human brain around the notion that God sent his son in human form to us to live on earth and then offer himself as atonement for our sins and thus offer us eternity with him…well, it’s not as easy to ponder as it may seem), then post your ponderings. I’d be interested in reading them.

FYI… it will be 65 degrees and rainy in Houston Thursday. If you are enjoying a white Christmas, think of me. If you get a little adventurous… make me a snowman and send me a picture of it (with the snowman maker included) and I’ll put it in my collection!

Feliz Navidad!

ADVENT IN THE BAPTIST BUCKLE OF THE BIBLE BELT

My roommate is Presbyterian and I was raised Methodist, so we are both familiar with the concept of Advent. Baptists observe the Christmas season, but do not necessarily observe the traditions of Advent. Advent is the season leading up to Christmas Day, and is intended for our reflection and anticipation of the celebration of the birth of Christ. Advent is celebrated starting the fourth Sunday before Christmas, so it started this past weekend. Traditionally, Advent involves a wreath with 5 cancles (4 royal purple and 1 white or 3 royal purple, 1 pink and 1 white). The first purple one was lit Sunday and the white one will be lit Christmas Day.

2 years ago, most of my roommate’s belongings were scattered across interstate 59 during rush hour because the truck that was transporting her belongings was hit by a bigger truck (and he had no insurance). 90% of my roommate’s belongings were gone, including all of her Christmas decorations (not to mention clothes, yearbooks, pictures, etc). This year, she has managed to replace most of her Christmas decor, including a grand artificial pre-lit tree. In keeping with the spirit of Christmas, she decides that it’s time to replace her advent wreath.

Since we live in the Baptist buckle of the Bible belt, an Advent wreath has been difficult to find. Most of the responses we’ve gotten as we’ve gone from Christmas shop to craft store are, “Advent what?” I was about to suggest a trip to Cokesbury, a Methodist bookstore here in town when we got a positive response at Michael’s, a craft store near our house. They actually had the makings of an Advent wreath, at least the base with the four candle holders (the fifth candle is placed in the center of the wreath). Jene’ wasn’t sure she could decorate around this base so she opted for a plain wreath and some candle holders and a few berry wreaths to wrap around the candles. It’s a great wreath.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

It’s going to be a busy week, so I’m doing this now just in case I get too busy… See? I’m making perfect sense already.

Wednesday after work, Jene’ will pick me up and we will drive 6 + hours to San Angelo for Thanksgiving. The actual Thanksgiving feast is Friday, so we will have Thanksgiving Day to prepare the feast. Jene’s mom had carpal tunnel surgery on her wrist this week, so Jene’ and I will be in charge of the kitchen. Scratch that (in case some of you just had heart attacks…). Jene’ is in charge of the kitchen, which means she is in charge of all things that I can hurt myself with (i.e. knives) and I will follow her instructions. If I was in charge of the kitchen, one of the essential ingredients would be a first aid kit and my Betty Crocker (this is how you boil water) cookbook.

Now… don’t think I can’t cook. I can. I cook quite well. I just don’t cook well under pressure. Saturday night dinner at my house is no pressure. Thanksgiving (including large fowl in oven and something to do with cranberries, and expectations involving cornbread stuffing) is pressure. So, one of my I’m thankful for’s is Jene’ is in charge of the kitchen.

I have to do an I’m thankful for blog entry because this is my first Thanksgiving with a blog. After this year, I’ll probably adopt the notion that the I’m thankful for blog entry is blaise’ or something. We’ll see. So…

I’m thankful for… (in no particular order)

– little girl giggles

– pasta and other cheap eatables

– the work I have had

– Garnier Nutrisse #101 (Sugar Cane)

– the “just because,” “how are you?” and random e-mails and etceteras from friends all over the country

– Lindor chocolate truffles (good for the soul) and all other chocolate foods

– my car… it still runs and even without a/c, I’m grateful for it (and we’re driving it to West Texas, so PRAY HARD)

– reasonably good health (seriously, it could be worse and I just don’t want to go there)

– my West Texas based family

– creative inspiration

– Jene’ (If I start listing all the reasons why, I’ll start crying and I won’t be able to stop)

I’m sure I’m forgetting numerous people and things, but that’s the list that I came up with off the top of my head. I also thought of tons of little things, and they are too numerous to list here, but it got me to thinking that all those little things add up and help me get through the days where I feel like nothing is going right… and I’ve had plenty of those this year.

Enjoy your turkey and mashed potatoes and be thankful. If you’re stuck with your dysfunctional family on this particular holiday, you can still be thankful — you get to leave and go back home. If you are with a functional family, you’d better be thankful, period. If the turkey is dry, be thankful that you’ll still be full within the hour. Just be thankful about something. Otherwise, you’ve missed the whole point of Thursday and a lot of other days as well.

Happy Thankful Day!

THE CHRISTMAS PICKLE

Yes, you read that right… I am going to write about a pickle. Why?

Jene’ and I were shopping today and we were looking at ornaments. I noticed a pickle ornament and chuckled. Jene’ told me it was a traditional ornament and one of her heritages (German, Scottish, Irish) put pickles on their trees. Of course, she bought one to put on our tree.

Curiosity got the best of me and I called upon my friend, Google, to help me understand the enigma of the Christmas Pickle. Here’s where Google sent me (http://www.angelfire.com/home/sallinger/holidayhouse/christpickle.htm). According to this website, the legend of the Christmas pickle comes from this story:

The Medieval tale of the pickle tells of two Spanish boys traveling home from boarding school for the holidays. Weary from travel, they stop at an inn for the night. The inn keeper, a mean and evil man, steals the boys’ possessions, and stuffs the boys into a pickle barrel. That evening, St. Nicholas stops in for a rest at the inn, and becomes aware of the boys’ plight. He taps the pickle barrel with his staff, and the boys are magically restored. The boys thank St. Nicholas, and continue happily home for Christmas.

Okay, I think, much like many Christmas traditions, this little tale yielded marketable dividends, namely, a glass blown ornament (Production of the blown glass Christmas ornament started in the1890’s). Apparently, it’s a kick for kids to hunt for this little ornament on the tree, for if they find it first, they either get to open their presents first, get whatever present they want, or get an extra present…depending on which website’s info you choose to believe, and the financial status of the family.

Granted, many of the most…unique… Christmas traditions are German, so being of German/Swiss descent, I should have been aware of this little piece of Deutsche Christmas Lore, but alas, I was clueless. Therefore, I wanted to educate the rest of you so you can run to the store and get Christmas Pickles to put on your tree.

I prefer dill. 🙂