Christmas, Part II

Gainesville

Hope I can stop sneezing long enough to type. Must be my turn to fight off the thing making the rounds of Bill's office the week I was off. It's very cold here again, so I go from heater to heater. But I have fun each place I go-- playing with the new toys and making progress of the most excellent puzzle Sandy gave me. Have all the text done, and now am starting on the borders-- very difficult, as many pieces are cut exactly alike on one side or the other.

To continue from yesterday's account of the Christmas meal, I roasted two batches of vegetables-- one was carrots, rutabagas and two varieties of fingerling potatoes that I julienned and did as in FC #70-- let them get very crisp, then added some butter after they came out. The other batch was onions, red and green peppers, sliced jalapenos and quartered mushrooms. (I'd intented to add some of Sandy's garlic, but forgot.) I finally made the Belgian endive/spinach salad from EdF, and put it on the table, but there was too much else. We had it the next night, along with the rolls I'd not gotten done either. The meal took two nights to get through!

I packaged and froze most of the ham, but left out the bone. Today I found a package of 15-Bean soup mix and used to ham bone to make it (with added onions, tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice and chili powder). It came out amazingly well, and was great to have on this cold night. There is a ton left over, but no room in the freezer to put anything else!

More good stuff in the mail today-- three jars of Morea stuffed green olives from Sandy-- they are indeed extraordinary-- the way I remember olives tasting when we were kids. I think the secret it the pimentos-- made from actual roasted peppers and hand stuffed. The pungent taste of the skin (left on) infuses the olives. Made for quite a Martini experience tonight, you betcha.

Also got Mom's amazing card. Just astonishing what you can do with that scanner! As Bill remarked, the fir branches are so real it looks as if they are embossed. And what a great job Marty did with the Soares pictures. I think that is the handsomest Christmas card photo treatment I've ever seen. Very very well done!

We're planning to take Blue to the shop early tomorrow-- muffler needs replacing, and some work on the electrical system is overdue. We will try out the Garmin (the GPS gizmo) on the way back. I haven't left the house for three days-- glorious! This is what I call a vacation. Miss the paper and the crosswords, though.

Keep meaning to mention the wonderful One Big Happy on Christmas Day (I get it it, among others, online.) Rick Detorie is giving Walt Kelley a run for the money in the fractured carol division-- Ruthie's takes are priceless, and I love the way she is drawn-- totally into it, utterly unselfconscious. Great stuff!

And I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much I'm enjoying the Liz/Paul/Warren triangle in FBoFW. I spotted "Mr. Right" the instant he appeared, even before Elly hauled out Liz's picture. All making it less likely she'll get drawn into Anthony's mess, which I'd really hate.