eve of Christmas

We're by a fire, not open, not roasting chestnuts, Jack Frost is about, but he's not terribly nose-nippy. And outdoors, the ribs, as we decided at the last moment, are being done on the barbecue. I'll be eager to know how yours come out, Suze, and will want every detail. We've done these on the bbq before, but maybe not when it's been so cold. Not that it's really cold -- about 28 at present, nothing, really. Denver, on the other hand (on the TV, football) looks pretty grand.

Our public radio station plays serious and comforting Christmas music constantly at this point, so we even have that on. Very festive. I'm feeling better. I put the Christmas tablecloth on, too.

Marty, alas, has my strep throat now (how? I barely saw her last weekend). I ache (figuratively and literally) for her. That part of Christmas, supposed to be tomorrow, is postponed for a day or two. Mom, Chas and I will dine at the Woods' tomorrow evening.

As y'all may know, Christmas in Charlie's world is Christmas eve, and that's when presents happen. It's been several years since we got gifts for each other (time, money and/or laziness constraints), but this year I decided we should give it a go. Took the change box to the bank and got a couple of hundred from it, split it. We managed to wait until just before lunch to open them (yes, it's supposed to be evening). I got Charlie a set of bionic wrenches (google it) and a silly golf viewfinder. He got me -- oh joy -- a mandoline. I'd hoped hard for one, but never told him that's what I wanted. We've played with it some this afternoon and will have scalloped potatoes tonight. He's been looking for things to wrench, but I had to stop him as he was beginning to take apart the wheelbarrow. We need it to haul wood.

Last night I made lobster bisque, salad, and foccacia (I always think of Suzy when I do this; it was when she was here that it occurred to me that my blobs of frozen pizza dough could be easily turned into a sort of instant -- and delicious -- bread). This Christmas weekend is so long that it cries out for new traditions. Christmas eve eve supper, for a start. At noon today Charlie made egg fu yung, something that's been on his mind for quite a while. Maybe that'll be a new Christmas eve day tradition (remember that if you do it twice, it becomes a tradition -- an old Cottey rule).

It's good to be having a quiet Christmas. I'm better, but still kind of weak. Yesterday I did make half a recipe of those kind of cookies made of ground pecans, butter, a little sugar, vanilla, rolled in powdered sugar. "Tea cakes," Charlie calls them, "Mexican wedding cakes," according to the J of C, "Everybody else's family's cookies," to me. I don't remember any side of the family making them. Anyway, they are (shortly to be were) good, and I wish I'd made more. Easy, though.

I have much more to say, but wish to launch a blog challenge:

How about writing up (yes, Chris and Marty, this means you guys, and Julia, too, if she's up for it) a family Christmas memory. Mom gets to write of her childhood, if she wishes (or any other time), and the SSC generation might want to include as many of us as possible. Julia could write of her earliest Christmas memory. Just a thought. It could be general (good) or specific (even better). You may also spit in my eye, if you prefer.

Benjamin Britten's "Ceremony of Carols" is coming on the radio, and I'll get about my cooking duties. Soon I'll update on my recent FC efforts. But in the meantime, here are a couple of photos, taken this morning. Context is an endless ice storm we had while I was sick. Still hadn't melted this morning, but is gone now.

Early morning, Christmas eve:


I think this is the effect we were striving for with tinsel:


This is our white Christmas this year. Not too bad.


Dateline Spring Valley, Christmas eve '06