The Tsunami wave

I cannot help but say something about the death toll that is mounting across Sri Lanka, India, and Indonesia. In the late 50's, Arthur C. Clarke moved to Sri Lanka, and I remember it was said at the time that it was to get away from taxation on his books. In the late 60's, since my husband was a writer and a great admirer or Arthur C. Clarke, we also thought that it would be an elegant and exciting thing to do, move to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), and we spent many days and nights talking about the prospect. Alas, it was too far away from our mothers, and our friends, and we did not do it. But I have never forgotten that "incompleted quest", and have been interested in that area of the world as long as I can remember and have always wondered how life would have been different had we moved there.

Now, the tsunami has come, a natural disaster, and wiped out 44,000 people at last count. As I got my Dunkin Donuts coffee this morning, I listened to the news on the car radio and could not fathom that number of dead. This will hopefully be the last time, since now something will be done to make sure there is a warning system for the whole planet. As countries and as individuals, we often only learn from experience, too late.

I hope we can use our individual talents and our combined technology to help others.

A day to relax and enjoy normal

The parties are over and it is time to relax and work on the afghan. I am working on a scarf, but I have finally reached the end of the "scarf addiction", and think this is the last one. My mother had relatives visiting at Christmas who helped her unpack her Christmas gifts and the white scarf I made has disappeared. We are not sure what happened. One thought is that George may have put it in a small garbage bag to protect it in the top of the box and someone who unpacked the box just threw it away with the wrappings. Like I said, "one crisis after another." I am not upset. It is only a scarf, and living alone at 95 like my mom does, and having to rely on other people to help her do things, I'm not surprised that things get misplaced. Christmas was a stressful time for her, with three small children visiting, and running around. It is good for her to have the company, but it takes a lot out of her physically and requires many days of rest afterwards.

I could use a few days of rest myself right now, but I am working and not taking any vacation days this week. I'm saving those days to go to someplace warm in the sun this winter, destination unknown.

Enjoy the day.

Dinner on the fly

Today I found out that George's son and his wife, and his daughter and her boyfriend who are visiting from California are coming for dinner at 6. I had little time today to prepare since I was working. George had the day off, lucky dog. I stopped at a local Italian Deli, named Bob's in Medford. They have everything, and I bought most of it. Three kinds of bread, provolone, roast beef, baked ham, salami, other salami (those Italians know the names but I do not), Italian garlic crackers, an Italian fruit bread, calamari salad, potato salad, olive salad and honey mustard. The table is set and we are ready to begin yet another Christmas celebration.

The cookies and nuts are brought out one more time. It is nice to have so much ready to serve. I worked today, so all this was done in a matter of 30 minutes or so prep time. I feel like Rachel Ray.

I hope everyone has a good time. I'm pooped.

More tomorrow.

hurry hurry 

Snow! 

Feet of Snow

We woke up this morning to ten inches of powdery snow and the announcement by George that he remembered during the night he has no gasoline for the snow blower. My phone charge is dead, and I need to call David to see what time his appointment is at the hospital. Of course, I don't have his phone number anywhere but on that phone, so I have to wait for it to charge up a bit. Electronics are so useless sometimes, and I still haven't found my red phone book since the party. Oy.

Few people will go to work today here in Boston, but I will be one of the few. I'm sure things will work out just fine. Somehow. The snowplows worked all night and I was thinking of all those private snowplowers with pick up trucks and attached plows who love snowstorms because they can make so much money in so little time. Just in time to fill the bank account again after Christmas. This year, after being at my organization for 12 years, I got an indoor parking place at my office. That makes things a whole lot easier in snowstorms.

So, we are off to shovel our way out. I'm sure I'll get to work sometime today.

Peace

All tuckered out 

Snow snow snow

Tonight we are expecting six inches of snow in Boston. The kids don't have school tomorrow and are still sledding out on the street in the dark, with enough light from the house Christmas lights. They are having a grand time. It is going to snow all night it looks like, so who knows what the drive will be like tomorrow. I'm not going to rush it.

A nice night to be inside, looking out.

Day after Christmas Gingerbread Men. Woohoo. 

Kids sledding on our street 

I love my new Calphalon pot. Thanks Michael! 

Brownies with Peppermint Ice Cream 

Turkey soup

You can tell the holiday is over when we are eating turkey soup. Yesterday we had turkey for Christmas dinner, but I let the turkey cool for a full hour before we served it. We carved it and made a dinner for my friend, and George and I took it to his house and then came back for our own dinner preparations. Actually, since it was cooler, the turkey was easier to carve, and no less tasty. I carved off all the meat and as I did, I put the bones in my new Calphalon pot that Mike gave me for Christmas and which I have already used several times. It is now a permanent guest on the top of the stove. I added cold water, salt, peppercorns, bay leaf and celery and cooked it for one hour, and then refrigerated it over night. Today I strained it and added carrots, potatoes, fresh peas, broccoli, brussel sprouts, parsnips and tomatoes and reheated it and we are having it for lunch. Turkey soup is so flavorful, it is my favorite thing to eat after a holiday.

We took Mike and Michelle to the airport to catch their shuttle to Washington. We had such a great Christmas and I'm so glad they were here with us. It is snowing, but not enough to cause any delays hopefully. Traveling on Christmas can be so challenging, but so far it has been no problem here. We are lucky.

We still have gingerbread men to bake today. George's family is coming for a visit tomorrow so Christmas isn't over yet. I will go to work tomorrow, and take my friend to Brigham and Women's hospital for a chemo visit, which seems to me like the important thing to do. We still have a small wheel of Brie cheese, assorted Christmas cookies, brownies, and spiced pecans, as well as chex mix that my mom sent us and half of a cheesecake. Lots of food still to enjoy around here. I hope they come hungry.

Winding down here after the Christmas rush and enjoying it.

Take care and enjoy a peaceful day.

My new calendar 

Dinner is almost ready 

Spritz and sugar cookies waiting for Santa 

Christmas Day

We all went to the Christmas Eve service at our church. The bell choir played three carols for the prelude and it went swimmingly. The church was decorated in pink and white bouquets of roses and poinsettias and sparkly stars of pink and silver glitter made by the Sunday school children. It could not have been prettier and the whole service was very festive. I was so happy to be able to share the evening with Michelle and Mike. We came home and had apple pie and peppermint ice cream as a nightcap at midnight. We didn't need visions of sugarplums, we had the real thing.

Christmas mornings are always a mass of presents and unwrapping and laughter and fun and today is no exception. The turkey is in the oven and almost ready, but no one is hungry yet. I will probably make a dinner to take to my friend and then come home to serve ours later when we are hungrier.

I got a new Senseo coffeemaker and a new Calphalon pot among other wonderful gifts. Michael gave me Stephen King's book "On Writing", and George gave me a whole coupon book for free carwashes. I also got sweaters, pretty flannel pajamas, and...oh, lots of stuff. I used the new pot right away to make the cranberry dressing--perfect. I am drinking a cup of my "new" coffee as I write this. A long, slow, easy day of togetherness is the goal today. No shopping, no wrapping, just us together playing games and watching James Bond (of course) and looking at our presents. Michelle is going to give me some tips about Everquest II later today. After all, I am surrounded by genious.

Merry Christmas everyone.

And a jolly Christmas to you too! 

Checkers 

Christmas Elf