I got home from Mom's about 1:30 yesterday afternoon to begin the cleanout process from the storm. I got the twenty some inches of snow and ice out of my driveway, my car started, and now today it is clearing the sidewalk, find and clear the storm drain on the street so that the water has a place to go when the snow melts. Today the warmup starts, 39 to 40 is the high, tomorrow it could get up to 50. The snow will melt fast and with the storm drain clogged the water won't have anywhere to go. The City of Sherwood is supposed to take care of it but they won't so I am making it my responsibility.
We had a great Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. With chains and front wheel drive brother-in-law as able to drive us out to lunch at my favorite deli, Rose's, and then we went to the new Will Smith movie, SEVEN POUNDS, I wasn't quite ready for that emotional of a movie.
Christmas Eve night we followed our family tradition of celebrating Christmas on Christmas Eve. There was just four of us as due to the roads our guest list was downsized from fifteen because relatives just couldn't make it here from Eugene, etc. Sis cooked a nice ham dinner. Then we opened packages. I made out like a bandit. Mom gave me a good chunk of change. Sis gave me a nice GQ outfit. See why I don't worry about buying my own clothes? Sis loves to dress me. The outfit that I am ordered to where on a date? A very nice black leather jacket, a neat pair of slacks, a nice scarf. I left it at Mom's because there wasn't really room in the car for it when they brought me home with Mom's wheelchair, my suitcase, my laptop, sis, mom, a snow shovel in case we got stuck, brother-in-law. I will take a picture of my new outfit later in the week and upload it. This year the gift from heaven caused more emotion from Mom then ever before, maybe the storm, the family being together, all came together when she saw the gift and opened it. Sis thought something was wrong with her (I don't tell anyone in the family about what I do because I want to maintain the mystery). She will cherish that Chanel #5 perfume.
I want you guys to give some thoughts to a few questions that I am going to ask on the blog this final week of 2008. There will be a separate post each day about top ten lists. What do you think the top ten national stories of the year were? What were the top ten local stories in the locale where you live? Last my favorite, what were you top ten personal accomplishments/stories of 2008.
For today though, I just want to know how your Christmas was, what you had for dinner, who cooked, what did Santa bring you, what was your favorite gift. I always like to know what is going on with everyone. If you haven't posted before don't let that stop you, we would love to meet you and hear about your Christmases too!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
I'm glad to hear you had such a good Christmas, Bill. We'll all look forward to seeing you decked out in your new duds.
We were staying here in Santa Barbara at my sister-in-law's house. It was a chance to share our granddaughter's first Christmas and it was such fun. We hadn't seen her since August and she has grown up so much--for one thing she is in better spirits than I've ever seen her.
My favorite gift was a big 11x14 picture of the baby, done on canvas. It's beauiful.
For dinner we had the traditional turkey cooked by my brother-in-law. There is a very funny video about making the gravy here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxHJtFJPWbI My son Tom is such a nut.
It was an early evening because great grandma ("Tutu") had to get back to her assisted living facility and baby Brianna needed to go home to bed. Everything was cleaned up and we were relaxing by 8 p.m.
Hi Bev
If you want to email me the picture of the picture of your granddaughter I'll see if I can post it on the blog so we all can see her!
How is the great grandma doing?
Very funny video.
Bill
We've had a nice low-key Christmas. The kids arrived Tuesday night, and we had potroast & veggies. Wednesday, we went to the bash at Las Casitas where my mom lives. The staff got her a bunch of presents, and so did we, so she was mildly overwhelmed, but in good spirits. The dinner was amazing: turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, yams with a yummy cinnamon-flavored sauce, green beans, choice of 3 kinds of pie for dessert. Their chef is great. On his days away from LC, he manages the kitchen at a prison, where I doubt the quality of the food is as good. I didn't realize until hours afterward that there was no stuffing this year. Usually, I'd miss that, but was too stuffed to think about it this time.
Christmas morning, we opened our gifts. We'd agreed not to go all out this year, so most of them were inexpensive but thoughtful, which was very nice, and there were still a lot of them, so it took a while. I made a brief visit to my mom, and then we were off to an open house, where they had Peking duck, tamales, spring rolls, rumaki, chicken salad Diane, all kinds of hors d'oeurves (sp?) and booze. I actually had a taste of real absinthe, but only a taste. Hoo-eee! That stuff has a bite! We came home and later had popcorn made in Dave's new microwave popper, experimenting with using olive oil, which works well, but he says we need real popcorn salt, as the regular kind has too big crystals to stick properly. He's a real popcorn fan.
Today, so far, we're kicking back and expecting a visit from some friends of theirs in an hour or so. We'll have an early dinner and maybe visit mom in the evening after her dinner.
Hi Pat
I love low key. I'm glad your kids were there with you to celebrate.
Pot roast and veggies is one of my favorite meals. The staff where your mom is just keeps impressing me over and over again.
Wow sounds like the good at Las Casitas did an amazing job!
I like a bunch of not all out gifts, it is fun opening packages.
Man did you have some great meals this holiday season!
What a great holiday for you!
Bill
Sounds like a lovely Christmas, Bill, Bev and Pat. We were pretty laid back. Dinner at 4:00 was Cornish game hen, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes (all gooey with marshmellows and pecans), corn and bean casserole and Mom's famous cranberry relish. Desert was pumpkin pie and cookies. Down to the living room to open presents and watch a DVD my brother had made from old 8mm films. Then chats with Lake and with the sisters, niece and nephew to end the evening. My favorite gift... um, the guitar fake book with 700 country songs? The funniest gift -- Lake sent Himelf a book in which the author proposes to provide a theory on bulls*&t, based on philosophical analysis.
Good luck with the digging out and cleaning up from the storm, Bill. Sounds like quite a job, particularly taking responsibility for the storm drain. Do remember to take breaks and rest!
Hi Dr
I love sweet potatoes. What a menu you had! I wish we could do an audio of you playing some of those songs.
I'm pretty much done with digging out. Took me four hours to clean the driveway out. You couldn't just shovel it, first you had to beat down the ice. And I did take breaks!
Bill
Post a Comment