Monday, November 18, 2013

The holidays are upon us

Every year, we all bemoan the fact that Christmas things come out in stores the day after Halloween, but this year it seems to me more people have begun to prepare for the holidays earlier than ever--and that includes me I suspect the reality has sunk in that Thanksgiving is really late this year and after that it will be two winks before Christmas.
Eighty-plus temperatures did not create a Christmas feel last night, but I bribed Christian and Jacob (Jordan was out of town), Susan and Jay to come for supper and get my Christmas decorations out of the attic. It's an annual chore they all dread, but none of them will let me go into the attic. Sue and Teddy came by before supper for a drink, and we all sat on the deck and talked, laughed, and drank too much wine. Dinner was, ahem, delayed. I fixed a Mexican casserole which was okay but probably not a keeper and a killer black bean/corn salad--really good. Jacob even ate the casserole because we all laughed at him when he said, "How about if I go straight to the ice cram?" Susan and I cleared dishes but Jay and Christian lingered at the table until I wondered if they'd forgotten the mission for which I fed them. Just as I was about to remind them, they got up and got to work. It was accomplished in no time--but now I have to deal with all those plastic bags in the guest room! And wrap packages.
I have, as I've mentioned, started cooking. Some satisfactory sausage balls are in the freezer, along with some that will have to be thrown out. Jacob and I made chocolate mini-muffins, and today I added my family's traditional cheese ball to the freezer--with the result that the front of my T-shirt is green with parsley. I have butter softening, hoping I'll at least get the dough made for peanut butter cookies tonight. Then maybe this weekend Jacob can help me dip the ends in melted dark chocolate and then crushed peanuts. A lot of work but oh so good.
I am almost through with shopping but with sixteen in the family I keep thinking,, "Oh, this one is getting more than that one" and I worry and buy more. Got to stop that.
I enjoy the holidays, love them, love having my family together as I will this year, but along about now it looks like a lot of work. And how did it get to be mid-November already anyway?

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