A lazy day as the holidays rush in

 

My Jim Shore Santa
or is it Kris Kringle?

Sometimes I think it takes a day to recover from travel, even the shortest of trips. Perhaps it’s because I have never been a good traveler, or maybe it’s a part of aging. At any rate, I woke up stiff and sore this morning, which I attributed to four and a half hours in the car yesterday. I sort of proceeded through the day at a leisurely pace—reading emails and Facebook, studying some recipes, going to church via the internet, fixing tuna for lunch, taking a nap.

In the sermon this morning, the minister got to talking about holiday traditions and suggested engaged couples should always check out each other’s family traditions to make sure they were compatible. Made me think of Brandon who for—what? Twenty-three years now?—has been complaining because at Alter Christmas we each breakfast and then open presents. And despite his pleas every time, we do not open gifts on Christmas Eve. For heaven’s sake, what would you do on Christmas Day then? I’ve had a nice email exchange with B. today about that. I so love the four that have married into the family and accept us for all our set ways and peculiarities. Well, mostly they do.

Caesar salad with steak
and the world's biggest croutons

This afternoon, I got ambitious and fixed us a proper dinner—Steak and Caesar salad. I had found a new recipe and followed it closely—marinated steak cubes (I’d sent in a Central Market order, and sirloin was on sale—so a bit of a splurge). Homemade croutons (so much better) and scratch Caesar dressing. Do not ever tell the ghost of Caesar Cardini, who invented the salad long ago in Mexico—but the recipe had a bit of mayonnaise in it. We thought it was terrific, definitely a keeper recipe. But definitely not the classic dressing. It made a great dinner.

Another splurge: somewhere I read that Central Market had chocolate/apricot/lavender toast crisps, and I bought a box. Oh my, are they good!

The Burtons went to their storage locker for Christmas decorations yesterday, and today they brought home a tree from the Optimist lot. So Jordan was in a festive mood and came out this evening to decorate my cottage, while Christian was inside putting lights on their tree. Most of what she wanted—some beloved favorites—was tucked away in corners in the cottage.

Santa Mac

So now, my Jim Shore Santa is on the coffee table, my Santa Mac is on the bookcase, and my Christmas corner sports a tree with the oddest arrangement of lights you’ve ever seen. But it has some treasured ornaments, and it says Christmas to me. In the chair next to it is a pillow given me years ago—it used to play a tune but has long since given that up. And the little bunny is something I think I bought for a gift and then decided it was too dear to give up. Over the years it’s gotten a bit droopy and lost a bow, but it’s still dear. (We keep it where Sophie doesn’t go—at least I hope she doesn’t; the throw pillows on the sofa are there for her to throw on the floor, or at least that’s what she thinks).

So tomorrow, back to work with determination, at least that’s my plan. Sweet dreams, and I’ll check in tomorrow.

My Christmas corner