WildMare of Celeste/St. John's Day
Dec. 27th, 2024 09:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ismoWell, the Diva and Kansas left for home this morning. I was kinda hoping they could stay until tomorrow, but it's okay--we had a lovely visit with them. It was low key, which was not my plan, but was probably the best thing all around. The Diva and I went on several walks, because that is a thing both of us would like to do more of in the new year, so we started out on it together. There was enough snow when they arrived that we were able to carry out the Diva's goal of making a snowman. He was perfect and funny, and fell over in the night when the snow started melting, leaving his carrot nose behind as a memento.
Kansas helped the Sparrowhawk bring the Christmas tree inside, and the Diva and I decorated it. We opened the Godiva box and the box of fancy Italian cookies that Queenie sent. My sisters and sister-in-law Ms. Science texted about their various Christmases. It was good to know that Ms. Science and the kids are having a good holiday in spite of Mr. Science being absent. The beautiful life he was part of is going on. I found in the pantry the bottle of fancy French aperitif he brought last year when he visited in January, and poured myself a tiny glass with which I toasted his memory. I'm saving the rest for later. We had leek and potato soup and fresh bread for dinner, with various cheeses and things. Kansas was gratifyingly happy to tuck in to this homely fare.
On Christmas Eve, the Diva went to the store with me, and made the piecrust, using some of the lard I got from the farm ladies. I cooked up the neck roast and the beef shank meat with herbs and spices, most of a bottle of red wine, onions, carrots, and mushrooms. Then we filled and baked the pies, made mashed potatoes and a big salad, and had Christmas Eve dinner by candlelight. The Diva ALSO mixed up Laurie Colwin's Black Cake, a Jamaican version of fruitcake that we'd both always aspired to make. She put it in the oven and then took what turned out to be a two-hour nap, because she was exhausted. That left Kansas and me to wonder when it would be time to take the cake out of the oven! Thank fortune, we made the right decision, and it was perfect. A triumph! I had made an apple pie before they arrived, so there was an ongoing abundance of treats.
We burned the last of the fire logs and opened our presents. There weren't very many of them! We all remember generations before us, when the gifts were piled up to the knees of God, or at any rate to the knees of the Christmas tree. It's all very demure and mindful now, but not as much fun. Still, we all received things that were charming and things that were useful. Kansas wanted to save their stockings for Christmas Day, because that's what they did when he was young.
Christmas Day, the Sparrowhawk and I managed to get up in time for church at 9, which was definitely a feat. We both had a few tears in the service. Such things can be bittersweet as you get older, and the companionship of the departed and visions of the things that will never be again are very much present. However, there are also things that still are that maybe shouldn't be, including the lady who decided to treat us to "I Wonder As I Wander," accompanied by herself on guitar. I sometimes feel that no one but Joan Baez should really sing that song, ever. Still, she saved me from getting maudlin, so bless her heart.
When we got home, we had a wonderful Zoom with the entire family, including Muffinhead, who is in Paris, and the Philosopher and his little family, who have recovered from their colds enough to talk to us! The rest of the day passed in lying around in comfort, staying warm and amusing ourselves. The Sparrowhawk and Kansas enthusiastically watched the Chiefs beat the Steelers, while the Diva and I went for a walk. Kansas' Kansas family had given him a box of various meats, so hot dogs and hamburgers were consumed along the way.
Yesterday, the Diva drove down to visit Tron, taking along gifts and samples of pie, cake, and soup. For dinner, we had the steak that came out of Kansas' magic meat box, plus brussels sprouts with bacon, more salad, pickles, mushrooms, tomatoes, and baked potatoes. Then we played a great game of Ransom Notes. My response to the prompt, "Describe why you like the last person to be judge" was the hit of the evening. The last judge had been the Sparrowhawk. Out of my word hoard, I was able to pick the following:
nice
smart
has chocolate
also wife
Well, that kind of sums it up. Today after our treasured beloveds hit the road, I finished editing the Sparrowhawk's "Christmas letter." Which he assures me can still be sent. And so we set off on the road to another year.
Kansas helped the Sparrowhawk bring the Christmas tree inside, and the Diva and I decorated it. We opened the Godiva box and the box of fancy Italian cookies that Queenie sent. My sisters and sister-in-law Ms. Science texted about their various Christmases. It was good to know that Ms. Science and the kids are having a good holiday in spite of Mr. Science being absent. The beautiful life he was part of is going on. I found in the pantry the bottle of fancy French aperitif he brought last year when he visited in January, and poured myself a tiny glass with which I toasted his memory. I'm saving the rest for later. We had leek and potato soup and fresh bread for dinner, with various cheeses and things. Kansas was gratifyingly happy to tuck in to this homely fare.
On Christmas Eve, the Diva went to the store with me, and made the piecrust, using some of the lard I got from the farm ladies. I cooked up the neck roast and the beef shank meat with herbs and spices, most of a bottle of red wine, onions, carrots, and mushrooms. Then we filled and baked the pies, made mashed potatoes and a big salad, and had Christmas Eve dinner by candlelight. The Diva ALSO mixed up Laurie Colwin's Black Cake, a Jamaican version of fruitcake that we'd both always aspired to make. She put it in the oven and then took what turned out to be a two-hour nap, because she was exhausted. That left Kansas and me to wonder when it would be time to take the cake out of the oven! Thank fortune, we made the right decision, and it was perfect. A triumph! I had made an apple pie before they arrived, so there was an ongoing abundance of treats.
We burned the last of the fire logs and opened our presents. There weren't very many of them! We all remember generations before us, when the gifts were piled up to the knees of God, or at any rate to the knees of the Christmas tree. It's all very demure and mindful now, but not as much fun. Still, we all received things that were charming and things that were useful. Kansas wanted to save their stockings for Christmas Day, because that's what they did when he was young.
Christmas Day, the Sparrowhawk and I managed to get up in time for church at 9, which was definitely a feat. We both had a few tears in the service. Such things can be bittersweet as you get older, and the companionship of the departed and visions of the things that will never be again are very much present. However, there are also things that still are that maybe shouldn't be, including the lady who decided to treat us to "I Wonder As I Wander," accompanied by herself on guitar. I sometimes feel that no one but Joan Baez should really sing that song, ever. Still, she saved me from getting maudlin, so bless her heart.
When we got home, we had a wonderful Zoom with the entire family, including Muffinhead, who is in Paris, and the Philosopher and his little family, who have recovered from their colds enough to talk to us! The rest of the day passed in lying around in comfort, staying warm and amusing ourselves. The Sparrowhawk and Kansas enthusiastically watched the Chiefs beat the Steelers, while the Diva and I went for a walk. Kansas' Kansas family had given him a box of various meats, so hot dogs and hamburgers were consumed along the way.
Yesterday, the Diva drove down to visit Tron, taking along gifts and samples of pie, cake, and soup. For dinner, we had the steak that came out of Kansas' magic meat box, plus brussels sprouts with bacon, more salad, pickles, mushrooms, tomatoes, and baked potatoes. Then we played a great game of Ransom Notes. My response to the prompt, "Describe why you like the last person to be judge" was the hit of the evening. The last judge had been the Sparrowhawk. Out of my word hoard, I was able to pick the following:
nice
smart
has chocolate
also wife
Well, that kind of sums it up. Today after our treasured beloveds hit the road, I finished editing the Sparrowhawk's "Christmas letter." Which he assures me can still be sent. And so we set off on the road to another year.
