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So. Apologies for the long hiatus. Christmas was wonderful in many ways, but overall, so darn stressful. And then we came home, with the Philosopher, his Lovely Friend, Tron and the Lumberjack, and they stayed for the week, which was wonderful, but I was just too tired at night to post. Today, I thought that after everyone left, which was sad (snf) I would reflect on some of the nice things about the week. However, I then called my mother AND read some sibling email, and it made me pretty grumpy. I need a little time to regain my equilibrium . . . .

Which I will do, because there really were so many good things that happened during the holiday season this year. I'm pretty lucky. Tron was still trying to recover from an illness, and the Philosopher and Friend had a lot of work to be done in between celebrations, so I had the joy of knowing they were safe and comfortable at my house. We had lots of good meals, went to the movies, took walks, napped, got coffee, and played games. It was very relaxing and peaceful, with lots of love--just what everyone needed, I think, including me. The Philosopher is a board-game aficionado, and brought Pandemic for us to learn. We played three times and lost, and then won and won again. It's a very interesting game. He's also a poker player, and we played Texas Hold'em, Five Card Draw, and Omaha. both regular and Hi-Lo. It turns out the demure Lovely Friend is a ruthless card sharp!

Last night, we cooked up a feast for the last night of the year. The Sparrowhawk made the steak and baked potatoes, and I contributed salad with sweet yellow peppers and cucumbers, carrots glazed with maple and orange, green beans with brown butter and sliced almonds, and mushrooms with dill and a touch of balsamic. I also added chopped scallions, grated cheese, and sour cream for decorating the potatoes. It was all very yummy. Today before everyone left, we served a traditional New Year's Day meal of rice and beans, greens, and ham. Plus toast with jam and honeycomb. Riches, luck, and sweet things to come! I am very wealthy indeed and wish everyone the same next year.