Wednesday, December 28, 2005

the word is out

christmas was good, and it's not over yet. we will be having second christmas in pennsylvania with the hippie's family this coming weekend. yay for more presents! :) i generally like giving presents even more than getting them, but i have to say--this year's haul has been pretty good. aparently, the word about my hobbies has gotten out. i have been officially labeled both a cook and a knitter. i am amazed at the wealth of cookbooks and knitting books i have received so far. this picture shows just a sampling of some of what people have given to me, and i LOVE IT. so many new things to try! oh, and that knife on top? GLORIOUS! i intend to chop the world.

so we spent christmas with friends and family, like most people. christmas eve belongs to jenn and harry and gabriella and various members of their family. i made an italian feast again this year: an antipasti platter with mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, sopresatta, and marinated fresh mozerella, bruchetta with tomato basil sauce, 3-cheese tortellini with fresh alfredo sauce and pruciutto, baked asparags with parmesan and butter, roasted herb-crusted lamb, and homemade eclairs (a la mary). it was pretty damned fine, if i do say so myself.

we got up at the ass-crack of dawn on sunday to drive to my parents' house for the day. and it was actually unusually pleasant to see the family this go 'round. well, except for some loud and annoying comments from my aunt who appeared out of nowhere after we had already eaten and opened presents. she gave my mother a gift, and then proceeded to tell her that it was really the free thing that came with the much nicer gift that she had purchased for my cousin. she loudly informed my nieces that i am always flat broke because i like to "live high." she gave me a ton of grief for not driving 3 hours to go visit her at her house, and then informed me that she and my uncle had dinner last week not 3 miles from our house, but she could not be bothered to call. makes that invite to her home sound mighty sincere. anyway--a bit of a dark spot in an otherwise pleasant day.

the day after christmas, we got to see good friends again--the physics group gets together for dinner every year over the holidays, and it's alays so nice to see everyone. i even got a little extra time to poke around with meredith this year, which is always fabulous. we spent a little money, and then i took her home to her family's house where there happened to be many leftover christmas cookies--always a treat.

this week, i am enjoying a few days off. i just spent a bit of time in the park with emily and shane, followed by a fabulous lunch. it's a glorious day outside--about 60 degrees and sunny. i am filled with dread at the prospect of going to the mall this afternoon, but it's a must as i need to find something to wear to the new year's party we will be attending this weekend in pennsylvania. wish me luck, both with the parking and in finding something wonderful to wear with my fabulous silver shoes!

1 comment:

Flaurella said...

Okay, when even W4D mentions that "Miss Toes" hasn't posted in her blog in forever, it is time to pop in and write a little something to appease your adoring fans.

Come back to the blog world, Jackie, come back.

:::wail:::

http://flaurella.blogspot.com/