One More Christmas To Remember

I guess since this year I was a lot more naughty than nice, Santa bypassed my house.  The reindeer left some presents behind though. 


So, as usual, Christmas Eve was at Mom & Dad's.  With time passing, each year together becomes more precious.  Three years since her war with cancer, Mom still does almost the entire meal...without ever complaining about the aches, pains, fatigue and stiffness that make daily life such a joy. 


Dad's walk has slowed so much, a snail would beat him by a mile.  Breaks my heart to see a man once so agile, become a shadow about to fade away.  A man who at 80, fell off a second story roof (a story for another day) and only received a few bruises...thus earning the name "Spiderman" from the staff at the ER.  But the six years since have taken the spryness and left a tired soul.


The noise level at the table was as loud as I could remember, though most of the family thought last year was louder.  Last year they weren't quite as deaf, I say.  My family is one where we all think that what we have to say is priceless, so you better be louder than the person sitting next to you...if you want to be heard. 


Too quickly the moment is gone...leaving behind only the memory of one more Christmas where the food was great, the wine delicious and the family intact.  Santa, if you're listening...that's all I want for Christmas again next year.

Christmas Cookie Marathon: The Day After

So the cookie event began at 9:30 Saturday morning and I called it a day, one bottle of wine (that's my story and I'm sticking to it) and 9 1/2 hours later.  Seven different kinds of cookies, and I left the butter cookies until Sunday because I wasn't sure if my cookie press would hold up...it didn't.

Sunday was my birthday and it started out well enough.  At 2:30 in the morning as I am sleepily walking to the bathroom, my significant other decides he wants to give me a birthday kiss...scared the shit out of me...but the thought was nice.

Walked the dog in the freezing cold...where was the significant other now you ask... sleeping with a bad foot...let's not go down that road right now.

As the morning progressed and I realized I would not be leaving the weekend house in time to get home for kickoff, I sent the "Other" and his friend home early with the dog.  I stayed behind to finish baking, do laundry, separate the cookies and clean the kitchen.  Happy Birthday to me.  Getting them out of the house, loading the cooler while baking..burned a batch of cookies, then the cookie shooter decided to give me a hard time...so I killed it.  Put the sucker right out of my misery.  Go to plan B, buy a new one and finish the cookies during the week.

I need to test at least one cookie from every batch to be sure they are fit for consumption, so my caloric intake all day consisted of cookies and wine. 

Happy Birthday to me.  

Christmas Cookies: The Marathon Begins

It's time to bake the cookies. 

The joy of Christmas cookies is in the eating, not the baking. 

While it is fun to have a glass of wine or four while baking, it does tend to screw up the measuring process.  Having friends or family to help is also fun, but they tend to become bored after the second batch or so.  Then you end up in the kitchen...alone, with flour everywhere and an empty bottle of wine.  Luckily, that can be corrected.

This year, the plan is for at least 7 or 8 different types of cookies.  Tasty indeed, but exhausting to even think about.  After they are baked, they need to be separated into tins for friends and family...all those people who get to eat them without any work involved.  Nuts for this person, no nuts for that one.  It's like separating leftovers from a Thanksgiving dinner for traveling care packages...a giant pain in the ass.

However, everyone seems to enjoy them and so this weekend there will be cookie dough, sprinkles and chocolate chips in every grout line of my tile floor...along with a few empty wine bottles.

ho ho ho.

Dobie Gray: Find Peace and Drift Away

Dobie Gray passed away.

"give me the beat boys, and free my soul. i wanna get lost in your rock & roll...and drift away."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tsDI2xIFEU

nothing better, nothing smoother. rest in peace.

The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Gets It Wrong...Again

Every year when the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announces its inductees, I generally feel the need to vent. This year is no different. I mean...seriously WTF?

The two bands featuring women who definitely know the meaning of ROCK were denied entrance into the Hall. While Joan Jett & the Blackhearts were not the band I rushed to see back in the day, you cannot deny the influence they had. They made it acceptable to be a bad ass female musician.

But more than the Blackhearts fiasco, how do the Wilson sisters not be inducted? With a catalogue that is both extensive and insanely successful, Heart led the way with soaring vocals, some really memorable guitar licks and a great stage show. They "knocked down the wailin' wall," showing how much fun it was to be women rockers, able to stand up with any other band out there.

And, don't forget, these bands started rockin' when it was one big boy's club.

We all want to take the R&R Hall seriously, but every year it seems the joke is on us.