NOTE: Do all cooking prep work before the family arrives.
Trying to cut vegetables and answer everyone’s questions leads only to disaster.
(No appendages were lost or stitches required; but if I had any doubts, I’m keeping my good knives plenty sharp.)
Adeste, fideles, laeti triumphantes;
Venite, venite in Bethlehem.
Natum videte Regem angelorum.
Venite adoremus, venite adoremus,
Venite adoremus, Dominum.
Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine,
Parturit virgo mater,
Deum verum, genitum, non factum.
Venite adoremus, venite adoremus,
Venite adoremus, Dominum.
En grege relicto, humiles ad cunas
Vocati pastores approperant:
Et nos ovanti gradu festinemus.
Venite adoremus, venite adoremus,
Venite adoremus, Dominum.
Stella duce, Magi Christum adorantes,
Aurum, thus, et myrrham dant munera.
Jesu infanti corda praebeamus.
Venite adoremus, venite adoremus,
Venite adoremus, Dominum.
Aeterni Parrentis splendorem aeternum
Velatum sub carne videbimus,
Deum infantem, pannis involutem.
Venite adoremus, venite adoremus,
Venite adoremus, Dominum.
Pro nobis egenum et foeno cubantem
Piis foveamus amplexibus;
Sic nos amantem quis non redamaret?
Venite adoremus, venite adoremus,
Venite adoremus, Dominum.
‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
“Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PRANCER and VIXEN!
On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONNER and BLITZEN!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes — how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke of it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
“HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!”
–Clement Clarke Moore
Congratulations Andy and Heather!
Welcome Natalie!
(I’m guessing on the spelling here)
For obvious reasons, (like the fact that we had six visitors Saturday before the party) I haven’t started my Christmas baking. So tonight I made dough for cookies that needed to be refrigerated. That’s be rugelach, sugar cookies, and a new cookie–sour cream nutmeg cookie. I’ve also branched out and decided to try fresh nutmeg this year. Even bought myself a new Microplane grater. (Finer grating size than the one I already have.)
We’ll see how they turn out.
As far as the fine grater and the nutmeg, I have to say that it wasn’t really very difficult to grate the nutmeg–added maybe a minute onto the prep time. So as with the Microplane zester/grater I got, I definitely recommend this one. I’ll let you know whether grating nutmeg is really that much better.
The other thing that we’ve been busy is planning my Mom’s surprise 60th Birthday party.
(more…)
It’s already seven o’clock! Where is everyone!
Okay. I didn’t actually want to be up this early either. But sometimes, there’s just stuff you’ve gotta do.
And to be honest, the stuff I have to do doesn’t involve the computer, so I’d best move along.
(Of course today’s Andy’s wife’s due date. So maybe THAT’S where everyone is!)
Yes, I pretty much didn’t read for the two or so months while we were working on the house, but now that we’re finally getting settled into a routine again…
Fables: 1001 Night of Snowfall (2006) Bill Willingham
If you haven’t read Bill Willingham’s Fables series, then you have really been missing out. Fables is the story of the fairy tales who have escaped the lands of fairy tales after they were drive out by the adversary, and are now living in New York. However, anything you need to know about the Fables before reading 1001 Nights of Snowfall is explained in the one page introduction.
Read More about 1001 Nights of Snowfall
Elizabeth & Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens (2003) Jane Dunn
I read the occasional history book, to pick up on all the bits I missed in school, and a book about two queens who reigned in the 1500s seemed particularly interesting.
Unfortunately, Elizabeth & Mary was to be a serious disappointment.
Read More about Elizabeth & Mary
Tripping to Somewhere (2006) Kristopher Reisz
Gilly and Sam are looking to escape their lives, and opportunity knocks when one of the city’s better known street people tells them that the Witches Carnival is in town, and if they move fast they can catch it. As Gilly and Sam run after the Witches Carnival, we learn what they’re running from, as well as what they mean to each other.
I recognize that local food movements and other such similar ideas are very good idea, for a number of reasons. And in the fall I do try to buy local produce when it’s available (Giant Eagle almost always has corn from Preston County.)
Yet I appreciate the fact that I can go to the grocery store and get foods from all over–especially ones that aren’t in season right now, or that don’t grow locally. I’m not saying that there’s anything wrong with ramps and paw-paw, but variety is good.
Especially the variety of citrus fruits available at this time of year. Besides snow, one of the other reasons I love winter is because that’s when citrus fruits are their best. Navel oranges and blood oranges and lemons–this time of year almost makes me wish I liked grapefruit.
Went to the grocery store today and came back today with a box of clementines. I’ve already eaten two, and they were wonderful. Say what you like about the modern would, but I wouldn’t want to give up oranges and clementines and all the other fruits and spices that would never grow here.
And now I think I’ll go have another clementine. Because despite everything, they’re only here in the winter, so I should enjoy them while I can.
Today’s the day! After 12 years of long hair, Michael has an appointment today for a hair cut.
He’s kept a short ponytail for the last several years, so he doesn’t have enough hair to donate (he donated ponytails to Locks of Love twice in the past) but he says he’s tired of it and getting it cut short.
This’ll be very strange, because I met him when he was growing his hair out. And once it’s short, I’m pretty sure he’ll never grow it out again–at least not as long as he’s expected to deal with the public on a regular basis,
I’ll try to remember to post pictures, post haircut.
A date which will live in Infamy
In 1941, Japanese planes made a surprise attack on the US Navy at Pearl Harbor, killing 2,403 and wounding 1,178. Twenty-one ships were sunk or damaged, including the USS Arizona, which remains on the harbor floor, and the USS West Virginia, which was eventually refloated, repaired, and rejoined the fleet towards the end of the war.
Information about the Pearl Harbor Attack.
Pearl Harbor Remembered, including survivor’s remembrances.
The official US Navy Pearl Harbor website.
The USS West Virginia, including pictures of the ship from the 20s through the “mothballing” of the ship in the 1950s (She was later broken up and sold for scrap).
The USS Arizona, from the University of Arizona, including a brief hisotry and online exhibits.
President Roosevelt’s speech in response to the other attacks that day.
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