Christmas Day & kids

Christmas Day dawned magnificently, leisurely. Even with a late night beforehand, I (today, "Pop") still was up early, watching the eastern sky pink and violet. Pup enjoyed the out-of-doors, and we still could see the lights on the back as we came in. Turning on the tree, and breakfast starting, brought Linda to the day. We had a good vegetable tart, chard and onions and Parmesan, and croissants, and fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice, and v-e-r-r-r-r-y crispy bacon: very good, says Linda. We opened our gifts and stockings including the pup's new meaty bone, and morning Christmas cards, and read the text message from Andy and T. Then we sat over coffee and recorded The Night Before Christmas for Colin-the-pup, even though this year the story was really for Jenny and Chris.

The plan was to not go fast, and the plan executed flawlessly. A walk in the park. Whacking the brussels sprouts off the stalk. More attention to the dog. A long wonderful talk with Barbara, while all the California crowd was napping but her, so we could hear about Pook. Making the pecan pie.

Colin-the-pup and Jenny and Chris arrived mid-afternoon, with the pup bright-eyed in his carrier and looking alertly at everything. He spent time on his mom's lap before we ate, in front of the fire, Wally looking on and marvelling at the similarity of cooing sounds offered a baby and offered a dog.

We pottered around for the entire rest of the day, the dark coming 3'ish or 4'ish or 5'ish and not noticing the time at all. Barbara called and we chatted again and Jenny got to chat as well. A good pork loin with mustard and tarragon; Chris finished the cabbage in cream with a flourish; we polished off the wine (moving to champagne plan B after plan A froze in the freezer while chilling).

We carried Colin around; we sat on the floor with the dog. And we ended the night after the kids left by enjoying the fire and the music, and drank just a little bit more.