We had a lovely Christmas Eve. Our child has grown up. Kaity is now closer to 30 than 20, so we were “kid-less,” unless you want to count Sandy’s puppy (who regardless of being assured of being trained on “pee-pee papers” apparently thought the carpet WAS a pee-pee paper) and Duke, the permanent child of the house.

Owen just shampooed the carpet to remove any lingering odor. It looks like new. I still might buy a new carpet — just because we’ve had this one for five years. It was inexpensive and, come to think about it, we could put two carpets in this room.

People with small children and pets should never buy expensive carpets!

I wish a new sofa could be acquired for under $40! We’ve had this one for 16 years. The dogs wore it out. It wasn’t chewed, just well loved.

I made chili for dinner and popovers to go with the chili. The popovers looked, not to brag, like an illustration from a cookbook. The problem with popovers is they are huge, heavy and fresh from the oven with butter are very filling. For some of us, that is dinner. The recipe (and my popover pan) says it makes six, but we seem to always wind up with 7. The last one goes into a custard cup. If you lack an official popover pan, you can make perfectly fine popovers in buttered custard cups.

Despite the carb overload, a goodly volume of chili vanished. Somebody ate it. I didn’t eat mine until very late. It was a mistake.

Do NOT eat chili at 1 am. If you do, be prepared for disagreeable consequences.

Earlier, Owen’s friend Arthur went to his favorite Italian bakery and brought back a mince pie — Garry’s favorite and for some reason, really hard to find — plus cannolis and turnovers. Not only was the popover filling, but I also had to save myself for dessert.

Last night I ate more sugar in one day than I’ve consumed in single day in many years. Just to add to my dietary demolition, Kaitlin gifted us with a 10-lb. box of dark and milk chocolates. I can feel my jeans growing tighter by the minute.

Despite my ceasing drawing and reducing the amount of typing, I had to put my wrist in a brace again. Maybe it’s all the photo processing. It could be the cooking. Something has made my wrist angry and painful. I’m sure glad I saved the brace! I keep thinking I’m doing less, but my wrist does not agree. Cooking has become an issue because it includes a lot of lifting of weighty pots, pans, and dishes as well as stirring, chopping, scrubbing, etc. Whatever has caused it, my right wrist hurts. The brace is not a cure. I need to give it a serious rest — at least three or four days of no-stress.

Today has (so far) been peaceful. Just me and Garry, Owen and Arthur and of course, the Duke. He got a new squeaky, fluffy, stuffed goose. Sandy’s puppy — a long-haired bigger-than-mini but smaller than full-size dachshund named “Joey” — was very happy with remaindered red tissue paper which he proceeded to tear into much smaller pieces.

We have a half lamb leg to roast which I bought early in November on sale, knowing the holidays would come. And so they have. I thought maybe I’d make a Yorkshire pudding to go with it since it’s the same recipe as popovers, but Owen, whose diet like mine has also gone to hell in a handbasket, suggested we omit the carb overload. Well, okay.

I didn’t take a single picture. I almost never do on holidays. It’s not that I don’t want pictures and would be delighted if someone else would volunteer. It’s that I’m having a good time. I don’t want to stop and do the “everyone move in a little closer” thing. You know, those casual photos that aren’t quite as casual as they should be because if you don’t move people around at least a little bit, all you see are elbows and the backs of heads.

So for everyone, if today is your Christmas, have a great one. And it it isn’t your holiday? Have a great day anyhow!

Categories: #Food, #gallery, #Photography, Anecdote, celebration, Christmas, Holidays, House and home, Humor

Tags: #gallery, #Photography, Christmas Day, dog food, Holiday, humor, Marilyn Armstrong