Christmas 2013 - Quiet and Cozy

This year, we are having the kind of blended family Christmas that more and more families celebrate. Since our son-in-law Robert's daughter, Ella, could not be with us on Christmas day, we postponed opening gifts for the children and for some of the adults until later this week.  So, Sheila and I were alone this morning when opened our gifts to each other.

Among other things, Sheila gave me the KaBar cane that I have already talked about and a video backup monitor system for my car.  She very carefully researched the latter and bought the best rated system that could be found.  Unfortunately, she didn't notice that most of the people rating it drove RV's and big pickups.  It's a wonderful system but there is just no place to mount a seven inch video monitor on the dashboard or anyplace else in my car.  Santa had already brought me a new tablet computer which I began using as soon as it arrived from the Dell elves workshop and a new patch elbow corduroy sport jacket which was hanging over my office door with a bow on the garment bag.  Michelle gave me a package of Jamaican Blue coffee obtained there on their recent trip the Caribbean that was almost worth its weight in gold.  I broke out the french press and made two cups after dinner.  I can see why it is so expensive.  Coffee may never be the same for me again.  It was that good.

Sheila had been complaining that she couldn't see her watches so I bought her two. One is a fancy number by some designer or other with shiny bits here and there.  The other, which she immediately called "the ugly watch," can be read across the room.  I didn't think it was ugly at all. It's just a good sized, plain faced watch.  I hope it grows on her.  At least she can read it without her glasses. I also bought her, as a gag of sorts, a belly dance outfit and an instruction DVD with some simple moves appropriate for a person of our time in life. She saw right through me (and the outfit) and immediately declared that I had bought that gift for myself.  Santa was in a boot mood this year when he thought of her so she received a couple of pairs that she normally wouldn't have bought for herself.  Santa also brought Sheila a large, solid wood, wall hung jewelry cabinet for her substantial and ever growing collection of costume jewelry.  I suspect we will wind up redecorating the bedroom when I install it this weekend.

We headed to Gwenda's house around 9:30. Gwenda is Sheila's older sister who lives in Broken Arrow. Sheila had spent much of the evening Christmas Eve cooking dressing, sweet potatoes and the rest of the fixings.  When we arrived, we cooked a small ten pound turkey that was just about right to feed our small crew.  Around 11:00, Michelle, Robert and Little Ben arrived.  By that time, the house smelled of roasting bird, baking pies and other good things.

It was a quiet little meal but a good one.  The food was wonderful.  Little Ben was shuffled around the table from one person to another while everyone got a chance to eat.  We took a little break to open a few presents from the kids and Gwenda and then began working on dessert.  Gwenda had baked a German Chocolate Pie and a Pecan Pie.  She is the queen of dessert in our family and she lived up to her title again this year.  While I only at a sliver of each they were sinfully delicious.  Michelle baked a vintage recipe chocolate cream pie.  It was almost a culinary history lesson.  Everything made from scratch with the real, old fashioned ingredients.  It was very good as well. By the time we finished our dessert, it was mid-afternoon.  Little Ben had missed his nap and the adults were all half asleep due to the effects of the turkey.

Our second Christmas celebration still awaits us in a few days.  But, this one was special.  It was a lot like the Christmases when I grew up.  Just close family, a good meal, a few presents and space to relax, bond and appreciate each other. A good time was had by all.