Merry Christmas some more...

Well today was the big day. It was Miss Kat's Christmas Brunch for friends. I was really looking forward to a) being free of my family, and b) getting to spend Christmas with my friends, really my chosen family. Since my sister Cindy wasn't coming up from Charleston until the 26th, I was free to spend Christmas the way I wanted.

I got up early to put my quiche in the oven, and it came out perfect. While it was in the oven, I watched 'The Lawrence Welk Christmas Special' from the beautiful Champagne Theater in Branson, MO, as I do every year. I have it on DVD. One of my most cherished Christmas memories is watching Lawrence Welk at my grandparents' house in the mountains. It was snowing out, but my grandfather had a roaring fire going, and we were toasty warm. My grandmother was roasting pecans in the oven, and I ate them on Grandpa's lap as we watched the show. They all seem so happy on the show. Everyone is beautifully dressed, and gets along. I always cry during the part where the guy dances with his daughter. I'm such a soft touch at Christmas.

Anyway, I was the first one at Miss Kat's house, and was helping her fix plates of cookies. She made all these different kinds of cookies and they were SCRUMPTIOUS!! My favorite were these little powdered sugar lime cookies. I could have eaten about a truck load of them. She also made a french toast bread pudding that was to die for. No one ate my quiche. I should have done something a bit more down to earth. A lot of them didn't know what hearts of palm were, and wouldn't try it. Well at least Russ ate a piece.

Russ and Billy were there, and I got to see other friends from LOCK, and that was nice. It was a really nice time.

After that, it was about 2:30, so I left there and went home for a nap and a freshen. Russ and Billy were going to Rick Shaw's Christmas Anti-Event, which is always wonderful. It's a true "come as you are" party, and I always wear my PJ's and slippers, and we play cards, and it's just lovely. This year was true to form. The turnout wasn't as big as in years past, but we still had a great time. AND I got my ROBE!! I had seen this robe in Mass General downtown, but Russ had told us they could only hold it for 24 hours and it had been put out and sold. There was only one in my size. I was SO happy when I opened their gift and it was the robe! I love it. It's hunter green flannel, and it has bears all over it. I love it so much I wore it to Rick's party tonight.

What a lovely Christmas