Christmastide - Trying to Keep the Christmas Spirit Alive

Sunday, January 12, 2025

Back at work this past week. I miss Christmas vacation but reality came calling and ended it all. It's still Christmastide so I'm trying to enjoy some elements of the Christmas and winter seasons. Informed Dale recently that we're observing Christmas until Candlemas this year. He didn't say anything cuz, well, what's he gonna do. 

Been listening to my expertly crafted (if I do say so myself) currated classical oriented playlists. 

Trying to get outside to appreciate winter. 

I've been trying to straighten up the yard. 

Here I am finally getting some of the lawn furniture in the garage. 

Here I am taking my morning coffee outside. 

Doing a little snow shoveling/sweeping. 

I've been breaking down an unusually large cardboard box out in the garage.

I actually have no recollection of what was in this thing but it's huge. 

Trying to do this slowly over time so it doesn't end up taking up all the room in our recycling receptical. 

Saturday shopping with Noel. 

Some of our favorite shops still have holiday merchandise out. 

Fun to look around but I need more Christmas stuff like I need a hole in the head. So, no, I didn't buy anything. 

I've indulged in cigars but I'm cutting back.

I've only had two so far this past week. Compare that to about 5 per week over break. 

Dale and I are doing a dry-ish January. We didn't start until the first Monday after Christmas break. 

Overall we're doing pretty well. I had a couple Old Fashioneds this past Thursday when we went out to dinner at The Howe.

We went out to brunch this morning at Northbound and I had one of their Old Fashioneds. Compare that to however many I had per week over break (it was more than 3). 

When I saw Mike on NYE he told me one of his goals for 2024 had been to read something like 40 books, which I found quite impressive. He made clear that not all the books were massive tomes and that some were shorter and/or easier reads. Right now I'm working on Cher's memoir which is quite fun. She's been around my whole life and I've followed her over all these years. Not sure I'll make it to 40 books in 2025 but I aim to put more of a focus on reading.

Speaking of shorter books I read this one today for old times sake. It dates from the mid-60s and is chuck full of the good-grief-ethos of that time period. 

Went shopping at Kowalski's for groceries today. Quiche for dinner and Oh-ho cake for dessert (speaking of old times sake). 

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Christmas Season 2024/2025: The Seventh Day of Christmas - New Year's Eve

Tuesday, December 31, 2024

Time to wrap this year up. Dale and I went to the downtown Lifetime this morning to do weights. This is something I’d like to be better about in the New Year. 

Went to The Howe for lunch. I had an Old Fashioned. Hoping to cut down on calories and booze in the New Year. I haven’t been bad about those things this year but I could be better. 

After lunch we stopped at Lund's to pick up makings for dinner. We’re having Mike and Charisse over tonight and Dale wants to make his awesome oven baked spaghetti. 

Mike and Charisse arrived at about 5:45. They each brought some house shoes to wear inside instead of their boots. Mike showed us some slip-on lace-less sneakers he got as an assignment from a student years ago. The assignment was to make a craft related to a piece of literature and this particular student painted a different character from the story on each shoe along with some quotations from the book. I wasn’t familiar with the story but the shoes sure looked cool. 

                                         

I showed them my craft of Peeps and sugar in a clear jar. I made it last year with the Christmas tree peep and this year I added the gingerbread man peep. This is about as craftsy as I get. 

Mike and I stepped outside to shelter in the garage while we each smoked an Oliva. It was nice to catch up as I haven’t seen him for a couple months. 

After cigars Mike and I joined Dale and Charisse inside for appetizers. Charisse brought some smoked salmon from Ingebretsen’s which we had on crackers. It was delicious. Spaghetti for dinner and chocolate bundt cake and ice cream for dessert. It was nice to just sit around and talk. We didn't make it until midnight but we made it to 10:30. Not bad for people growing older. 

[Added New Year's Day] Dale wrote the following on his blog: "We had one of Joe's high school friends and his wife over for NYE last night.  It's become kind of a tradition to spend New Year's Eve with them and we absolutely enjoy their company. They're the kind of people who make you comfortable just being yourself.  We talk about anything and everything.  Since we hosted this year, I made a Brian Lagerstrom spaghetti dish that was several steps above your standard spaghetti dish and I had to say it was bangin'.  Super deep flavor in the sauce and with a real kick.  We just sat around the table the whole evening and before we knew it it was 10:30 and well past everyone's bed time.  I haven't made it to midnight in several years, but we almost made it to 11:00 (Central time) so actually did make it to the eastern time zone's new years anyway."

Christmas Season 2023/2024 - 6th Day of Christmas: Dinner with Mike and Charisse

Saturday, December 30, 2023

The 6th Day of Christmas

Mike and Charisse invited us over for dinner tonight. 

For the drive over we were getting a little rain that was trying to turn to snow.  Very slippery conditions. 

We brought over a bottle of white wine to share and a nice red velvet roulade from Lunds for dessert. 

We started with cocktails. Mike had martini makings set out for me.

They had quite a lovely smorgasbord set out for dinner with lots of tasty options. We had a good three hours to talk about all our surgeries, troubles at work, looking ahead and preparing for retirement, and of course our funny cats. I think we came to the conclusion that despite the trials that occur at this stage of life we're at least gaining a level of wisdom we didn't have before to help counter it all. 

While getting ready to leave we discovered the rain had indeed turned to snow and that there was a light dusting covering the ground. We said our goodbyes and were careful walking to the car and driving home because the rain had left a thin layer of ice under the snow. I can't remember the last time I had to brush snow off the car. Too bad this all didn't happen a week ago allowing us a bit of a white Christmas. Oh well, no matter. This holiday season has been quite wonderful even without the typical winter optics. 

Christmas Season 2022/2023 - 7th Day of Christmas: NYE with Mike and Charisse

Friday, December 31, 2022

Mike and Charisse had us over for dinner tonight. They served fondue which was a blast since Mom hasn't done it for a couple years now. 

We had cocktails by the fireplace to start. 

Dinner include and oil fondue with shrimp and beef, a cheese fondue with bread and ham, and chocolate fondue with fruit, potato chips, and some pizzelles which we brought over. 

After dinner we moved back to the fireplace and engaged in some more wonderful conversation.

Holiday Season 2021 - Mike & Charisse

Thursday, December 23, 2021

We had Mike and Charisse over for dinner tonight. It was nice to see them and we had a wonderful time. Dale made chili and they brought over some Christmas cookies over that they made for us which we had for dessert. They're the first company we've had since we got Sylvester so I wasn't sure how he'd react. He was very outgoing and as we talked and ate cookies after dinner he jumped up on the couch and sat between them. He rolled over on his back and let them scratch his tummy. I think they really enjoyed his company and were impressed by how relaxed he was with them. 

Dale wrote the following on his blog earlier today:

"Tonight we’re having a high school buddy of Joe’s and his wife over for dinner.  I’ve made my signature chili and we’ve cleaned the house.  Joe is decorating the tree and we’re listening to Donna Summer’s Christmas album.  Sylvester the Cat is cuddled up next to me as I write this, so the scene is quite cozy and domestic.  Joe and I are both missing Athena mightily, but it has been almost two months since we lost her so the sadness has mellowed a bit.  We were so lucky to have had so many years with that wonderful dog."

The Tenth Day of Christmas - Mike and Charisse

Friday, January 3, 2020

Had Mike and Charisse over tonight on this the tenth day of Christmas. Dale hasn't seen them as recently as I have so it was nice to catch up. Dale made an amazing chili with Italian sausage that went over very well. We had cherry pie for dessert and I found out that Mike grew up preferring birthday pies as opposed to cakes just like I did. We're all doing dry January and it's going well for everyone. We're all finding that we're missing the rituals of drinking more so than the drinking itself. 

2,5,6,7,9,10

Holiday Season 2019 - Mike

Saturday, December 14, 2019

I gave him a Hello Kitty ornament for his tree. He got a kick out of it. 

We caught up and listened to lots of Christmas jazz.