GIRLS NIGHT OUT

It amazes me how much paperwork an ordinary person must sift through. Whenever I return to Murphys, I go through junk mail, mail stuff back to advertisers and ask to be removed from their mailing list. I  like to think I can handle everything from the road, but, it isn’t possible. I receive  e-bills that I can pay from the road, but I never return home without finding a billing error of some type, it seems. Karen talked me into abandoning my “job” and going to lunch at Alchemy with her and Julie. They serve an exquisite bloody mary tomato soup, with a touch of horseradish. Great salads, good beer and wine. Sweet potato fries with a chipolte sauce. Hmmmm. It was all good and much better than doing paperwork.

Karen and Julie wanted to go shopping. I took one look in at a newsprint jacket and decided I’d rather get back to a light, fun read I’d started for my Saturday afternoon,  Natalya, God’s Messenger by Magda Bogin.  And, I invited everybody for a girls night out.

I made tortilla soup to go along with the movie by the same name. Only my tortilla soup I’m sure didn’t taste anything like the soup in the movie. I forgot to take pictures, we were having so much fun. Neighbor Jan brought this Girls Night Out jar and we decided to make it a tradition. Whenever we get together, we shall bring the jar to the next person’s house. Inside the  jar is a deck of poker cards and pennies for betting.  Jan loves poker. I love girls night out.

THE WELL LIT TREE AND OTHER MERRIMENTS

When cousins get to tease cousins, no matter the ages they all enjoy.

Aunt Cathy with Abbie.

California weather meant the little guys spent several hours on the trampoline Christmas Eve Day.

Daniel and Beverly.

Its hard to wait your turn to open a present.

Even the big kids enjoy a cousin present.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care.

As the day got late, the guys put up the candles and lit the tree.

By popular request, Cedric made his pecan sticky buns before working on one of the Christmas meat pies, or pastie, as the traditional dish is known in our family.

Laurie displayed some Christmas “bling” with her lighted necklace.

The “dueling” cooks each made a giant pastie, each a bit different, both delicious. The banter goes something like this:  “Your pastie is an abomination, its too juicy its too much like a pot pie.”
“Yours needs a little something to spice it up.” All in fun, not a morsel remained after breakfast on Christmas Day.

After dinner, the candles were snuffed, the tree adored and the family enjoyed the evening.

Some looked at family photos or played cribbage or Rummikub

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One of the grown-up “kids” helped the little ones with their toys.

The guy who drove the farthest distance enjoyed a nap.

And, a merry Christmas was had by all.