Merry Christmas!

The first wave of Christmas-ing is over and we're resting before going over to the younger Malcolm's house for standing rib roast (!), Yorkshire pudding(!!), and other assorted delicious things that I don't have to make. Durwood's got a batch of BBQ meatballs in the crockpot for an appetizer and Mrs. Z's making her famous cranberry muffins with butter sauce for dessert. (No thanks, no lunch for me.) Brother AJ, his wife and son came over around 11 with bagels and cream cheese so we sat for a couple hours visiting and laughing. All gifts were well-received. DIL2 really liked getting Dad's old chromatic harmonica. I'm glad it will live with someone who will play it. We all remember him playing it when we were kids. Everyone's thrilled with the jams, jellies, and pickled things DD & DIL2 made for us. They make the most inventive flavors of things, like Lime & Peach or Blackberry Chocolate Spice. I think they should have a business. I also think there're probably not many jars left in the greater Lexington, KY area. So far no birds and only one squirrel has found the birdie tree, and the squirrel's only eating the stuff under it. They'll catch on soon, I'm not worried.

December 24--Hans Leinberger, Saint Stephen. As you walk toward him you can see the breeze ruffle his robes. His smile is welcoming and you look forward to sitting beside him for a rest. Then you stand before him and realize that he's a painted carving. You have been fooled into thinking that he's alive, that his garments are fabric. You feel like a fool at first but then you realize how skilled the artist must have been to make something so rigid appear alive.

Not very inspired, pretty darned tired. Merry Christmas to all!
--Barbara