Let's see....I haven't talked about Yule-age and New Year yet, did I?
So, let's start with some Yule-age...shall we? Kristopher and I got home on Friday evening on December 20th and I watched some more Christmas movies and wrapped some more presents. Got up the next morning and I made a nice quiche and we opened out presents with Andrea. It was a great Yule-haul (get it...Yule-Haul...oh nevermind...it's more of that retardation I told you about a minute ago). Anyway, we all got lots of nice stuff. I got a diamond cocktail ring from my sweetie and also the much beloved 'Charlie Brown's Christmas' special from my sweetie-man. First pic is of me opening the moobie.
Andrea seemed to have a good Yule. I like this picture of her opening up her new purse. The reaction seems pretty genuine. If you''d've seen her old purse, you'd KNOW it was.
And here's a picture of my mister-man checking out his new coat. I think it'll keep him warm.
So Saturday morning was a good bit of Yule-age. I can't remember what I cooked for dinner Saturday evening so it must not have been anything special. The next day was spent getting prepared to go to Witchy Hollow and have the Yule celebration. It was the final installment in my Wheel series and I was quite happy to have it done. It's been a wonderful and eventful year. We had a nice circle, then wonderful feasting and opening of gifts. Beth seemed happy with her stuff and damned if I didn't forget the camera when we went over there. :( Kristopher got a cool lightening globe, and I got some candle holders for the yard. They are torchiers, really. Four of 'em. Hmm. Wonder what I'm gonna do with those....Okay, so that brings us to Monday, which was Christmas Eve. I wound up having a few drinks as I nanced around the house and cooked a duck. Yep....cooked a duck. Sorry about that.
It was great and here's what it looks like all cooked up from the perspective of a drunken camera person.
So after we had our lovely duck-dinner, I took off about 6:30 for West Seattle where I picked up my friend and co-worker, Chris Schafer. She was born on Christmas Day, and she is either Catholic or Jack Catholic; but I do know that she loves the iconography and wears the medallions indicative of either being or wanting to be Catholic, so I thought it would be a great idea for us to go to Midnight Mass at St. James Cathedral in Seattle. Now it's been about 10 years since I attended a Midnight Mass there, so I called the Cathedral offices on Friday before I left work, and they said that it would be standing room only by 10:00 and if we wanted to get decent seats, we needed to be there by 9:30. Well, we got there by 8:30. I wish I had pictures of the doors to that place! They had replaced them since I had been there last with these outrageous bronzed doors in raised relief. They are really incredible, and, like George Carlin eating a box of oreos while staring at the kitchen clock, we stood and stared at those doors for about 10 minutes out in the cold in front of the cathedral before we went in. I was completely oblivious to what anyone thought of my unabashed wonder at the sight of a hinge about 12 inches high and four inches in diameter. They were unbelievable. Again...no friggin' camera. I'm gonna have to make room for it in my purse. Anyway, we got there early and the mass wsa beautiful. I didn't get quite the rush from it as I did the last time (at least to the best of my memory), but I DID say a rosary for my mom without bursting into flames, and we did sing carols with this huge congregation, and it was the highlight of Christmas. I got home about 2:15 or so and went to bed. The following day, we slept in. Andrea went over to have Christmas with her Dad. She wasn't real thrilled when she came back, but then she never really is. He got her a "club" for her car. She had a good Christmas from me and from Kristopher - so she wasn't hurting, but still....I dunno. A friggin' "club" - it's like her Dad doesn't have a clue. Well, that's only partially it. The other part is that he's the cheapest tight-wad on the planet. The next day we went over to Aunt Pat and Uncle Ed's house for Christmas dinner. It was nice. Maggie and Nick were't there because they were on the Penninsula with Maggie's family - so it was quiet and kinda strange but good to see the aunts and uncles. The next bit of Yule-age had to wait until after the longest three-day week in the history of the world. Andrea moved out of the house on Friday the 28th leaving behind a pile of stuff that looked like it was blown in by a hurricane. She did a pretty good job of getting her stuff out with the time she had around her work schedule, but still it took a whole day to clean the trash and debris out of the room and by the time I was finished, I was who-hash. Anyway, I went to Sears that day and bought a new tread-mill and put it in the empty room. I hope it doesn't hurt her feelings that I didn't leave the piles of trash laying there for sentimental purposes, but I thought it best to clear it out. The next day we had the family Christmas over here, and that was my favorite. Maggie and Nick and Terri and Kevin, me, Kristopher and Andrea. We opened gifts, and wow, did we ever make a grand haul that day. Terri went nuts with the gift-giving. And it was extra great that Kevin was here this year. I think if we have to make Christmas at an off-day to have him around every year, that's what we ought to do. It was really nice. Here are some pics from that too.
This first one is of Nick and Maggie - Nick apparently terrified by the small, flat tree that is inexplicably on his plate.
The next picture looks like I took it from the back of a ski boat. I have no idea how I got a buncha crap splashed up on the lens, but I managed somehow. 
So that was our Christmas experience for 2007. Now my ass is getting numb, so I'm going to get up and get off this computer for now.
