I had Colin and Marissa over Christmas Eve for dinner. They arrived around 5:30p, though I had started preparing the Cornish game hens around 5:00p, We were having such a good time chating and just hanging out, though, that progress was really slow and we didn't end up eating until almsot 7:30.

After dinner, we just hung out for awhile and then they headed off around 10:00 to finish up stuff they had to do. I just relaxed, watched a movie, and then turned in around 11:30p.

Christmas Day, they were both back by 9:30am as Marissa was fixing bacn and eggs for us. We were able to share a wonderful Christmas morning together.

And there was still about a half foot of snow on the ground from all of the previous snow storms, so it was really pretty to sit in the living room Christmas day and just be together in the warmth of my home. Doesn't get any better than that...

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Christmas Eve - Colin grumbling about when the food will be ready.

Christmas Eve - me explaining that good things take time.

Christmas Eve - and these are the aforesaid mentioned good things that are taking that time.

Christmas Eve - This was the final basting of the hens.

Christmas Eve - Marissa waiting for me to pull the hens out and ready to grab a plate to get on with it.

Christmas Eve - A shot many of the wonderful cards that friends have sent wishing me well in the holiday season and to whom I hope have also been blessed.

Christmas Eve - The final scene before the hens came out; ten minutes after that we were sitting at the table feeling very blessed that we could all be together and share this time

Christmas Day - Marissa was the first to arrive a little after 9:00am Christmas Day.

Christmas Day - Colin was soon to follow. Though the roads and sidewalks are clear, you can see that there's still a lot of snow on the ground.

Christmas Day - I believe the comment at this point was something to the effect of: "Do you want me to do this, or do you want to do it? If you want me to do it, then let me get on with it." We shut up and let her do it. Bacon, scrambled eggs, and hash browns were terrific. Moral of the story: don't harass the cook...

Christmas Day - I must have been a good boy, because Santa filled my stocking with some neat stuff.

Christmas Day - Marissa holding my 16 quart stainless steel pot that I had been threatening to buy after the first of the year but obviously was beaten to it here! As you can see from a previous picture, I had to use one of my enamal pots for cooking some of the ingredients for Christmas Eve dinner, and enamal just doesn't dissapate the heat very well so if you're not careful - or maybe have a little too much to drink and not paying attention - stuff is gonna burn. This was a great gift and one that I'll use over and over. And I'm holding my Christmas gift to myself: a 12" cast iron skillet. Out with the nonstick stuff that's bad for you, and in with this heafty piece from Lodge Manufacturing - in business since 1896; how can you go wrong with that?

Christmas Day - Sad to see Colin and Marissa leaving for the day, but the joy that they brought me will remain for a long time; probably forever.