Christmas Party

I want to remember the Christmas party we went to on Saturday night. It was so fun. 

We don’t always have a lot of Christmas party invitations when we celebrate the holidays at home — in Pensacola we do, it’s a party every night there! — but this is one that has been pretty reliable over the years, except for the dumb Covid years. It’s at the home of some St. Joe’s friends from Alex’s grade, and so this year the added fun was that all the college freshmen were home from their first semesters, and in attendance. And they were all so great! To get genuine “hello again” hugs (and handshakes, I guess, for the Dads) from 18-19 year-olds that you’ve known since they were in Kindergarten together, is absolutely, 100% The Best. They didn’t stick around us parents long, but still. Everyone felt festive and relieved that we all made it through the challenge of sending our birdies out of their nests; I felt it physically, a lightness and joy regarding their being with us, at this “adult” party, actually being adults.

There was a moment when I was seated at a round table with my friend Emily, and we were having deep conversations about important topics, but also laughing, and I realized how happy and comfortable I was. Granted, I’d finished my large glass of Cabernet. I was bound to feel good and I do get lovey when I’ve had a drink. 

But nevertheless, it was a very good party. I had made guacamole which was well received. I’d also found a pretty sweater top I forgot I had, that fit me nicely. I didn’t spill anything, ha! Kate had a party of her own to go to (which was a happy coincidence, she wouldn’t have enjoyed this party). It just all worked out perfectly. I’m going to try to remember it when I inevitably feel sad that we’re not doing more socializing over the rest of the holidays. 

Four Days In A Row

Y'all. I had to go to my office FOUR DAYS in a row this week. 

We had visitors from Germany (head office) and all over, and long meetings on Wednesday and Thursday. Bonus: We had 3 days of free lunches, woo! Detriment: These were not very healthy lunches, heh. I didn't mind so much that, as having to get fully dressed, with makeup, and do my hair, every day before 8:00 am! Whew! How did I used to do that every day?! My body and I do not remember at all.

But I survived it somehow, and it is TGIFriday and I am at my kitchen table again where I belong. I am wearing soft pants, I drank my coffee from a Christmas mug this morning instead of a metal tumbler (I dislike a metal tumbler SO much, because I do think it affects the taste), and I have lit a candle in honor of the occasion.

Naturally, I have lots of home-tasks that I would like to be working on today: Christmas loooooms! But December is always a very busy work month, too, ugh. So I'm trying to be focused on my laptop, minus this blog-break (I did two work tasks prior! I have worked)! I guess tonight after dinner (maybe, if I have any energy left) and tomorrow, I will work on the home things:

• Shipping presents to my parents and to Aunt Jane (today! I hope!)
• Making meal plans for the holiday break (Alex is home! Gotta make sure some of his faves are on the menu so he'll long for home when he goes back, lol)
• Shopping for the holiday break, including baking ingredients
• Cleaning the kitchen, before making more messes
• Making Christmas treats/cookies
• Duh, present-wrapping (my closet is a mess of hidden shipments and boxes)
• Addressing Christmas cards, ack, I am so behind on that!
• Getting starting with the guest room overhaul - I would like to rework the guest room significantly over break and that means taking a bunch of stuff to Goodwill or throwing it out

It's ambitious, I know. Maybe I'm crazy. Because we also need to make sure Alex gets his booster and flu shots while he's home, gets his car washed, and he has a couple of doctor appointments while he's here. AND I'd even like to have friends over once or twice, casually, during the break, just so it feels a little festive since we aren't traveling. As much as I want to see my parents and cousins in FL, we did so much traveling around Thanksgiving that I think we all need to have an at-home holiday. We'll see -- Shawn is considering another trip to Savannah while he has days off. I have plans to go to FL in late January, actually, with my sister. 

All's well. It's a busy time of year for everyone, so I'm not complaining. The sun is finally out, here in Georgia, and we have very cold temperatures, which feels right. Merry and bright, as December should be. I want to tell you about this excellent book I'm reading - maybe about several I've read in the past few months - and once I figure out the Christmas menus, that will be fun to talk about, too. Onward we go, with holiday sparkle in our steps! (Yesterday two albums brought me joy: the old favorite, Harry Connick Jr's When My Heart Find Christmas, and the brand-new Kings Return EP, A Merry Little Christmas, plus their version of O Holy Night -- it's incredible. 5 stars for both, highly recommend.) 

Packaged Foods I Love

I started this post before Susan died in mid-November. So I'll post it now as a little buffer. We'll still be feeling the loss through the holidays, of course, and posting normal day-to-day stuff seems disrespectful, even though it's not. But I don't want to just write about something sad. Hard to handle. Anyway... 

That title seems so silly, but I was just eating a snack that I love, and I had something for lunch today that made me say, "That was SO good," to no one in particular (I was the only one here), so here we are.

Harvest Snaps by Calbee is the snack I just finished. Well, I wanted to finish it -- the entire bag -- but I restrained myself, if only so I'll have some left to eat tomorrow. I love their black bean crisps in the Sweet & Spicy Mango Chile Lime flavor. Is that a mouthful or what (lol, pun intended)! They're just so delicious, and they're the perfect amount of crisp, like a potato chip, without being greasy or making me think about my cholesterol. I'm not opposed to the Cracked Black Pepper Pea variety, either, although they seem to leave me with an unpleasant feel on the roof of my mouth, where the black bean doesn't. I wish they weren't quite as expensive as they are, in my grocery store at least. I haven't shopped around to find any bargains or discounts, but I should! I would be happy to get a box of these as a cheap, easy Christmas gift, even, lol. Is that weird? (Also, it is definitely time for Christmas gifts stress.)

StarKist Bold Tuna Creations in the Hot Buffalo flavor are another favorite. NEVER in a million years would I have thought I'd say that, but I do, and I did say, out loud, "That was SO good," after eating it today for my lunch. All protein (and salt), huge, bold flavor, I eat it straight out of the packet with a fork. No need to dress it up, although it's also good over a salad with Ranch or bleu cheese dressing. I'm sure it would make a good, if unconventional, tuna salad. The Spicy Thai Chili and Jalepeno are also yummy, and the Sweet and Spicy will work in a pinch, but Hot Buffalo remains my all-time fave.

I saw this graphic out in Internet-land, with the caption "You can only have two." 

Easy: Star Crunch and Nutty Buddy. I've loved Star Crunch since I first had them at my Aunt's house in 1986, and Nutty Buddy with their peanut buttery-ness are just The Best. My kids and husband would choose Oatmeal Creme Pies, but not me. And I definitely don't get the teens' love for Cosmic Brownies. 

Aldi Southern Pecan coffee is something new I've discovered in the last year or so. It's not overly flavorful, and yet there is something there I can't put my finger on, that makes it better than a "regular" cup of, say, Breakfast Blend. I am definitely becoming an Aldi fan, the more I shop there.

I have to get back to work. Today I'm doing not only my full-time job, but also helping Kate on two end-of-semester projects, while she has a "virtual day" because of the GA runoff election today. So it's crazy. Do you have any particular packaged-food faves? :)