All is calm, all is bright.
After dinner, but before my son arrived, I came back home to get gifts, check on the dogs, and enjoy a few moments alone. I sat under the tree (note the spiffy new Yak-Traks on my boots – I’m set for the hill now!) – it was a nice interlude – enjoying the calm before the storm of family frivolity – and the potential for drama.
As usual, I and everyone else have been running at 90 mph to get to this point – the point where you can just sit and take it all in.
My son arrived safely from Charlotte (I had fretted). I teased my brother and bonded some more with my sister-in-law. My great-nephews (sheesh, how can I be this old?) are just too cute. My nephew’s wife is ready to produce a baby boy any second. My dad, He-Who-Hates-Christmas, was positively jolly. My mom was exhausted and we managed to make her sit down and just be still. My son’s socks were knocked off by his grandfather’s gift. And did I mention my son brought hand-made truffles, a beautiful wine, and enough foie gras to keep me fat for a year? No? Well, he did. He also brought the puppies. Babette isn’t thrilled, but they are.
No drama this Christmas. All is calm.
Someday I'm going to have a camera that can handle this kind of shot.
As I walked back home, the promised snow was falling. I could see the twinkle lights in my kitchen window and the light shining from my son’s bedroom. All is bright.
We may or may not have a snow storm. The gentle flakes of this evening may be a snow-in tomorrow. And that’s fine too. I don’t have to go anywhere, I don’t want to go anywhere. All my people are safe and warm. Come Tuesday, HMO’Keefe will be here and I will have a second Christmas.
I am so blessed. I hope you are too. And may your night be silent while the snow falls and children dream.
W. Va. Fur and Root 
So glad for you that all is well in Furry Root Land.
We did a very mild calm Christmas. No hoopla, no outrageous Christmas meals (although mild meals in my house might be outrageous for others). Just relaxed and let it all flow.
Mmmmm. fois gras. . . what a delicious decadent indulgence. I swore off a long time ago for ethical reasons, but if someone gave me a chunk I’d HAVE to eat it. Stuff like that is as good as sex.
Chef Boy ‘R Mine is in his Foie Gras Period. I have Sonoma Valley foie gras that he turned into torchons of something or other – he tells me had I paid for it, I’m looking at $400 worth in my freezer. I have kumquats and port to accompany it. It’s going to be decadent around here! I was also gifted with a video link to a rather amusing Swedish chef and his foie gras experience. http://fxcuisine.com/default.asp?language=2&Display=237&resolution=high Swedish chef guy made a statement that made me feel better about eating forcefed duck and/or goose.