Merr-iChristmas!

Christmas Day

We woke up Thursday and opened our presents. We actually opened one each the night before, a tradition from Deb's family. I gave her a Christmas-red Apple travel mug, and she gave me a 2004 calendar with photos we'd taken of our kitties over the past few months! Awesome!

Deb's big gift to me was the Lego Orient Expedition Dragon Fortress, which I spent about half the afternoon putting together. Fun! I will probably spend plenty of time in the future creating new configurations - and keeping the cats away from it!

My best gift to her was a pair of earrings in the shape of sea turtles carved from (I think) sandalwood. Very pretty! She likes 'em. Our Hawaii vacation is definitely still have little influences in our lives (and not just because Deb's scrapbooking our trip, or because we'd like to go back).

Debbi went a little overboard with toys for the cats, but they have enjoyed most of them. It's the kittens' first Christmas, and they did the required playing in the wrapping paper and chasing their toys around.

And she got a digital camera from her sister, which she likes quite a bit!

Debbi called her folks, I called my folks, and we got together with my friend John for a Thai lunch, since he was a Christmas "orphan" this year. Then we were full enough that we had just a small dinner in the evening before going for a walk to see the Christmas lights in the neighborhood and hitting the sack.

Here's a shot of the lights we put up outside my house:

Boxing Day

We hit Target for leftover lights, Mervyn's for some clothes, Best Buy for some extras for Deb's new camera, a pet store for a larger carrying case for the kittens, and then lunch at Tacos el Gruillense in Redwood City (I have a soft spot for this place since we ate there at least twice on my fondly-remembered California vacation of 1998).

Then we came home and I got cooking. I cooked a leg of lamb with a recipe from Cook's Illustrated, pounded flat (well, mostly flat; pounding meat is hard work!) and spiced with thyme, rosemary, parsley and garlic, and then breaded most of the way through cooking. And I made rice pilaf and Deb made frozen green beans for side dishes. It all took over 3 hours to prepare and cook, but...

Holy cow did the lamb come out good! Mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm! Maybe the best recipe I've ever prepared. And we had lots of leftovers, too! (Lamb the rice pilaf heat up quite well in the microwave.) I'll definitely have to make this again.

Bridge Day

I was moved to bake cream cheese brownies for it, and they were finished right around when it was time to go. They were perhaps my best batch of cream cheese brownies yet (yes, I remembered the butter this time!).

Bridge was interesting, too. A lot of intriguing hands to play, as opposed to some days when I spend all days bidding (or not bidding) with 5-point hands. This day included features such curiosities as the opponents bidding slam while I'm looking at 14 points in my hand (yes, I doubled, yes, they went down 2 or 3). I managed to blow a couple of contracts, but on balance it was a good day of Bridge.

And sweets. Becky also baked brownies, and we had ice cream, and hot fudge, and John made egg nog. No, we didn't have dinner, why do you ask?

Before the Bridging we watched the end of the New England/Buffalo football game, where the Patriots crushed the Bills by the same 31-0 score they lost to them in the first week, but this time the 14-2 Pats clinched home field advantage in the playoffs. They sure look like the team to beat in the NFL for the playoffs. We'll see!

Football Day

For dinner we put some onions and spices in some hamburger meat, which also turned out really well, and added some hash browns on the side.

Then it was time for Deb to go, after 4+ days of hanging out with me. She doesn't seem to be sick of me yet, though!

75 hours to the new year. Hang in there, everyone.