Christmas 2011

Wrap it up, baby...we're done.  From Price Phillip's unexpected trip to the hospital for a stent, to a very much anticipated Christmas Eve engagement of my precious niece (and my sister's daughter), Suzanne, to her longtime love, Jason, it's been one heck of a Christmas.  My sister spoke to Hudson and Hadley Christmas morning in California, and told Had Aunt Susu and Jason were getting married. Had's first words were "Is Aunt Susu going to get pregnant?"  Whaaaat??  When my sister told me, we both screamed out laughing.  Since all three kids will probably be in the wedding next year, this oughta be one big non-stop howl-fest.  Just thinking about it makes my eyes roll back in my head.  

As anticipated, once Benji saw the picture of the type and color puppy that's still on my list, on went the full court press. Every time there was a lull in the conversation, which around here is almost never, up came the puppy talk.  I heard back from the breeder and she will let me know if she gets a blue boy in a litter due in a couple of weeks. She'll email me and we can come look when the pups are older.  Can I just tell you that's not soon enough for a 27 year old who lives in Nash, with his wife??  Oh, noooo...he wants instant puppy.....sort of like instant oatmeal.  Truth be told, I sorta do, too, as do the rest of us, but that just isn't gonna happen unless we find one somewhere else.  The bad on that is, I don't want to ship a puppy----I want to go get him myself and drive him home.  Flying all alone would just be too traumatic....now, if someone was flying here and would tuck him in a carrier under the seat, well, now we're talking but otherwise...ewww.  And when I say under the seat, I really mean in your lap, snuggled in a blanket, sound asleep.  Or, nestled in your coat pocket, so you can read, and keep him clooooose and warmmmmm. Not thinking that's gonna happen.

On another note, yesterday we received a still warm load of the most sensational tamales from Senora Maria.  And, yeah...I ate a still warm one.  I had to...it's the law.  The tamale law.  This is her annual Christmas gift to us and despite the fact I told her NOT to make a special trip, here she was with, Juan, her smashingly handsome husband.  She just kills me.  And when I say a loooooad, I'm not kidding.  Since we need to divide them three ways, that's several dozen tamales (like 5).  The bag was so heavy I had to lumber to the kitchen with it.  While they cooled off, I made room in the frige.  With left over pasta and a boat load of tamales, our refrigerator smells like the UN.  Very Latino and tres' lovely.  The flavors are chicken and cheese, Rajas (some kind of pepper and cheese), and red chile--all spicy-- and luckily, Benji and Andrea brought a cooler with them, to take back their Christmas booty.  Between pulled pork, tamales, left over lasagna, and a casserole I have for them if they want it, I hope they have freezer space.  If not, no biggie.  They can just take what they have space for.  Ditto Brian. 

 Here's a picture of our dessert from Christmas Eve--a Brandy Ice.  Next time I think I'll do it in a smaller wine glass.  It was the recipe from the newspaper and I think it was easy and really good--a total do ahead.  Holler if you want the recipe.  The vanilla Fat free whipped cream is the shooter kind that's so fun to play with, and tastes sensational.  Brian got it out of the refrigerator and plunked it down on the table so we could all re-shoot as we ate.  He even got his dad to open his mouth, and shot him a mouth full....we are such white trash.