Well, dear readers, the Do is Done and I can officially wish each and every one of you the merriest of Merry Christmases. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, the Do is Done and it’s after midnight as I write this and so Christmas Day is here and so are we. I have to write these here notes in a hurry so that I can scurry to the bedroom environment and fall fast asleep so that Mr. Santa Claus can come down the chimney and leave some presents for the likes of me. Yesterday was a day of cooking. That’s basically what I did – I sliced and diced and minced and peeled, I cooked, I simmered, I stirred, I seasoned. I did take a brief drive in the motor car to pick up a package – no important envelope even though I was promised it would be sent a little early so it would get here by today. But, alas, it was not, which means the soonest it will arrive is Monday. Then I came back and simmered and stirred some more. All the while, I was listening to lots of music and I got through about seven CDs, which did make a nice dent in the big pile. Then I shaved and showered, and cooked the pasta, and then at about six-fifteen our first arrivals arrived. Soon the jernt was sprawling with people. I daren’t try and name them all, as I know I’ll forget people, but the helper was here (along with her cute baby, who’s walking up a storm), The Singer stopped by, my friend Debby and her wonderful daughter Olivia was here, musical director Lloyd Cooper and his beautiful singer/wife Barbara came – I’d forgotten that she’d promised to make kugel but, true to her word, she did and boy was it yummilicious. Then my friend Michelle came and with her were her two daughters (one young, one eighteen) and the daughter’s friend, and then some friends of Michelle showed up, a family of four – it’s the first time we’ve had that many kids in the jernt and I, for one, like to hear the sound of children’s voices. Lots o’ laughs, lots o’ wonderful conversation, and lots of eating. Our very own Mark and Amy came by – in fact, we ran out of chairs in the den, so some people sat and ate outside on the patio – another first. LACCTAA’s Joanna Erdos came with her sister. The Singer had other things to do and left, but the rest of the folks hung on for quite a while. My pals Robin and Sean came by – they’re friends of Barry Pearl and Robin appeared in the Nudie Musical staged reading. Also, Illona Simon (one of the original pit singers in Promises, Promises – I gave her the newly mixed CD) and her ever-lovin’ Steven and son Daniel. I made more sauce that I’ve ever made before, and I must say that by the end of the evening there wasn’t very much left. I also made four pounds of pasta and there wasn’t much of that left either – ditto the tuna pasta salad. Several people brought desserts so there were a lot of sweets. Then, just when it seemed things were about to break up, the second contingent arrived around nine-thirty – Grant Geissman, his ever-lovin’ Lydia, beautiful daughter Greer, and Grant’s beautiful mum. Doug Haverty and his ever-lovin’ Dorothy and daughter Hartley, my neighbor and pal Ellen Butterfield and her daughter, who I don’t think I’d seen since I took her to a petting zoo when she was around ten. She’s now an absolutely beautiful young woman with a very nice husband. I think I may have left out some folks, but it’s late and I’m exhausted and Santa baby is waiting for me to get to sleep. I ate a little too much food, frankly, but the whole evening was a rather delightful affair.
After the last of the folks left, I cleaned up a little, just so it wouldn’t be completely messy in the morning. The good news is that she of the Evil Eye who was not due until a week from tomorrow is, in fact, coming on Monday. Interestingly, the entire evening yielded not one e-mail save for a lovely note from the Pogue. There were, of course, many people who didn’t show up, including some people who are usually here, but that’s the way the spaghetti bounces.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because Christmas Day is here and so are we and I must get my beauty sleep.
Today is Christmas Day. I shall hopefully sleep in, then I shall arise and open my few gifts. After that, I’ll clean, then jog, then watch a motion picture or three, after which I’ll decide if I want to make the trek to attend Cissy Wechter’s Christmas Day partay. I’m really on the fence about it for various reasons.
Tomorrow is a ME day, although I now have to figure out rehearsal schedules and show order for the January Gardenia show. This week is just simple stuff and just a few things to take care of and the helper will be doing the postage and labels for a LOT of Casino Royale and Genghis Khan orders. I have a couple of meals to do and some nice people to see, other than that it should be a nice, relaxing week, at least that’s the hope.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, open presents, clean, jog, watch motion pictures, and then maybe attend a Christmas party. Today’s topic of discussion: Tell us all about what presents Santa baby brought you. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland because Christmas Day is here and so are we, and Santa baby is waiting to slide down Ye Olde Chimney.