Well, dear readers, ’twas the night before Christmas and all through the day, spaghetti sauce was cooking, what more can I say? Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, ’twas the night before Christmas – or really the day before Christmas and, of course, that means the night will be filled with happy faces, stuffing themselves with spaghetti, tuna pasta salad, rolls and butter, donuts, caramels, and whatever other desserts show up. There will be Diet Coke galore, regular Coke, caffeine free Diet Coke, and actual wine for those who imbibe. What a festively festive time it will be, but why am I talking about it in this section when I should be talking about it in the next section. I’ve got my damn section mixed up is what I’ve got. I hate when that happens. We must have order, section-wise, or chaos will ensue and these here notes will run amok.
Yesterday was a very relaxing day in which I relaxed. I got up around ten but just stayed in bed being a lazy loafer until eleven. Then I got up, answered e-mails, printed out a few orders, and did some notes on the new book. Then I moseyed on over to the Daily Grill and had some lunch, namely Eggs Benedict. I haven’t had Eggs Benedict in over three years, and boy have I missed it. I stopped having it because of the huge fat gram count of the hollandaise sauce, but I just decided to do it and I loved it. I didn’t have the breakfast potatoes, and instead had a little fruit. It was a perfect little meal. Then I came home and watched the first thirty minutes of Claude Sautet’s wonderful Cesar and Rosalie, with Yves Montand and Romy Schneider. I’m a big fan of Mr. Sautet’s films and it’s great to finally have one on Blu and Ray, albeit a region B release from France, but with English subtitles. I’ll say more when I’ve finished, but I can tell you the transfer is perfect.
After that, I know I did some other stuff – I may even have watched something else before Cesar and Rosalie, but if I did I have no clew as to what it might have been. Oh, wait, now I remember. I finished a motion picture on DVD entitled Enduring Love, directed by the guy who did Hyde Park on Hudson. It’s from a novel by Ian McEwen and I quite liked the film, save for the director’s overbearing and stylistically pointless use of the shaky-cam. The story is very engrossing and interesting, and Daniel Craig, an actor I’ve never warmed up to, is excellent, as is Samantha Morton as his girlfriend. The other actors, especially the other male lead, whose name I can’t remember, are also terrific. Best of all is the score by the director’s usual composer, Jeremy Sams. It’s really great and, even better, as his music in Hyde Park on Hudson does, it functions like a real movie score does and not as so much background noise. If you’re looking for something a little different, where you can’t really guess what’s going on until about two-thirds of the way in, I really kind of recommend this.
After all that, it was time to make the tuna pasta salad. As soon as I turned on the stove to boil the water I realized I’d forgotten one thing at the market – vegetable oil, which I use a tiny bit of when the pasta is in the boiling water, as it keeps the pasta from sticking together like so much fish. So, I ran over to Von’s and got some. I chopped the red onion, then put the tuna and the onion into the pasta, put a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise in it and mixed it all up. Then I covered it and into the refrigerator it went. Today, just before serving, I add more mayonnaise and some salt and pepper. After that, I spent the rest of the evening preparing everything I could prepare. I was quite industrious, I must say. I chopped the onion, I cleaned and sliced the mushrooms, and I minced twelve cloves of garlic – then all that went on two plates, which I covered in Saran wrap and put in the refrigerator. So, that was all the food preparation. Then I prepared the dining table, putting all the plates and silverware out, preparing the bread basket, and decorating the table with the Christmas candles.
I did some cleaning in the living room, took a shower, and that was that. So, I’m really more prepared for tonight’s Do than I’ve ever been before. This is the twenty-fourth annual Do, which is, of course, happening on the twenty-fourth – it’s the only time that confluence of happenings can happen. Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must get a good night’s beauty sleep.
Today, I shall be up by ten, then I shall go buy a couple of presents for two of our young guests. For the adults, I usually let them choose a CD from Kritzerland’s releases. I’ll start the sauce cooking by noon, and then the only other thing I have to do outside the home environment is hopefully pick up some packages and an envelope. Then I just keep stirring the sauce as it simmers away for five hours. I never quite get the hang of how long it takes to boil the water and cook five to six pounds of spaghetti, and I’m always late about it, so today I think I’ll start that process earlier, maybe at five instead of five-thirty. I’m thinking about making the pasta in two batches rather than try shoving all that pasta into one pot, which is always daunting. Then people start arriving at six and we will eat and eat and just when we think we can eat no more, we’ll eat again. I will, of course, have a full report and maybe even some photographs.
Tomorrow is Christmas Day. I have no idea what’s up with the Darling Daughter, who I have not heard a peep from. Hopefully I’ll be seeing her for if I don’t I will have to bop her on the head with quiet strength. Then I go to Cissy Wechter’s annual Christmas partay, where the food will be plentiful, and she’s already told me she’s making me her amazing noodle kugel. The rest of the week is pretty easy – have to write the contextual commentary (I figured out the show order yesterday and chose the final song), have two meetings on Thursday and a short work session on Friday. That’s basically it.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, buy a couple of presents, make the spaghetti sauce, hopefully pick up some packages and an envelope, I must stir, stir, stir (that is three stirs), and then it will be time for the twenty-fourth annual Christmas Do. I have no idea how many people are coming, but I truly hope it’s not over twenty at one time. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite Christmas Eve and Christmas Day memories? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland knowing ’twas the night before Christmas and that a creature, namely me, will be stirring.