Well, dear readers, the Do is Done and quite a Do it was. It was one of the Doingest Dos ever and we’ve had a lot of Dos. This Do started a bit later in terms of arrivals. We usually have people right at six, but our first arrival was about six-twenty, when Kay Cole and her ever-lovin’ Michael Lamont arrived. It was just us for a while, and the others began arriving – Adryan Russ and her ever-lovin’ Dale Alan Cooke, Leslie Young and her two daughters Alexa and Mia, James Mulligan (he did the cover for Red Gold), Joanna Erdos, dear readers Amy and Mark, Ilona Simon Muller and her ever-lovin’ Steve and son Daniel, Doug, Dorathy and Hartley Haverty, Karen, Sarah and Sami Staitman, Barry Pearl and his ever-lovin’ Cindy Dellinger, Diane Linder (from Bluth Brothers days when she was Diane Noble), Richard and Elizabeth Sherman, Shelly Markham, and I think that was about it – at least I hope I’m not forgetting anyone at this late hour. Much food was consumed – huge amounts of food. I made five pounds of spaghetti so that lasted just fine. I made a huge amount of sauce this year and about two-thirds of it was consumed. But the really popular dish this year was the tuna pasta salad – luckily I actually made double the amount of what I normally do, so there was enough to go around. And I did end up making a small batch of Wacky Noodles and those, too, were quite popular with the populace. Some folks brought desserts, including Amy and Mark’s Peanut Butter Pie from House of Pies. The conversations were sparkling with lots of warmth and laughter.
Towards the end, we all convened in the living room and did what has now become a tradition – a little musical soiree. Richard Sherman began – I asked him to play Hushabye Mountain, which he did beautifully. Then I threw the title song for The Parent Trap and he managed to get through that even though it’s not something he ever plays. Then he did that film’s two other songs, Let’s Get Together and For Now, For Always. Finally we had a bit of Savannah, a song Richard wrote to a Johnny Mercer lyric, and then he closed with Chitty Chitty, Bang Bang. Then Shelly did a few songs, Adryan Russ did one, and I did Simply and then played Annie, which Sami did – it’s really become a signature song for her. Then everyone started to leave. I’d told Sami that I’d just finished a new song for the project I’m creating for her – she was really excited to hear it – I’d sung just a teeny bit for her earlier in the evening and she loved it, so after a few folks had left I played first the opening number to our project, which we’ll be doing in the January Kritzerland show, and then I played her the new song, and she just loved it. And Richard was there looking on for both songs and he really thought they were good, as did his lovely Elizabeth. Finally, everyone was gone by 10:40 and I cleaned up a bit and, of course, ate even more food. I’m so stuffed it’s not even funny. After today’s partay, it’s strictly dietsville from now till the end of the year. Here are some photographs from the Do. First we have the dining room table set with the festive candles and the tuna pasta salad. As the evening went on this table was filled with other goodies that people had brought.
Here, of course, is the famous spaghetti sauce – someone said I really needed to bottle it and sell it.
Here’s Doug Haverty and Diane Linder.
Here’s Sami on the couch like so much fish – yes, this is the actual so much fish couch.
And here’s me playing the new song for Sami, with Richard looking on.
Prior to the Do, I Did preparations for the Do. I got about seven hours of sleep, then went and picked up a framed thing, did some banking, then came home. I hung a couple of framed things in the den, then began the making of the sauce. Since all the garlic, onions and mushrooms had been sliced, minced and chopped the night before, that all went very quickly. I put it on simmer and let it do its thing. I then spent the next couple of hours cleaning and organizing things. Then I got ready. At that point it was already five-fifteen. I began to boil the water for the five pounds of spaghetti – it’s a huge pot and that takes quite a while for that much water to boil. And then I made the Wacky Noodles, which was pretty simple. While the spaghetti noodles cooked, I got the rolls set out, put the finishing touches on the tuna pasta salad and that was that.
Today, I shall get up whenever I get up, I’ll open a couple of presents, and presumably I’ll hear something from my daughter at some point. But at about five I’ll mosey on over to Cissy Wechter’s Christmas partay – I haven’t seen David and his family in way too long. I’ll try and take some photographs. I always forget that my telephonic device takes really fine photographs.
Tomorrow and the weekend I’m just relaxing, working on some monologues, getting everyone their music, and watching some motion pictures.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, open presents, maybe see the daughter, maybe watch a motion picture, and then attend a partay. Today’s topic of discussion: How did you spend your Christmas Eve, and what was your favorite Christmas Eve you’ve ever had? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy that the Doing of the Do is Done. And last but not least, may I wish each and every dear reader and lurker the Merriest of Merry Christmases.