Well, dear readers, I have breaking bombshell news for you and it’s BIG. Hold onto your hats – it is Christmas. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, it is Christmas, a day of joy to the world, a day of merriment and mirth and laughter and legs. There were times this week when I didn’t think I’d make it, but I did and I’m here to tell the tail of the tale because you’ve already heard the other parts. So, I got a text at 7:45 in the morning yesterday saying that the second payment by check had been cancelled, and that was very good news. Turns out their entire payment system was down. She said she’d send me a new link as soon as she had it. I thanked her profusely. Ultimately, I got about seven hours of non-consecutive sleep. I got up at ten-thirty, I think, answered a lot of e-mails, set a time for the Darling Daughter’s arrival and got a modern major miracle and told the car place they were good to cash the second check, so that’s done and done. At noon o’clock I began preparing the spaghetti sauce. In a frying pan, I sauteed the garlic, onions, and mushrooms – usually I do that in the spaghetti pot but it kind of sticks and burns there, so I thought I’d do it this way. Then I transferred it to the pot, then made the sauce itself. I put it on the lowest burner to begin simmering.
I then went to the mail place and picked up a little package, then came right home. I continued to simmer whilst occasionally stirring. Then I got the house ready – folding chairs, all the cutlery and paper plates, napkins, and whatever else. At 1:59 I got a text with the link for the second payment. I alerted my gal that I’d gotten it and was about to try it. She told me to only try to get the code once. I went to the site, clicked on send code, and voila, it arrived instantly. I filled it in, got to the payment page, it had saved my debit card information, so I just clicked on that and clicked on complete. I got the next screen that said: SUCCESS. I immediately went to the online banking and opened that account and voila – the money had already hit. I let the gal know and wished her a Merry Christmas. The ONLY unfortunate thing was the banks closed at two, so I couldn’t transfer the money to the other account. I’ll do that first thing tomorrow. Then I shaved and showered and beautified as much as possible, which isn’t all that much. I moved the pot to the front burner and at five began boiling the water for the pasta. I made four pounds, which is what I usually do. That took a while and cooking the pasta took the time it took. I put out the tuna pasta salad and all the dessert things, rolls and butter, and that was that.
First guest arrived promptly at six – Lloyd Pedersen, who’s been in several shows for me at the Group Rep. We chatted until the second and third guests arrived – Marshall Harvey and Alby Potts. Three people and me. Say what? Now, earlier I’d heard from Adryan Russ that she and her ever-lovin’ Dale weren’t coming – they weren’t feeling well. I’m not sure they’ve missed a Do in the last ten or twelve years or even more. Kay Cole also could not come. The four of us ate some food and gabbed away, but I began to sense that we might be it for the evening, which is rather amazing. Then Grant Geissman and his ever-lovin’ Lydia stopped by to wish everyone Happy Holidays – they had fifteen minutes before they were off to a Christmas Eve dinner at a nearby eatery. They left and Robert Yacko arrived. The five of us chattered away, more food was eaten, and then Jason Graae and his ever-lovin’ Glen arrived, and we all chatted away until ten-thirty. Some pretty hilarious chatter it was, too. Food was eaten, too. The most amazing thing was it was all men – not a single gal. Surprising that Amy and Mark were no-shows. I cannot remember the last time they missed a Do and I really don’t get it. I wrote them a little e-mail. Of course, Doug was in Florida, Barry Pearl was having a little foot issue and didn’t come, and because the attendance was so low and I’d made so much food that was now going to go to the trash, that the rules are changing – next year, people will have to RSVP to attend, so I know exactly how many folks will be here. I have never in thirty-six years had to do that, but I will never again overcook like that and waste all that money and food. The good news is that we all had a splendidly splendid time. Oh, and this was the first time ever that the Pogues did not send flowers. That was weird, too.
After everyone left, I cleaned up, filled two Tupperware things with sauce and threw out the rest, and washed the few dishes and utensils that weren’t plastic. And that was the Do. I did have a bit more tuna pasta salad before writing these here notes. There was half of the first batch left and all of the second. Never again, I say. And here we are.
Today, I’ll be up by ten-thirty, I’ll do a quick ATM run for a little cash, come home, and the Darling Daughter arrives at noon o’clock. I’m sure she’ll have some spaghetti and sauce and some tuna pasta salad. I’ll probably only have tuna pasta salad. Then we’ll probably do our little driving around routine we like doing, come home, perhaps watch some short videos, and then she’ll head back to her mother’s jernt. I can then watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow morning, I’ll go right to the bank and transfer the second payment to the main account, come home, have a ME day, I’m not expecting any mail or anything, so I’ll just putter around the house, and that will continue over the weekend. I’ll probably make a few more book notes and I’m really rarin’ to go on the new book. And, of course, we’ll have our Annual New Year’s Rockin’ Eve partay, the best place on all the Internet to spend a safe and sound New Year’s Eve, we’ll do two dropping of the balls – East Coast and West Coast – I’ll do my usual contemplation routine, yell Happy New Year, have my one sip of champagne, and then the next morning, New Year’s Day, bright and early, I’ll begin my new book.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up by ten-thirty, do a quick ATM run, spend the afternoon with the Darling Daughter, then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, wishing everyone the happiest and Merriest Christmas.