Pass the Turkey–Chicken, and I’ll Give You Some Gravy

The days pass like flash-cards before a wiz-kid. If my calendar was in pieces my floor would be littered by the bygone days. I eat, I laze, I cook, I write a little. Friday night was a Christmas party at my house.

Liquid energy flows through my veins when the steaming food almost overflowed the tables and guests started swinging the gate until it rang and shuddered from squeaky hinges. flip-flops being tossed from feet at the doorway and cluster after cluster of faces emerging into our bright living room was a sight I haven’t seen since my birthday.

Everyone commented on the smells of roasted chicken and sweet-potatoes floating out to the street, but I must have gotten used to the smell from working in it all morning. When everyone finally arrived we settled around the tables for our meal. The Hemps brought their legendary (at least among the circle of Ginder-Christmas-Party goers) cream-cheese-covered-in-raspberry-chipotle and spinach salad.

Other additions from the nine guests rounded out the meal nicely: fruit salad, cabbage salad, cranberry sauce and rolls. It was a refreshing time full of laughter and talk. Allison brought her adorable baby who was passed around heartily to all baby-loving-ladies. I was a little afraid to hold her. I’ve never held a baby before and I’m always afraid of doing something wrong and hurting them–or worse.

A long time after the meal was cleared away and Dad was banging wonderfully in the kitchen, (I was supposed to do the dishes, but he did them for me being really very kind.) I brought out the dessert I’d spent all day tossing together. A long yule log called a Moca Roulade was a great success among the party-goers thankfully. Despite the slightly complex recipe it certainly turned out better than my ‘fallen’ angel food cake. Mom, in her great recourcefulness managed to salvage it by making low-fat tiramisu which I think turned out tasting just as good as the full fat log.

Once I was done gorging (I really do eat to fast these days! When did I stop tasting my food? sigh.) I flittered around mingling among everyone. It was really good to see Allison, quirky and smiling as usual. She just as beautiful as ever though now she’s ‘an old married woman’ now (as the minister from Emma might say) with an adorable baby to boot!

Games followed soon after as everyone who didn’t want to watch Monday Football with Dad settled around the coffee table to chat. The cards were brought out and a family discussion broke out among the Hemps on the details of a certain game called 99.

Anything is entertaining with Julie and the games were lively and fun. I’m glad Mrs. Johnson finally stopped her loosing streak when we played golf (at my expense but honestly, I’d been making her loose all evening 😦 )

The football game was a disappointment (40 something to three) and our last goodbyes and photos were taken. The sky was a dusky blue lined by silver clouds. I walked Alison out to her car. She’s leaving for the UK today. I hope to see her again before I go though it will be next year.