Friday, December 25, 2020

Holidays and Matches

Though I awoke to a cloudy Christmas morning, the rain finally stopped by the time I opened my eyes. Began my Christmas with short stories, poems, and carols from Colliers Harvest of Holidays. My favorite of their Christmas stories is "Miss Flora McFlimsey's Christmas." An old doll who has been abandoned in the attic for years manages to make her way downstairs to the Christmas tree. Santa insists on her staying there for a new little girl. The other dolls tease her and call her old-fashioned, but the tree angel and her mouse friend bring down her original clothes and make her look like new again. I'm also very fond of the sweet "A Star For Hansi." A grandmother teaches her granddaughter the importance of saving with a story about how she saved her last coin for something very important.

Opened Mom's gifts to me under the tree after I wrote in my journal. My smaller gift were two of the most beautiful spoons I ever saw, rainbow-colored and made of heavy bamboo. The squishy larger gift was a soft tan velvet blanket from Land's End. I texted her after I opened them to thank her. She thanked me for the Password DVD set and mentioned she intended to spend her Christmas afternoon at Anny's house. 

Had breakfast while watching Tattletales. Betty White and Allen Ludden were joined in 1974 by Conrad Bain (later of Different Strokes) and his wife Monica and football star Tommy Mason and gymnast (and future Peter Pan) Cathy Rigby. White and Ludden won the first episode hands down, getting most of the questions right; they tied in the second.

Packed up most of the bags of cookies and remaining gifts and headed out around 11. Dropped boxes of candy with the neighbors next-door and across the street, then strolled up Manor and left a bag of cookies and a card for Andy and Linda, old friends of Dad's and Uncle Ken's, on their porch. Rose called twice on that walk. I called her on Manor and told her I was on my way.

Arrived on her doorstep ten minutes later. Finley was pretending to be a dog in the enclosure Rose and Craig set up in the living room for the new puppy they intended to pick up later in the afternoon. She and Khai loved their presents. Finley got glitter markers and a Fluttershy My Little Pony, Khai got a collection of three later Garfield comic books I hadn't given him during the summer. 

Watched Spongebob Squarepants Christmas episodes with Finley and Rose while I opened my gift bag from them. Rose went crazy buying me cute kitchen and laundry supplies. There's a garlic press shaped like Dracula, a pair of tongs with silicone hands on the end, two cactus-shaped dryer balls (I call them "the Tobys" after Sheriff Callie's cactus friend), and coasters shaped like records. By far the most useful items I received were new pastry and baking mats. I realized while making this year's cookies how worn out my baking towels were getting. The one I use to cool cookies on has huge holes. Rose also gave me cookies and shrimp and pasta that the restaurant in Haddon Heights where Craig worked way overstocked. 

(I also found out why Jodie's been scarce the past few days. Her father died of a virus-related illness three days ago. She did mention a lot of her family was sick, including him and her Aunt Colleen, but she never told me he died. I feel really sorry for her. She's had a rough year.)

Rose finally insisted around 1:30 that she wanted to get Finley settled down for a nap. Craig and Khai dropped me and my goodies off before heading to pick up that new puppy. I ended up having some of the shrimp and pasta for lunch; put everything else away.

Made a delicious Christmas dinner of cranberry citrus chicken, green salad, a baked sweet potato, ambrosia, and a dark chocolate coconut cream pie. The cranberries in the chicken burned a little, and despite the recipe saying browning would seal in the juices, even the boneless thighs I used came out dry. I think I left it in for too long. At least it tasted pretty decent.

Finished the night online with another Match Game marathon on YouTube. This one consists of episodes that were a favorite of the channel owner's mother, who sadly passed away in May. Apparently, she turned him on to Match Game when he was younger. She had good taste. Richard Dawson was her favorite panelist, so all of the episodes revolved around him in some way. He was there to calm poor Evie, the most nervous contestant to ever appear on the show, and to witness Fannie fall for the handsome high school teacher Ron Valenti. He and Betty White pretended to be Brett and Charles respectively in one PM episode; another had some of the worst contestants in the history of the show, with the man only winning because Charles matched them each once. 

Here's the marathon, to share with your mom during the holidays! And I hope you had a wonderful Christmas too, with all the people you love to match with.

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