Merry Christmas to All

 We're wrapping up a fairly low-key Christmas day. It was good, and I believe enjoyed by all, and the focus was mostly on Christ's birth, which is as it should be. 

Sister and Dad came for lateish lunch - we had prime rib, mashed taters, and a Caesar salad. Simple but yummy. We'll be swimming in beef for several days even after sending some home with sister, as the smallest rib roast I could find was 13 pounds. Neither of the boys really eats it (eldest says he doesn't prefer "fancy meats." Heathen.) But hubs and I figure we're up to the challenge.

Hopefully.

There were gifts - Nerf guns were primary for the kiddos as they're at that age. I got a new coffee bean grinder having grown irrationally angry at the one I purchased as a replacement for our old one (Krups, died after at least ten years of quality service) every time I had to use it. That thing was just horrific. New one can only be better as I'm pretty sure the only way to get worse than the replacement one would be to chew up the beans prior to making coffee.

That might actually be an improvement.

We watched Die Hard as a family this evening. I was thinking the boys would enjoy it - lots of machine guns after all. Neither was particularly impressed. It was too slow for the younger, so he wandered off to play with toys and eldest had issues with the lack of realism in the weapons fire. 

So I will roll my eyes just a tad and mutter kids these days and move on.

There's a bit of a dark pall over everything again right now. I suspect much is missing Mom at Christmas. More is sister's cancer and her recent stroke (did I mention that? I'm not sure I did - long story short, she had a TIA and it's not uncommon with this chemo but it doesn't bode well.) The very real probability that this is her last Christmas. Concern for Dad, though he's hanging in and maybe as he's so quiet and laid back he'll just hang in quietly forever. And too many minutes spent ruminating on friendships of the past that have died. That's the usual pattern for me - no friend lasts long. I'm the common denominator, so I can take responsibility, but it's frustrating and sad nonetheless. 

Anyway. Tomorrow is another day.