25 December 2009

GLAD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY




Christmas dinner is fini... The little girls are headed to bed. The gift part went spectacularly well. KF was thrilled with her baba and umbrella stroller, but particularly happy with her Craisins. LF was most pleased with her ($1.00) jumping rope. Kids.

Dinner was charcoal grilled (26⁰F) on the driveway--New York strip steaks and 1-1/2" pork chops. We also had twice-baked potatoes (MK's first ever), and a wonderful salad--Romaine, carrots, red onion, red grapes, Clementines, Honey Crisp apples, Craisins, and a pear-gorgonzola vinaigrette.

We enjoyed a balsamic glaze (reduction) with our meat. I haven't seen this available in the U.S., but I bought my first bottle in Glasgow and the second at Tesco in Bratislava. D+M loved it. The Italian Conte DeCesare brand is readily available in Austria.

I reneged on my declaration of no entertaining this year and invited my sister, niece, her husband and daughter, and nephew for dinner tomorrow. The little girls will delight in playing with the effervescent Sophie, or Pinkalicious as she sometimes prefers. We will be merry and bright.







It is a rare privilege to have our little girls here for Christmas. And, in just a bit the new baby girl will join us. Our home will overfill with delight when LE and JA join us in mid-January to meet their new cousin and to celebrate JE and KF's birthdays.

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