Christmas at the Mullerings

Here I am, lounging in front of our fire, trying to convince myself I'm not coming down with this dreaded lurgy that has run rampant through three entire families that I know of. No, the stomach is protesting the strange combination of omelet (delicious but not something I can eat much of - something about those eggs), tea, coffee and a bottle of accelerade, then being shaken up on an hour's run after a 45 minute spin.

The day has been lovely so far. Aside from the afore-mentioned run and ride, Mark and I have been very lazy, which is our preference for Christmas after the usual frenzy of Thanksgiving. We slept in until 9 am - unheard of in out household (thanks kids!) and leisurely opened gifts after a lovely light breakfast cooked by the omelet king. Despite Tina having already opened one of the presents and 'investigated' several of the others, everything seemed intact. I'm wearing my favorite gift in the photo here (sorry - no kits - that would have been asking too much, and yes, that's Mark in his Christmas Kiwi boxers and "Never leave your wingman" t-shirt - thanks Ron). The t-shirt has a Tui (a bird for you non-Kiwis) stylized in koru and other Maori designs, with the words (hang on while I take it off to read) "Tuis provide the uplifting bell like percussion sounds to the dawn chorus each day and their flashes of green and blue as they take flight reflect the freedom and vibrancy that is New Zealand." Kae (my MIL) thought it appropriate given the introduction to this blog.

I did have a few minutes of crying over remembering Sayla when I read a lovely story in the Post about a postie who brings gifts to dogs on his route and remembers even the dogs that had died that year. God I miss Say. I went and got 'her' decoration for comfort - the snowman that she chewed the carrot nose off one year and the twig broom off the next year.

Went to see a movie in the afternoon - "Doubt." Very good but not very uplifting. Kinda depressing in fact. We'll try to do better tomorrow.

Now we're just finishing off dinner preparations (individual beef wellingtons with brussel sprout and cauliflower gratin and mashed taties, followed by pumpkin pie made with an essential ingredient - 10 year old scotch). Listening to the Messiah - the greatest music ever written? I know it so well - every word and every contralto part. I noted to Mark that when I forced him to come watch me perform in it 20 odd years ago, that he had no idea that he'd be listening to it every year for the rest of his life. I don't think he minds indulging me in this though.

Just hangin' with my family and reflecting on the year past and the year to come. More on that later I imagine. It's been a life-changing year in more than one way.