Friday's Feast on a Saturday

Call me crazy.

I didn't take any days off through this pneumonia/bronchitis thing. I did come in late a couple of days and leave early those days and I worked the Trail of Lights as well. A friend of mine called it a different kind of crazy. LOL! Sometimes I just have this need to do and do and do. On Wednesday we had a potluck at work and I brought my Irish Stew and Mashed Potatoes and they were the hit of the potluck. I love to cook and I'm so glad that people liked it!

I will be posting Trail of Lights pictures later. Last night was a beautiful night - a little chilly but just beautiful. Tonight it's supposed to be in the upper 30's to low 40's and raining. It's going to be miserable but it's the last night so we're all thankful for that. On the plus side - I've lost 12 pounds and 1.5 inches since last week Wednesday. WOOHOO!

Well, here is my Friday's Feast a day late.

Appetizer
What is one of your Christmas traditions?

My favorite Christmas tradition is at my mom's house. She has her tree decorated with lots of white lights – my favorite kind. Not the blinking ones, but the steady, small, clear white lights. LOTS of them. On Christmas Eve, after the Christmas Eve candlelight service at church, after the presents have been opened and the food has been eaten (in our Dutch family we open gifts Christmas Eve), we get blankets and pillows and lay on the living room floor to fall asleep under the soft glow of the Christmas tree lights and listening to the quiet hush of Christmas music playing in the CD player. It's quiet and still and peaceful and it's just lovely!

Soup
Who is the easiest person on your list to buy presents for?

Emily. She makes it so easy by going “Oh, I want that mommy...and that...and that...!” She truly is such a special girl. She really doesn’t ask for much knowing that I don’t have a lot to spend so I really try to get a couple of bigger gifts throughout the year and then a few smaller ones like movies, etc. that she’s been asking for.

Salad
What is your favorite Christmas scent?

Ooooh, that’s a toughie! I love the scent of a wood fire. I also enjoy the scent of pine trees and Christmas cooking with cinnamon, vanilla and cloves. Cold has a scent all its own that is refreshing. Bath and Body Works has a candle that incorporates a lot of the scents of Christmas in it and it smells divine!

Main Course
If you could give a fellow blogger a Christmas gift, who would it be and what would you give them?

This is a total no-brainer - she came to my mind as soon as I read this question. CMHL – I would give her the gift of being truly happy in her life with no pressure, depression, stress or HWMNBN (pretty interchangeable there since he causes the majority of her stress and depression) and no problems for her wonderful children as well. I wish her a life filled with true love and true happiness.

Dessert
What's something on your Christmas wish list this year that you need (not just want)?
I could go with the usual things like money - that would be REALLY NICE for the bills since The Ex isn't paying his court ordered child support and I am paying Em's tuition all by myself along with all the other bills - but I would just like to have a good year in 2007. I need to have a good year b/c the last few have not been so very good - lots of stress and uncertainty and betrayal and hurt. I need a drama-free, stress-free year. That is what is on my Christmas list.