We went to Christmas Eve church service with our daughter Jessica’s
boyfriend’s family. The modern Christian service featured a large rock
band, words to the Christmas carols projected onto big screens
flanking the podium, a pastor ventriloquist with a puppet giving the
sermon, and lighted candles for the congregation to hold up at the end.
It was very different from the traditional Episcopal service (with
processions, classical music and incense) with which we usually celebrate.
The next morning, our family had a lovely Christmas morning opening
presents in front of the fireplace. Jessica made waffles for
breakfast. We then cooked and hosted dinner
for 12 (plus 3 visitors after) that night. I set out all of the
china in the kitchen for John to plate then Jessica and Paul served
the courses to the table. It was fun to try that instead of everyone
serving themselves from big platters and bowls. By serving courses,
nothing gets stuck (unpassed and uneaten) at the end of the long
table or on the sideboard. I enjoyed being able to use lots of china,
crystal, and silver. We are still working our way through the leftover
food.
Jessica’s big present was an Apple MacBook Pro with Intel dual processor. This computer was both a Christmas and birthday present. She has
transferred everything from her old Apple PowerBook (which she said
was very easy to do) and has been working on it happily ever since.
John and I wanted to give her the new laptop during her last semester
in High School so she was used to it before going to college. Jessica
is also reading Terrier, the new Tamora Pierce book in her Tortall
series.
Paul has been dividing his time between his three new movie
DVDs (The Tuxedo, X-Man Trilogy, and Pirates of the
Caribbean – Dead Man’s Chest), and reading Eldest, the sequel
to Paolini’s Eragon. We go to see the Eragon movie
tonight since I finished reading it yesterday. The book was long
(needed editing!) and felt like a mishmash of four or five other
sword-and-sorcery life journey novels. Some parts were just silly
(metal armor for a dragon) but it is still an impressive first novel.
I have also been looking through our other new books: The
Complete Guide to Growing Cacti & Succulents – A Comprehensive Guide
to Identification, Care and Cultivation and The Railroad Caboose.
There has been a rain and windstorm the last few days. Plastic buckets
and palm fronds were flying around the neighborhood all yesterday afternoon. Today is cool and clear, good gardening weather.
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