Still Merry Christmas

Finally a decent update.
Bruce and I are having a lovely Christmas - our first together and that is wonderful in and of itself. I am so very thankful for a relationship wherein we can be ourselves fully and enjoy each other's company in such a peaceful and loving environment. That is enough Christmas present for anybody! I let him sleep in yesterday morning while I started puttering around in the kitchen; when he came out for the first cuppa his first words were "I'm so glad you're here." Lovely!

Ok - backing up a day. On Tuesday we (Amber, Jess and me) watched Pirates, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen both of which I'd wanted to see badly so I didn't get the sewing done I shoulda but we had fun. But Nicole couldn't come over - wah! I did get some done, but not nearly what I shoulda. Got some, but not nearly all of the cookies we'd planned on making. Ended up putting some chocolate chips in with crunchy peanut butter cookies - great!
Then we had a fun evening at the open mike session at the Gypsy -Bruce, Amber and me doing two songs that went over well and then survived some reeeealy bad poetry and a wonderful old bluesy guy who got the place going. Then during the break before the featured artist we jammed for a three song set for the gal who wants to drum with us ("oh, don't do Kilkelly - I'll cry!" but we did it anyway, of course) and a young guy who appeared outa somewhere to fiddle beautifully with us on it. What felt really good was when people flocked around us and this young punkish kid said, "please, sing something where we can hear your beautiful voice" - what a lovely compliment. I felt kinda guilty like we were stealing thunder from the poor guy who was going to feature - but he didn't mind and it *was* during the break before he started. He said he'd written a poem about us - hafta hear that sometime soon. We needed to leave - work day for Bruce the next day and needed to get Jess back to her car. They want us to be featured artists on February 3 - and made it clear they want well over an hour even though it's usually only 45 minutes; she said "go as long as you want - you guys are great!" That should be lots of fun and give us some good experience with being miked. Actually it should be our first chance to use the sound equipment Bruce has been compiling.

Then on Wednesday, I worked on sewing and stuff while Bruce worked. Amber was with her mother and sisters, so it was just the two of us for Christmas eve supper. Near the end he got up and went out of the room; I wondered why until he came back with a small box. Of course I opened it! Inside were the most lovely diamond earrings I've ever seen. Wow! Yeah - I think I'll keep him. I gotta keep this short 'cause I hafta get his present finished still - but I think he'll like it! *snort*

Anyway, I am moving a bit slowly this morning - I cooked *all* day yesterday. We originally thought it was just gonna be Bruce, Amber and me for dinner - it ended up being also Alicia and Becky with her hubby and two little pre-schoolers. Yikes! I'd shopped for cornish game hens for three (five of them!) so what would have been too much food for three suddenly was not nearly enough food for eight! Bruce ran to get more hens - Walmart wasn't open - but Albertson's was so he came home with a duckling which he efficiently fixed. Then when Amber and Alecia came back they pitched in to make the sweet potatoes and two pecan pies and we played dodgebutt in the kitchen. I'll admit I wondered how it was going to work with that many people in the kitchen but I determined to remail cool and calm and it actually worked very well indeed! We needed twice the oven space and to know what-in-hell everybody's schedules were but, oh well! Bruce and I work so well together in the kitchen (and every other room too - hee!) so it all worked out in the end. And it does seem that his girls are getting more comfortable around me which pleases me very much.

Now this evening or early tomorrow we go down to southern Oklahoma to his family's for the weekend. That'll be nice and relaxing and we may even get in some music. All in all, this is a much, much happier Christmas than last year, though I do miss my family. Dad is with his friend Ruth and her family so I don't feel too badly there but as always, I miss my sister a lot. But she's with her kids - gotta call them today - and I think my nephew is even home from the Army. *sigh* That's what happens when even a very small family is spread out all over the country. And yes, I do miss Mom, but I believe that she knows and is happy for me; I just wish she could have met Bruce. I like to think of her sitting around with her sister and father and with Perry-dog right there too. Damn, there I go again. But they're bittersweet tears; she's better off and life moves on. Gods people - please appreciate your loved ones while you have them around you. Families are frustrating, but live so you have no regrets, you know? Well, enough of that.

Merry Christmas - Happy Yule - whatever you celebrate - to all my dear and beloved friends. I love you all no matter how seldom I get to see you. Come see me New Year's Eve at Union Station (I'll be the one in green with my arm up in the air!) and Bruce will actually get to meet the ex (quote; "If he pisses me off, do I get to punch him?" LOL) but I'm done by 10pm so we'll still get to party with our friends. And this year I won't be lonely at midnight - life is good!