I’m so full right now I can barely type.  I woke up at 2:00 AM feeling completely bloated, and thought ruefully of the cookies and chocolates I’d eaten throughout the evening.  Just before bed I decided a nice shot of Bailey’s would be just the ticket.  It’s so odd the kinds of thoughts people have.

However, this morning I did go to a super-hard fitness class and that helped sweat out a lot of those nasty toxins.  Then, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, I shopped for groceries as though The Flood was imminent.  Invigorated, I drove to Value Village and found a couple of needed items.

It’s wonderful, but I’m still getting the odd on-line order.  As it turns out, a newspaper in Whitehorse picked up the Kelowna article as well, so I had a nice order from there.  So, I’m now known in Halifax, Red Deer and Whitehorse.  My last large order of the season was placed by Quality Greens on December 21st, and it’s been solid Christmas prep for the home since then.

As I said earlier, I baked the infamous Spitzbubchen, and also made another German cookie that my gramma used to make called Zimmtsterne.  I did some last bits of shopping and wrapped everything with matching ribbons and cards.  When my sister-in-law Margaret arrived, I made a brisket with roasted potatoes, and the next night a seafood casserole.  Anyone can do this as it is just shrimp, cod, salmon and a pound of butter.  It’s really hard to go wrong with that one.

There was generally a lot of food eaten, and large amounts of wine and Bailey’s were consumed.  Because of the four extra visitors, the presents couldn’t be contained under the tree.  We should have felt ashamed, but we didn’t.  Instead, we tore into our stuff and everyone was glassy-eyed and happy within an hour of beginning.

The little girl visiting helped hand out gifts and she was confused by the strangely labeled ones.  One said, “To Tweedle Dum from Tweedle Dee.”  Another said, “To the Nail from the Hammer.”  Amusing little witticisms like that.  We had to explain to her than any labeled like that were for Denis and me.  It’s been one of our traditions that we think of funny names for each other’s gift tags.

I stupidly left a box of chocolate covered marzipan on the ground and of course by the next morning one of the dogs had eaten half of them.  That night another sister-in-law visited, and she was sitting beside the dogs.  Sadly, they were experiencing issues with their digestive systems, and hence every few minutes she would exclaim about the odour emanating from the dogs.  Finally, she said somewhat angrily, “I’m going to have to wash all of my clothes when I get home!”