Wonderful Christmastime

Wow!

I can safely say that even though I know that I'm in the one of the busiest weeks of the year at both of my jobs, I'm totally floating on a jubilant cloud after this weekend.

Amena and I had our annual Christmas party, and it really came together splendidly. Not only was I completely happy with the food, and the additional new menu items I had prepared, but everything about the party seemed to flow effortlessly.

Everyone liked the house, and our tree, and the food, and there was much laughter and conversation. It really seemed to gel, and just played out to perfection.

Seeing most of our friends (there were a few notable absences, but also some new additions) all together having fun is why we started throwing this party in the first place.

I got to see my long-lost compadre, Dave, and meet his fiance, Catherine too. It was wonderful to chat again, and I soaked that up like honey mead and a warm fire. I'm still excited by the idea that we're back in touch again, and I look forward to seeing more of them.

Amena's new friends from her job seemed to enjoy themselves too. As usual, there were shifts of attendance, and people came and went regularly. Some of them even left to make an appearance somewhere else, and then came back. Now that's a compliment!

Although there was a nice homey atmosphere, the one thing I wish I had more of was room and seating for everyone in one place. I think it was still one of our best times ever.

The night was great, and our friends are great. The gifts that were brought were wonderful, and everyone was very generous. None more so than the surprise of the evening. Although it was late, and most of our guests had departed, our friend Camille had apparently planned to define the "saved the best gift for last". It was a night with one surprise already, in that our friend Jerry that had been on the phone from "Oklahoma" earlier that evening made an appearance.

Now, Camille handed me a gift to open that would trump anything else that had come before. I started off in my usual way, by opening the gift with my eyes closed, and trying to guess what it was. I could tell that it was a figurine of some sort, but gave up trying to guess. It turned out to be an ornament with Mortie and Ferdie(Mickey Mouse's nephews) sitting in front of a 60's era television, with the "Wonderful World of Disney" on the screen. The ornament has a push button that lights up the screen with colors, and plays the sound of fireworks going off just like the classic intro to that show. After seeing this, I was psyched. I was handed a card that started off simple enough. It was talking about how much Camille loved my wife and I, and what good friends we are to her, and then it proceed to get a little strange.

About halfway into the card, there was a section that read something like this, "...so you need to pack your stuff, because in about 4 or 5 months, I'm taking you on a DISNEY CRUISE!!!!!!!!!!"

I was understandably floored. I think the only thing I could manage was an incredulous, "WHAT?!", surrounded by a comical look of disbelief. After that, I did the only thing I could think of. I threw the card to the side, ran over to Camille, and proceeded to hug and lift her off the floor, thanking her profusely.

If you know me at all, then you would know that a) I'm happy with any small gift from anyone, and appreciate everything I'm given, even if it's not a tangible gift to begin with [with the wonderful friends and reunions and times that I had already had that night, I was more than grateful], and b) I LOVE Disney! I love the magic that they have created on the screen, and the wonder of Disney World.

I'm still a bit dumbfounded by the whole thing. I've been telling everyone I know, and they can't believe it either. It's one the most thoughtful gifts I've ever been given. I'm not just saying that because I feel the need to gush because of the extravagance of the trip, but because it was given in the spirit of recognition for being someone's true friend. The gift shows that Camille also knows Amena and I well, because we're Disney fans, and had talked about going on the Disney Cruise since it was introduced a few years ago.

I'm just about glowing with all the good cheer I feel right now. I have so many good things in my life, and that was before the party. The blessings of true friends, the love that they bring, and the lives that we're all sharing has filled my heart with joy. I know that's a word that gets tossed around in some carols this time of year, but I really have it. It's not something that I'm typically known to have a lot of, but I hope I can keep it going as long as possible. It's made it really hard to stop smiling since Saturday.

I still have Christmas with my family around me, and a precious week off from both of my jobs to spend with my wife afterwards before the year's out. Maybe I'll get lucky, and my face will get stuck this way!

I want to thank everyone who came to the party for showing up, and sharing a wonderful night with us. I hope you all had as good a time as Amena and I did. I honestly can't remember a better party, and I couldn't ask for better company. You're all treasures to me, and I'm not just getting all sappy with that aforementioned joy overdose. My friends truly bless me just by being there, and I love you all.

I wish every single one of you, and your families, the very best and brightest Christmas ever this year...

Morphine & Chocolate

Okay, so maybe the morphine is stretching it, but I'd be less than surprised if there was some sort of controlled substance in Arner's desserts.

To help put some direction to that randomness, Arner's is a small, simple restaurant in New Castle, DE. It's basically a diner that is right in the armpit of the New Castle Airport.

Their regular menu is fine, and I would recommend you eat there sometime if you're in the area, and looking for that sort of grub. It certainly beats the Denny's and IHOP located nearby.

We had our Christmas party at my first job today, and someone brought in an Arner's chocolate pie. Most people would call it a chocolate silk pie. In this case, that would really be a misnomer. This thing is smooth, but there's a decadence that can't really be captured in the word "silk".

This is more like...you know those long, black, velvet gloves that certain classy chicks in the 30's and 40's wore ? Those sultry torch singers in the preternaturally smokey clubs? This pie is like that. It's chocolate VELVET. To mention that it's huge, and that it's literally 8 inches tall in the pan, and that it's covered in crumbled Oreo cookie is almost too much.

I'm not a nut for dessert food, but the few things that I really enjoy do hit the heights. This is one of those things. They do an amazing job with all of their desserts, and there are fewer things less hypnotic than their spinning dessert rack. There are travelers there that haven't seen the light of day since the Carter administration.

I would highly recommend you sample some of their wares if you have the notion and the proximity. You'd be hard pressed to end up disappointed, no matter what you choose.

I'm really glad I cut myself a piece to take home. I may even wait till I get home to eat it.

If you want to see where they're at, then you can score a slice here...

Soulful Christmas

I don't mean to sound like something from Hallmark, but can you feel the magic of the season yet?

It never ceases to amaze me just how much better I feel around this time of the year. It's more than the knowledge that I am going to get some good reactions to well-thought gifts. It's definitely greater than the anticipation of getting presents, although I am still the biggest kid I know, and thoroughly enjoy receiving. Heck, I like the surprise aspect of it so much, I unwrap gifts with my eyes closed, and try to guess what it is.

I know that things seem to just get more commercial as each passing year finds us, but December still does it for me. Turning the page on the calendar signifies all that's right in the world to me, and even though there are outside and self-induced worries along the way, I really feel the most at ease around this time.

That's the main reason that I save up time off, and always try to take the lion's share around Christmas each year. It's tough being patient, and watching all your co-workers take trips here and there through the year. The payoff is great! Being able to be at home during the time that I'm most happy is perfect.

I spend time with family, and friends, and my wife. It's all surrounded by decorations, Christmas trees, light displays, cold, clear nights, and all the intangible goodness that I feel.

I know that Thanksgiving is set aside to be mindful of our blessings, and I certainly do my best in that respect. However, Christmas is the time that I reflect on how wonderful life is here in the real world, and not just with Jimmy Stewart. Sure, we may have a lot stacked against us, but it's never so much that you can't see what's real, and true, and lovely if you care to look.

This time of year is good for my soul. I get warm feelings that go beyond a cup of hot chocolate (even with mini-marshmallows), or something stronger.

I love Christmas, and all the wonderful memories that go along with it. For it's sights and sounds, and all those who share it with me most of all.

God bless us, ev'ryone...

To Defy The Laws Of Tradition

It's funny. I just don't feel like myself today...

Mr. Postman

Although I will share a certain amount of culpability on this one, I'm desperately waiting for the mailperson (does anyone else feel weird when they have to say or write that?) to deliver the invitations for our Christmas party.

I may have waited a little too long to order them, and then the company decided to put them on backorder, even though their website said everything was everything.

I do assure those that have already been told about it that it is still a "go" for Saturday the 17th, and I promise that I will get the invitations to you as soon as I can.

According to modern party etiquette, I'm not really behind at all. An exerpt from a recent article on parties and planning states, "It is not only acceptable to send invitations as close as two weeks before an event, it's sometimes preferable. With careers and schedules so crowded these days, it's best not to send anything too early, or it will be forgotten instead of penciled in".

Since our Christmas party is very informal and kid-friendly, I didn't feel the need to make some huge announcement way ahead of time. I would have like to have gotten them out a little sooner, but I'm confident that we'll still be able to attract our usual modest crowd.

I know that this post is a little oddly personal and specific, and casual readers may not give a hoot's holler about it. I apologize for the indulgence. I just wanted to put something official on record for those friends that may happen along here, and be in any doubt.

With that being said, I promise to write something cooler next time. I'll try to ask the tough questions, like how would you suggest that I incorporate this quote from the Pharsalia by Lucanus into a tattoo design?