Christmas Eve

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see -- I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people."


It's been another enjoyable day. We got a package of mail from Daughter Mary Mae today with lots of Christmas cards as well as the traditional swag made by the grand-kids. Its arrival means Christmas is truly here --

I spent the early part of the day baking pies. I made a pumpkin pie and a pecan pie for tomorrow's dinner. Then I mixed up a batch of crab cocktails so that it could age overnight. Auntie Violet sure smelled good!

Later this evening we headed over to Glendale for the Christmas Eve services at Trinity Mennonite Church. As we walked into the church compound (the sanctuary, Sunday School rooms, library and offices are all in separate small buildings around a central courtyard), we were guided by rows of luminarias --
 

We were here for Christmas Eve two years ago. The climax of the service has the congregation filing out into the courtyard carrying candles and singing Christmas carols. It's a beautiful way to end the evening.

A Day of Leftovers...

I must have really been tired last night! I was in bed by 10:30 when we normally stay up until 1:30 or 2 in the morning. And I slept around the clock! (Oh, all right, I admit I got up a couple of times to stumble into the bathroom...)

So by the time I got up this morning, it was time for brunch. Forry had cracked and cleaned the couple of crab legs that I had left from Christmas Eve.  I got them out of the refrigerator along with eggs for omelets. He used the new little grater that Santa had stuck in his stocking to grate some Gruyere cheese and I sauteed some green onions and chopped up a few celery leaves. The omelets were delicious!

Later we finished off the little bits of seafood cocktail and cranberries that I'd brought home from Christmas dinner. I think they tasted even better today then they did yesterday!

Our neighbors in the RV across the road from us were very busy taking down and putting away all of their Christmas decorations. I noticed tonight that they were probably the only ones -- the park is still pretty brightly lit up. We will be moving further south on Wednesday, so will pack our things up and put away the Christmas box tomorrow.

The five-way switch on my hard-working Kindle DX quit working last week. ;-(

After trying all the reset tricks I know and checking the Kindle Internet trouble-shooting page, I finally called them. The lady I talked to didn't take long to tell me that I had purchased it in March of 2009 and that it was out of warranty. But then she said that with their service support, they would send me a replacement for $90. A quick check showed that the DXs are still selling for about $250, so we decided to go ahead. She assured me that they would ship a new one that would arrive by the 28th. I gave her the address of the next RV park, Peace River Resort, that we should be at on that date. Then I called to alert Peace River that it was coming...

I am lost without my Kindle! Thank goodness that Bill and Leslie gave me a hard copy of Walt Disney, An American Original as part of my Christmas present!

Christmas Eve and Joe's Crab Shack

For many years, we have had cracked Dungeness crab for Christmas Eve dinner (we've had some interesting excursions finding crab, but that's another story for another time.). Last year, when we were in Mesa, Arizona, I checked a few stores, but could not find any. Then someone got the bright idea that we should go to Joe's Crab Shack.

Bill was fighting bronchitis, so he stayed home. But Leslie came with us along with our friends Tom and Juni who were also spending Christmas where it was warm. We had a great time, eating crab and lobster -- and the best part was that I didn't have to clean the crabs!

So when we joined up with Bill and Leslie here in Florida a week or so ago, we immediately decided that we would be going to Joe's Crab Shack for dinner on Christmas Eve. Leslie had already checked and discovered that there were THREE of them in the Orlando area! Which is sort of funny 'cause there were NONE in the Seattle or Portland area...

What is fun about the Joe's Crab Shack franchise is the variety they offer. You can order King, Queen, Snow or Dungeness crab or lobster or a combination thereof. Then you have to decide what kind of seasoning you want yours cooked with, a range from Cajun to Chesapeake to BBQ. They come in a pot with an ear of corn and a couple of boiled potatoes. There is a hole in the center of the table with a bucket in it for you to toss your shells into. You also get a roll of paper towels to use for napkins and a piece of newspaper for a place mat. If you order crab or lobster, you get a bib tied around your neck and you're given a couple of packets of hand cleaner wipe along with a nut cracker and one of Joe's pry tools (that say "stolen from Joe's Crab Shack on them.).

Bill and Leslie ordered a combination of King and Queen crabs while I stuck with my traditional Dungeness choice. And Forry -- he decided he was going to eat popcorn shrimp tonight! And then as if all the seafood wasn't enough, we all four shared a version of S'mores -- a decadent dessert of graham crackers on a bed of chocolate sauce, topped with a slice of chocolate cake that was topped with gooey toasted marshmallows! Scrumptious!

So after dining at Joe's Crab Shack two years in a row, it is now a tradition, right?

A Sense of Anticipation

I am seventy years old. How could I possibly be feeling like a little kid? But, I do have a sense of anticipation as tomorrow is Christmas Eve! It's not about presents, because we don't do much more then little stocking stuffers (and I find and wrap most of them...). It's not so much about food, though we are planning to go to dinner at Joe's Crab Shop tomorrow night and having Christmas dinner at Leslie's parent's house on Sunday. It's certainly not about a WHITE Christmas, it was almost ninety here in Clermont, Florida today and we actually turned on the air conditioners. It's not about family, as they are sadly all a L-O-N-G way away.

My early memories of Christmas are of driving around town at night looking at the Christmas lights and decorations; of pieces learned and recited for Grange Christmas parties; of Christmas Eve at church and then going to Grandma Kubik's house to open presents -- in the parlor we weren't allowed into any other time of the year.

The constant of Christmas all of my life has been a sense of wonder about the child that was born in the barn -- and laid in a manger. The realization of what a wonderful gift that infant was to be to all of us. So I guess that's what the sense of anticipation is all about. A sense that once more we are celebrating the remembrance of that wonderful present so many years ago that still is with us today!