A Tale of Two Feasts

It's over and for that, I am thankful.  All the hoopla can be stashed away for another year
All the obligations and the guilt-laden reprimands for not conforming to the demands of family will now be packed away until the next big holiday.

We (Zip and I and Brad and Kami) had decided to simply visit with Mom on Saturday afternoon so she wouldn't have to cook us dinner.  She called two days beforehand and INSISTED on making dinner.  And if *I* didn't want to eat, that was OK with her.  I am, of course, the Bad Guy here!

So we went.  She had invited my sister, Linda and her SO, which was nice.  I enjoy my sister's company though we don't often get together other than family holidays.

Things went fairly well, with only a few  little negative remarks from Mom.  As usual these revolved around cleaning your plate.  Both my sister and Kami are very thin.  They ALWAYS leave some food on their plates.  So we had the lecture!  Not quite the 'starving people in less fortunate areas of the world' speech but very close to it.  Then we went on to complaints about the price of groceries and the cost of each of the ingredients that made up the meal.  (The rest of us did bring food to add to the table) And last but not least, how some people's eyes are bigger than their stomachs.  Oh, well!  Happens every year!!!

At least Linda's laberdoodle, Simon ate well.  He's watching the table, choosing his favorites and hoping there are lots of leftovers.

Brad didn't have any trouble cleaning his plate.  Here he is having a happy moment contemplating the dessert selection.

Mom is a Christmas collector.  Her favorites are antique ornaments and vintage Santas.  She has about a half dozen feather trees in several rooms of the house, each with a different theme.  She can tell you how much each of the ornaments cost her, too!
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The curio cabinet filled with the little stuff.

I was having trouble taking good photos because of the light levels in the house.  Dark inside and bright outside with back lighting from the windows doesn't make good pictures even with a flash.

I finally got one good picture of Mom.

So that is over for another year!

Onward to the FUN feast!
On Christmas day we had dinner at Brad and Kami's.  We each made what we wanted and it all come together harmoniously.  There was no stress, no recriminations, we ate what we wanted in whatever quantities we desired.    Nothing fancy, just delicious food.  There was happy conversation and lots of laughing.

Words can hardly express how much I appreciate our son and Kami.  I could not have gotten a better daughter-in-law if I had chosen her myself.  Brad has turned out to be a good sensitive man.
And they love Cats!!!

Here is their new little rescued kitty Cosmo.  He's laying quietly at the moment, but there were a few wild leaps onto the table.  Their two older cats weren't interested in Christmas dinner.

After dinner we watched 'A Christmas Story', my favorite Christmas movie.  I guess having grown up in the fifties is why I can so relate to it.  I remember my father doing battle with the coal furnace and he probably was using some of the same language!  And the nightmare of being stuffed into the snowsuit!  The minute Mom zipped them up, we had to go to the bathroom!  LOL!!!

Yep, there on my dusty and cluttered mantel is a small leg lamp!

Hope all of you had a Christmas to be remembered!
I still can't help breathing a sigh of relief....
IT'S OVER!!!