Christmas was so great. It was the first time in a long time that it was just family. Don't get me wrong. It was always fun to spend Christmas Eve with a whole bunch of family friends but it was nice that it was just family this year. I cooked a dee-licious dinner.

Menu:
Christmas Cocktails
Cranberry Gin and Tonics
complete with homemade cranberry syrup

Hors D'ouevres
Smoked salmon crackers topped with capers and olive oil

Entree
Brined Center cut pork loin stuffed with garlic
Gruyere potatoes
variation on my dad's and probably would go back next time
Spinach salad
with Plantation cookbook dressing (if you've never tried it...warning...it's like crack)

Dessert
Cranberry cheesecake crumble
compliments of Aunt JoJo

It took 2 days of cooking but I had a great time doing it. Besides the fact that I had/have a cracked rib (from coughing, I know, you'd think I was 90 years old. But not to worry I have codeine for the night coughing and the strain when I pick the Little Buddy up is subsiding)

Flashback to the 22nd (Nola Baby reminded me), when it was raining for days and days. I had a bad feeling. I don't know why, maybe because our roof is still unrepaired from Katrina and the blue roof has been in shreds for months. That morning I walked into W's bathroom and SPLASH! all over my head. The water was leaking in through the door jamb. Odd place but I knew it would only get worse. My dad happened to have a roll of viscuine. I was almost desperate enough to go up on the roof to put it up myself except our latter isn't tall enough. To make a long story, someone put a tarp up for us but not before the water travelled into W's room and created a whole pocket full of water right over his napsleeping head.

The blessing of it all was that one of my dearest friends was in town from Houston so I got a stress free night of eating and drinking, of course, with her at Clancy's AND cocktails at Monkey Hill afterwards. Clancy's was good, as always, but I do have a complaint. The portions have gotten considerably smaller since the storm. Maybe they are trying to cut costs. The smoke has become almost unbearable. I know, I know. John gets so mad that we always have to sit downstairs, but that's where the action is. I know we can't complain but the past two times we have sat next to chain smokers. The kind who have one cigarette in their mouth, a new one waiting to be lit at the exact second they put the one in their mouth out all the while eating dinner. Disgusting. I am not ashamed to say it, either. Sorry if smokers are offended. I am counting down the days until January 1st when it will be a pleasure to eat at smoke free restaurants.

Anyway, my friend and I had such a fun girls' night. We laughed and talked and drank delicious wine. She's one of those friends that even though we don't live in the same town ( I really miss her living here) we talk almost everyday and it's almost like we live in the same town except we only see each other every year or so.