THE DAY AFTER

So, did everyone get what they wanted for Christmas? I got more than I expected but first the above photo. It was taken Christmas Eve in our Church Library and it is the hand bell choir. That's me in the back row with the red scarf around my deck. We played three numbers. We began the evening by walking in from the sides and playing the first 6 measures of O Come, O Come Emmanuel which we then continued to play when we reached our places. Then we played Pat-A-Pan. I got so lost in the middle of that number but afterwards my family told me they could not tell. That's good. I am learning to not show facial expression when I make a mistake. Then mid way through the evenings program we played Christmas Medley which consisted of three Christmas songs of which I only remember one, The Carol of the Bells. That number went much better for me. Everyone said the bell choir performance was excellent. We have now been playing occasionally for two years and have gotten so much better. Thanks to Dorinda, our director pictured above seated on the far right, for this picture which her husband took. Me, I forgot my camera ... rats. I was going to have Paul use the movie record function on my camera to record the number we did but in the rush to leave the house, I forgot.

And no pictures of us here at home for Christmas. What is wrong with me??!! I keep forgetting to take pictures. Maybe I can get some today before Bruce leaves. Bruce, my brother, came in Saturday morning and will be leaving mid afternoon today. We have had a good time. Went to the above mentioned Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at church (which, besides the bell choir, was very good). After we got back home and had dinner Bruce and I watch Muppet Christmas Carol on DVD. The best Muppet movie ever made as far as I'm concerned.

Christmas morning after breakfast we all went to church and then back home for lunch. After lunch I prepared the turkey breast (I don't roast a whole big turkey for just the four of us) and put it in the oven to slow roast. Bruce and I played a DVD game called Disney Scene It which a student at school gave me. It was kind of complicated until we got the hang of it. Then it was time to watch the DisneyWorld Very Merry Christmas Parade on TV. After it was over Paul and I worked on dinner and we sat down to turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing, corn, cranberry sauce, olives and rolls for dinner. Should have taken a picture of the table and my plate of food!

After dinner clean up we finally got around to opening our gifts. We gave Bruce money to get his senior bus pass for January, a set of Corning Ware which he mentioned at Thanksgiving he doesn't have, two books, and a New York City World of Disney Store lithograph I got when I was there last Spring. Paul got a jean jacket which was all that he wanted. He also wanted a special kind of leather key chain to replace the one he has, but they no longer make that style. We also got a Chicken Soup for the Cat Lovers Soul from our three kitties in heaven who don't want us to forget them. Jennifer got a new Virgin Mobile Cell Phone (hers is two years old and you can't even read the numbers on the key pad anymore), a scarf and gloves with Jack Skeleton on them from Nightmare Before Christmas (one of her favorite movies), an apron and oven glove from her friends, extra rechargable batteries for her camera and a camera case, a Bad Cat Page A Day Calendar from Bruce, and her BIG present ... a Kitchen Aide Classic Mix Master. If she is going to be a chef, she needs something like this.

I got a Cat Page A Day Calendar from Bruce, a cute Christmas cup and bracelet from my friend Peggy, a throw and pillow from my friends Bob and Ellen, a port thing for the computer that has to do with the camera (not sure yet what exactly that does, but I'll find out), and my BIG and totally unexpected gift from Paul was a new digital movie camera. That was a surprise! I have been taking movies with my regular digital camera but I can only take up to 11 minutes and the quality is not that good. Paul has seen my frustration with it so bought me a real movie camera. I had been thinking of buying one for myself and was looking at ads, but it was more of a dream than a reality. But now my dream has come true. Yippee.

After gift opening Bruce, Paul and I sat down to watch March of the Penguins (a truly remarkable movie) and had cherry pie with cool whip for dessert.

I hope you all had a good Christmas and that your dreams came true too.

Now, on to the New Year in which I resolve to remember to take pictures for this blog!