Lynn~Glad that you made it back it one piece & that DH was able to recover his wallet. There are still some good people in the world today. Besh~My toes are defrosted for now. LOL I don't think that I have very good blood flow in my broken foot yet. Dave said that it was cold last night but the knee that is giving me trouble was hot according to him. I'm reading the "Chronicles of Narnia" & it is so long that it is taking me a while but I'm really enjoying it. I don't know about Carrabelle, FL. I don't know much about the panhandle. Marci~I need to get with you so that we can figure out how to post some of the pictures of my little one. Let me know when you are coming to Tampa. Jen~It sounds like you got some really good gifts. I am supposed to be working on a scrapbook for Dave's parents' 50th wedding anniversary in July. I haven't been able to find the book. I may have to get it off the 'Net. QOD~My 16-y.o. niece is in Orlando playing soccer & we will probably go watch her or at least go & take her out to do something fun. She is a doll. She stays so busy that she doesn't have time to get in trouble. She is in the band, the school's soccer team & band & she has several of the honor's classes & she runs track, then she is in one of the soccer teams that is exclusive & you have to be picked & like this weekend, they go places for competition. Then Dave & I plan to watch movies & have some of the pomegranate martinis then we will have some Asti Spumanti while watching Dick Clark's show & toast in the New Year. This is pretty much a tradition for us. We were pretty sad the year that Dick Clark was too sick to do the show himself. I have to say that I am so thankful for good friends like each of you. With your help, I will get healthier this year. I'm having an MRI done on my knee on Tuesday. They will probably say that nothing is wrong but it has still been hurting along with my foot. I can tell that they are healing though. Love you each. Happy New Year. Patti :)

The guitar heros went over just fine. They didn't even use it yesterday, they were into the Wii games. The DD playing got, it for the son who was setting on the sofa on the left. DD's DH's parents have the Wii system and they've always loved playing that at Mammaw and Papaw's, so they got themselves (the kids) one for Christmas. LOL Big kids. Well, SIL and his Dad play golf all the time. DD get hot when she sends DH over to his folks to pick up some folding chairs or something, and it takes 2 hours to go 1 mile and back. I love the picture of my Mom and Lily too. Full circle. Leslie

Merry Christmas to all. dedtired - Santa comes on the fire truck in our town too. And last night I had to drop something off and thought I'd missed it - I can't believe how disappointed I was ...........until I heard the sirens and realized he was on his way. We've been in this house for 29 years and I've never missed his visit.

Christmas Eve is our big family gathering, we include a dinner for 20. We serve buffet style, but sit at dining tables. (I discovered that 20 is the perfect number: 10 at the DR, 10 in the sunroom at two folding banquet tables) We went with a simple dinner menu this year: beef tenderloin, mashed potatoes (two trays from costco, they were great, and pretty in my new red-orange Dansk pan) and a simple Chistmas salad my aunt made. Elegant! Appetizers were made/brought by others: just shrimp w/sauce, an artichoke dip with crackers, and my kids always make the classic Lipton soup dip. Dessert was the most complicated: DH made his mom's Walnut glory cake which calls for 9 count'em 9 separated eggs. But it's not called "glory" for nothing! Our Scandinavian tradition calls for rice pudding which, for the first time, came from my kitchen. It was a tad soupy, but delicious. And folks brought cookies and candy. Christmas morning DH made our traditional "Eggs McDH" and mimosas. We forgot to make the fruit medley, but that's okay. Then we went to my folks' and my brothers met us up there, for baked French toast (made with Challah, best French toast ever!) and bacon. Christmas night is our quiet intimate dinner at home of leftovers, at the dining room table with the party dinnerware. Me, I felt like the Very Hungry Caterpillar: I ate "one nice green leaf and felt much better". Literally, I had the salad with no dressing lol! Ahhh.