“I do like Christmas on the whole. In its clumsy way, it does approach Peace and Goodwill. But it is clumsier every year. ” ~ E.M. Forster
The week before Christmas week is always insane. Farrah Fawcett insane; not really hurting anybody but enough to keep you on your toes. So much to do before the kids’ school break. Teacher gifts. Deadlines. Shopping. And maybe a little yoga or coffee with a friend to start the break with a smidge of sanity.
I promise to enjoy the holidays, starting Thursday. Until then, the calendar is full:
Sunday: Clyde has been craving biscuits and gravy so we’re having breakfast for dinner. Always a hit around here. We got a bag of juice oranges from co-op last week so think we’ll have some freshly squeezed wtih it. One of my absolute favorites. Every time I drink it, I remember how Clyde squeezed god knows how many when I went into labor with Noah because that’s what I wanted to drink throughout the entire labor. It was perfection.
Monday: Everyone’s home all evening. Think I’ll toss together some angel-hair pasta, tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, parmesan with some crispy kale. I’m trying a gluten-free pasta so all hell could break lose. To counter that, I’ll bake some bread in the bread maker. Warm bread and butter make any meal a happy one.
Tuesday: Noah and I will be at rock climbing from 5-7, so a soup made in the afternoon sounds about right. This zucchini and rosemary soup is divine (the croutons are key and should at least be doubled).
Wednesday: Rock climbing, guitar, church Christmas program practice. Everyone rolls in about 7:45, but I’ll have an hour or more before that to get dinner on the table. Have some tofu in the refrigerator so we’ll go with lemon baked rosemary tofu served with leftover soup and some frozen squash in red sauce I made last month. Not perfect but goes together well enough to not be offensive. Maybe I’ll try the homemade bread trick again.
Gorethy joins us for dinner
Thursday: Our second African feast! Very much looking forward to sharing a meal with our friends from the Democratic Republic of Congo and from church. I’m making my favorite African soup, and Noah’s favorite veggie version from his Jumbo Vegetarian Cookbook. Will get some ciabatta bread. I believe Gorethy Nabushosi (founder of Congo Restoration) is bringing tipalia and rice, a DRC mainstay.
Friday: Breakfast together on our way to the school holiday program or lunch afterward. We’ll play it by ear as the kids are done at 11 am, and Clyde took half the day off. Book club Christmas party for dinner.
Saturday: Tricky one. Boys are spending the night with friends Friday night so they wouldn’t normally be home for breakfast. But Noah has rock climbing at 10 am, then is going home with a friend from there for another sleepover and we won’t see him ’til Sunday. Sounds like delivering blueberry muffins or donuts to the Saturday morning pickup is our best option.
I commend you and your family for breaking bread together. I am 73yo and missing any meal at home was unheard of for both my wife and I. Our kids, now 46&43, always ate at the table usless I was at sea or working late. Navy. My son does this with his family, as in required and our daugher is doing the same with her family.
Regards Fred
Savannah, Ga
Thanks for reading … and writing. Both my parents were in the Navy (I was born at the Navy base in San Diego). I do believe these traditions are incredibly important and easy to pass down if you just make them a priority.
How did you find my blog all the way in Savannah (a lovely city, by the way)?