Thank you for your well wishes ! Much appreciated. I hope your Christmas was jolly and fun.
Fyi, last nights dinner went very well. My sister in law outdid herself once again with just the right number of dishes. Wellmade roast beef for the beef lovers and salmon (fresh not frozen) for non beef eaters. Some veggies (asparagus and a baked potato dish). The starter was very nice. Individual sized mashed potato dish with scallops and mushrooms (perhaps not the usual combo, but it worked). Similar to au gratin but with mashed rather then sliced potato. Chandon champagne or Gentleman Jack or red or white wine or italian soda as beverages. A super soft chocolate cake and vanilla icecream as a finisher. OF course, coffee or tea. The coffee she got from this well known roaster in Austin , TX. And it was certainly good. Mild, light flavored as opposed to all the mostly heavy stuff from Peetās or Starbucks. And luckily the portions were all correct and there was NO left-overs. Which is great as who wants leftovers anyway?
Everyone liked her new 8 place table (which was just right for the 9 of usā¦err not? Well actually one person came late, like after dinner so it worked out) made of solid African Mahogany made nearby in Pescadero . Which was (oddly enough) matched with chairs made by Amish people in Pennsylvania. Made with natural cherry wood. With an inch thick cushion attached of black fine grain leather. Well made and no doubt cost them a month or two of their salaries ! Too bad they didnāt get the new set of silverware in time to go with the new table. Next year.
We were not outdone presents wise. Tammy ordered some gift sets online from LāOccitane that were of good value (ie not expensive thank God) and went over well, likewise some gift sets on sale at Body Shop, at the mall. In going with the over-all theme of gift giving last night. Everyone seems on the same page basically. I gave out some eau de toilette pour homme from Ferragamo and got some similar back. Brotherās wife got the handbag she wanted from my bro and I gave my wife a handbag she had previously selected. Not bank breaking stuff luckily, well at least the bag I bought was not (insert smiling face).
Funnily, my bro and I each got a Car Emergency kit with jumper cables, and a tire pump and what not. I guess in recognizing that my car has 170,000 miles on it and my broās truck has over 300,000 miles (ours are both 2003 vehicles so he has put quite a lot of miles on his).
I got a bottle of MOnkey Shoulder scotch. Which apparently is a blend of young scotch from a few well known distilleries. Itās not bad.
All in all I was glad nobody went extravagant (like my bro did last year) on the gift giving this year. Because honestly we are all adults and this should just be a light gift giving - fun thing. Not wallet busting.
I gave my bro a nice Tommy Hilfiger watch (tommy get it? LOL). Which he liked. I happened upon this one and I thought āhey that is so tommybro style a watch, I best get it for himā.
Worked. Luckily he bikes a lot and is NOT into luxury watches. Seeing as he smashes up most of them eventually. He sticks with Skagen , Fossil and other nice-and-not-expensive watches. So the Tommy watch fit right in there.
Dark blue face with a dark blue rubber strap, with the 12, 3, 6 and 9 markers in relatively large numerals.
And now I need to get to work as Christmas is over.
Doggone, why canāt i just be a billionaire and go to work when I want to ONLY. Ah well, life as a peon.
Small small fish in a big big Ocean. I guess my worries are smaller though. I only have to find out who the heck continues to scratch up my car ! Got another scratch Christmas Eve. Surely this guy-who-hates-tommy has no Christmas spirit !
Letās all have a drink to our good health and good fortune and give well wishes to those we love as well as those we perhaps donāt quite loveā¦or even actually like !!
Spread the love. Try to disregard the minuses, like paying rentā¦ ugh. and fending off car scratchers. Still its nicer then what I heard on the radio about people in SAn Francisco who are regularly getting their windows smashed by the homeless (presumably) searching for things to steal from the car. One guy has had his windows smashed numerous times this year alone and he puts nothing in his car. One gal said she put a sign saying there is nothing in the car and the next day her window got smashed. Maybe they should just leave their doors open? I guess I would if my windows were regularly being smashed. Every time I go to my car I have no idea what new scratches I may have gotten. Guess its good itās not a Ferrari. One should count ones blessings.
Cheers !
stay tuned for a coupla pics. Maybe I might even put on one of me, if my PR manager can find one that is not too ugly or fat looking.