Friday, December 11, 2009

What to Blog...

What to blog? My days tend to run together, as they are all the same. So let me think about what has been 'new'.

Last weekend, for a very short blip, we went to Toronto. Jason's company (Friesen's) has their annual Christmas party there, so we dropped the girls with Gramma in Peterborough, and headed to Toronto. The party was nice, and I was happy to get some new clothes for the occasion. : ) This may sound dumb, but I bought my very first pair of 'dress pants'. Meaning...NOT JEANS. I only ever wear jeans, or skirts. But now I have a classy pair of black pants. Just like a grown-up.

I also tried my first martini. I'm not a 'drinker', but while we were waiting, I thought I'd give it a try since it sounded kinda nice "Caramel Apple Pie Martini". You had me at 'pie'.

No one told me that a) they are expensive! and b) they have more alcohol than having a couple beers. (not that I've ever had a couple beers) This particular one was 3.5 oz. Which apparently is quite alot. After a few minutes, the world slowed down a bit, and my nose went numb. When we were taken by the hostess to our table, I remarked to Jason "Why is she walking so FAST?" That is about the time I made the "No Martinis" life-rule that I now follow.

I suppose I'm quite sheltered. If I ever had a work-place, I may have learned about the effect a monster martini would have on me YEARS ago. But when you work at home, alone...well...you just miss all those discoveries that only occur in social work-environments and the life-experience stuffs. I miss having colleagues. For a while I worked with my friend Adrian, and it was so nice to actually have someone to discuss ideas with. When we are in Winnipeg, I plan to go hang out at one of the companies I work with....just to swap ideas and tips/tricks. I'm so looking forward to that!

Oh yes...we're spending this Christmas in Winnipeg. Last year we stayed here...and it was very difficult. When you have done the SAME thing, for 33 years...every Christmas...well, it was more than I could take to NOT have those traditions.

I was describing to a friend what was so fun about Christmas Eve at my Mom and Dad's house. It went a little like this:

We come around dinner time, and Mom is slaving in the kitchen. She makes cheese fondue, mixing and microwaving the recipie....in a big white mixing bowl....tasting, adding, until it's perfect. When Jason arrived with his "cheese aversion" the meat fondue was added. So while the bread for the fondue is 'toasting' in the oven, Mom is slicing raw meat. I always bring my sweet 'n sour meatballs to add to the meal as well. We all sit around and try not to fill up on the snacks that Mom has put on the coffee table, but Jason usually eats his weight in cashews and toffifee. (Dont tell him I said that.) Candles are lit everywhere in the overly decorated house. Jason likes to say that it looks like "Christmas threw up in there". There are decorations that are older than me. Like the black plastic 'wishing well' stuffed full of fake poinsettias. I don't understand why it's Christmasy to have a 'well', but my Mom hangs it from the ceiling every year, precariously dangling over the coffee table. Some of the ornaments are older than I am. Literally. I'm talking "Paul made this in Kindergarten" type old!

When it's time for dinner, we gather around the table. Mom dims the lights, and lights even more candles. My Dad's only job is to fill the little 'flame pots' with whatever fuel it is that they are filled with, and then light them. Ron and Jason immediately begin to complain, and mutter things like "...can't eat in the dark..." and "...can't see my food..." and Jason starts to move candles so that he won't burn himself when reaching for things. Jason usually has more than one fork on the go, in order to get the most meat cooked at one time. There is usually a flashlight near by, so that 'floaters' that have slipped off of a fondue-fork can be immediately fished out of the pot with adequate lighting. There is usually some fork-stealing, and the follow-up "fork stealing accusation"....and the "I thought I was blue?" "NO...I'm blue! Now I have to start again!!"

I complain that I don't think there is enough cheese again this year, and someone adjusts the flame so that the burning cheese is salvaged.

After dinner, we open gifts...etc etc. With the addition of a plethora of children, it's general chaos. And I love it.


So yeah...I'm looking forward to going home for a visit!

10 comments:

Monica said...

You forgot the part where everyone tries not to remind your Mom about the Ornament hanging tradition!!

Trudy said...

Hahaha, that's about the size of it! I like the part, "Jason has several forks on the go!"

That is very funny, and yes I am looking forward to it.

Kristi said...

That's awesome that you are coming to Winnipeg! Looking forward to seeing you guys!

Yvonne Parks said...

Monica...yeah...I was planning to leave that out in the hopes she would forget!!!! THANKS soooo much for the reminder!! :P

Lynne said...

So funny. Hope we can make even more funny memories this year.

Colleen said...

Sounds awesome!

Trudy said...

We are NOT leaving out the Picture Ornaments routine. That is the only time of the year we have the chance to say something nice to each other.Hahaha!
Mom

Ron said...

I resent this version of a Decock Christmas that is a caricature of what we're really like.

It's all true, of course. But you didn't have to be so precise in your description.

Jennifer said...

We miss you and the Christmas tradition. Have much fun and enjoy the relatively few 5 children instead of 8!

Anonymous said...

"Paul made this in Kindergarten" as a historical benchmark???

geeze Thanks... I was just starting to feel a tad older than 20. Now Ive been slapped upside the head with 42...

..and you forgot to mention Oma's everchanging rules about the people having to sing a song or kiss the cook as the penalty for their food falling off their fondue fork.

As weird as it all is I still miss it.


-Paul