News Headline: I am not perfect

I hope that you had an amazing Christmas! What can I say? Well, I'm pooped. Yep, tired, fatigued, sleepy, somnolent, beaten up, dopey...you name it. The holiday came and went....where did it go? Oye, I'll tell you.....

I prepared for this Christmas like no other as family was coming into town and for the first time in my married life, I was set to go and eat two meals with two different families. Christmas Eve is always special as we go as a family to a mass at a nursing home for retired religious sisters. It is like no other event over the holidays and it celebrates Christmas in its purest form. After mass, we traveled back to the house for Philly cheese steaks. That's right, I made and fed my in laws and children cheese steaks for dinner on Christmas Eve...no seven fishes or gourmet feast. Cheese steaks and Yule Log cake from the bakery at 10 pm.



On Christmas, I was the first one up and tried to get ready for the day. Coffee, turning on lights and music, homemade coffee cake and baked french toast were concocted as family members slowly made their way to the kitchen. This baked french toast recipe was "lights out" as each person commented on how great a cook I was....yeah, that's me...a great cook. Actually, I look for the easiest online recipe with ingredients that I already own and try it. This time it worked.....With my great early morning success, I figured that I was set for the rest of the day until.....


Let me set this story up....Uncle G has his annual Christmas party and ping pong tournament. It's one of the highlights of the year....each member of the family contributes a dish or two or three to the festivities, we eat our body weight in food, and we all think that we are going to bring home the trophy, yet....


Since the in laws were in town, I opted to make a simple salad, appetizer, and a mashed and baked potato recipe. The finished potato product would look like a meringue (but it is a potato...cool, huh?). And so, around 1:15, we were finished brunch, the evening dinner's ham was in the oven, and I jumped out of my seat because I forgot that I did not make my party dishes....so, I started and finished the salad in no time. I was going to make a tomato and fresh mozzarella appetizer when I noted on the container that the cheese was expired. On to plan B and I planned to take the Costco lobster dip that I planned on using the weekend....is this story getting boring yet? Now it is time for the mashed and baked potatoes. I had all of the ingredients...10 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes as I read the recipe...this time for real....potatoes...check....milk...check...butter....check....salt...pepper...check...check....rice millet...huh? Rice millet...what the heck is that? Why does a person need a rice millet to make this dish? Why didn't I see this very important part of the recipe before we were to leave for the party? Dang!

I did not have a plan B except for some old potato chips in the pantry. And so, we showed up for the party with the salad, crackers (I forgot the dip), and some old potato chips that never came out since we were having filet. I hate making stupid mistakes like that. My brain actually short circuited and froze like the screen of my computer when I am in a hurry to finish my work. I don't think that I have yet to recover from my Christmas faux pas yet. Although once again, since we got our signals crossed, BP Grandmom showed up with mashed potatoes and saved the day.

As far as the ping pong tournament went...I lost to my nephew Lefty as he actually played after drinking several beers. he also played with a half glass of merlot in his right hand. Interestingly, he did not spill it while beating me....Yep, all in all, a good day.....

After we left Uncle G's, we got dinner ready for the in laws as we chatted about my inability to beat someone in ping pong who was inebriated. What does that say about me? What does it really say about Lefty?

And so, this Christmas goes down into the books as one that I finally got the message loud and clear: "It does not matter if you are not perfect....no one cares.....we'll eat chips if that's all you have...." Just come and enjoy yourself. After all, 'tis the season to be jolly...fa la la la la.....la la.....