Cup of Coffee

December 24, 2021: 2/q?

18 Comments

Looks like HJ put the coffee in the pot, but forgot to add the water. Not sure what 2/q means, or if there's a way for me to publish his post. So we get this cheap imitation blend instead! Merry Christmas Eve!

18 thoughts on “December 24, 2021: 2/q?”

  2. We got a bag of Lucid Blue dark roast from River Moon Coffee in Sconnie as a gift and we really like it, very smooth, no bitterness at all. At Younger Daughter's request, the Mrs. has put caramel rolls on the Christmas morning menu, along with blueberry muffins, scrambled eggs, and whatever ham is left over from the night before. There's a pound of bacon in reserve in case there's no ham left over from the night before. I made a pitch for pancakes and got voted down, but sweet rolls are a good alternative. Also, you can't find a bag of hash browns anywhere around here, I'm gonna have to grate my own potatoes I guess.

  3. the words of old Spamtowner friend and beautiful writer Brad Zellar to light your way today (emphasis added):

    Same as it ever was: Go home. Stay home. Be at home. Dream of home. There's really nowhere to be other than where you belong or where you are. Lucky, lucky you if both those places are the same place and there's a tribe there to which you belong: That's home. And if you’re alone, estranged, or suffering, may you find a few moments of mercy and peace, and may a mighty, blazing ship full of light find you in the new year. I intend to make merry, and hope you'll find an opportunity to do the same. For at least one day, I'll try to be worthy of all the beautiful things I did absolutely nothing to deserve.

    1. The merry making will commence soon here, Mrs. is working until 2:00 pm and then we're all officially on holiday. Daughter should arrive around 5 o'clock, dinner will be around 6, then drinks and Christmas specials in the ultra lounge. Charlie Brown, The Grinch, Rudolph, and Prep and Landing (a latter day classic).

      1. we're now both tested and cleared for too much drink and too much food. The Pernil is doing what it should (as in the skin is getting to the crispy, cracklin, omg I'm going to have cardiac arrest stage). The ice box pie is in the box (it's going to be close to 80 degrees in the city) and the sides are mostly done. Time for a beer. and then a cocktail, and then a ... well, let's just start there.

        1. I’ve cooked a great many good meals, but this pernil recipe (nytimes searchable) is absolutely a stunner. Great flavor from the adobo, the skin cracklin is just other worldly, and paired with roasted carrots and a good salad (or fried plantains, rice and pigeon peas…) it is hard to beat.

      2. We've been wrapping last gifts and prepping food since about noon, including, especially, various desserts. Mass is at 6, with Philosofette lecturing and the oldest 2 altar serving as subs for friends who have a sick child and (thankfully) don't want to risk exposing anyone to even the currently healthy family member. It'll be Aristotle's first time serving. She's excited.

        After Mass is too much food, a chocolate stout, and presents with the kids. Then wrapping Santa presents.

        1. See, my entire life until marriage included nice (not over the top) dinner, mass and family gifts on Christmas Eve and Santa gifts and big family meal and extended family gift exchange on Christmas Day.

          Since marriage - and kids - it’s smallish Christmas Eve dinner, one gift from family and bedtime, with everything else crammed into Christmas Day (sans mass … I’m the only Catholic in my house). It always feels like family gifts are competing with Santa gifts, and frankly, Santa gifts are almost always the most fun.

          I’m looking forward to the kids knowing that their Mom and I give them the best gifts. Not some figment of capitalism marketing’s wet dream.

          1. Sounds like your history is close to what we go for here. Philosofette helped convince me that Santa gifts should be more limited than family gifts (they were big in my family). I'm 100% on board with that now. Santa is a small part of our holiday, family bigger. I'm sympathetic to those trying to combine two different traditions. It's never easy.

            (But Mass... that would be hard for me to be in your shoes.)

            1. I have seen a few book of face posts lately about Santa gifts. Some people are asking that Santa gifts to be moderate and not extravagant. Reasoning is when kids go to school, and compare what they got from Santa, the inequity of Santa gifts can be hard on some. I guess there is a valid point there to consider. My kids are both in their 20's so all Santa does is fill the stockings with candy and one gift card each.

              1. Since we give gifts to needy families instead of ourselves, we only have "Santa" gifts anymore, usually a full stocking and a minor gift or two. I got a car holder/charger, a gift certificate for the local baseball card shop and three packs of cards (got a Trea Turner jersey card), a bottle of essence of bubble gum (homemade ice cream flavoring!), and a cocktail jigger along with some candy. Guess I tipped the scale enough towards "nice" this year.

        2. We ended up taking the kids to mass in my wife's old neighborhood in St Louis. The church where we were married. It was good.

          Interesting combination of elderly whites and young immigrant families. I hope the neighborhood makes a comeback.

  5. We're having our standard Christmas Eve get together with some church friends for drinks and too much to eat. Sadly, the choir director and his wife both were positive for Covid a couple days ago, so those of us in the choir will not be singing before going over like we've done in the past.

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