After Christmas Cleaning has Commenced!

The tree has started to come down, Christmas dishes are going up, Concetta is cleaning for me. Concetta is amazing. She doesn't require money for the bus, she isn't unionized, she doesn't require smoke breaks, she doesn't sass back, she's wonderful!! Her English is minimal, so she keeps quite. Concetta may not have a green card, but what we don't know won't hurt us!! I don't have to worry about her flirting with my husband!! (he does have a taste for tan, tight bodies!) Concetta is my new Roomba!! I love it, I'm blogging and she's cleaning!! Yeah!! Bogie is not jealous of her any more and has stopped barking at her. Starbucks gets up on a piece of furniture but is able to stay in the same room now as Concetta!! We had a lovely Christmas, hope you all did too!! Lots of family and good times by all. Happy New Year!!!

Concetta at work!!

Poor Lili, worn out from all her work!!

Beautiful Blown Glass Dish from Suzie & Austin in Calif!!

Synthetic Medication and Puppies

Thank you for the reason for the season!!

My family thanks you for synthetic medications, I'm almost back to my usually self!! (sarcastic and I'm the biggest fan of my humor, one of those that laughs the loudest at my own statements and jokes!!) My sweet Bogie apologizes for barfing on our bed (a rare shade of green) this morning!! Like two days before Christmas I have nothing to do but wash comforters and sheets also!!

Post Barfing Pic!!! Too much goose do and red southern clay that might have Lake Murray Clams in it!! Such a gross little dog, but he's soooo darn cute!!

Reindeer Catering Organization Skills

Not only do they cook, are computer savvy to the point of genius, are very generous with gifts, time and care, they are organized!! They had the entire menu (ingredients, extra dishes, the works) planed out on a spreadsheet!

something to ponder:: why do I never type these entries as if I have a brain in my head. Sometimes, you have to decipher my codes!! Maybe in a previous life I was a code breaker!!! Yeah that explains the like of grammar check in my head!!

The Other Allens Christmas

We did the other half of the Allens Christmas yesterday. We enjoy this day so much, not just for the food, but the company and the great influences they try to instill on us!! They outdid themselves yesterday!! All of the food is provided by Reindeer Catering. We gave them this name as they cook for us on Christmas as their gift to us!! They relay their love of organic, free range, farmer's market products to us. Yesterday's turkey was perhaps the best turkey I've ever had, and my Mom and Grandmother do and did great turkeys!! It was just so moist with no effort from the cooks!! Or at least they didn't reveal it!! Carrot souffle, if you know me at all you no I hate most any orange veggies, yams (yuk, carrots, double yuk) will not even try them in any fashion. But, as a courtesy to Morgan and a show of my utmost gratitude for their cooking, I put a dime size spot of Eric's dads secret carrot souffle on my plate. Morgan caught me and had me increase my portion to QUARTER size!! I put it off to the last item on my plate was cleared, including the corn kernel ice cream (they have no fear) and put the carrots on my fork, secretly pinched my nose, and swallowed. WOW, you couldn't taste the carrots, I went back for a large second helping, they were great. Only thing is we can't get the recipe, so I don't have to eat carrots still, unless the carrot souffle shows up a family gatherings again. This year, Reindeer Catering not only provided suburb food, but they expanded the repertoire to include entertainment!! They are both unbelievably proficient in the computer gadget fields, Eric making a nice living at it infact. They brought their WiII (spelling ??) We all had a smashing good time with that!! Bowling, Tennis, right in the cozy atmosphere of the living room!! I majorly can't play tennis, but the bowling I could do!! Also found out the Reindeer Catering has competitive streaks!! They played tennis so fast, I never even could keep up with the ball!! Needless to say fun times were had by all!!

Christmas gifts were amazing, I have a speaker system for my I-pod, watch people Bon Jovi is available for everybody's listening pleasure now!!!! Marty painted the most amazing ornaments for each of us!! All of our kids were present, which doesn't happen for often for us!! Fun, superb family memories. Thanks to everyone!!

Julie with her new man-friend, Jamie Oliver (her naked chef)

Reindeer Catering, getting very vicious with WiII game (again spelling ???)

The star of the show, the best - moist turkey I've ever had!!

My needs!

I need a full night of sleep in my own bed!!! (Without the orchestra noises from my husband)!) (His snoring, yawning while sleeping (?), his soft scratching of his left shoulder and the burping can drive a woman to drink!) Bless his heart, he's been overly stressed, due to previous wife and the things she thinks she deserves. Then his middle child had a ruptured gall bladder, after infection was down far enough, the dr got that mess out, removed another stone that had lodged into her Pancreas, just a mess!! She's ok now, trying to do better with food choices and less soft drinks. Then with our Christmas Party invitation list is growing by the minute, we have to keep getting out the good clothes and the fancy undergarments that keep everything tucked in. Some of the stuff just doesn't stay tucked on it's own anymore!! (some doesn't stay up where it used to be either!) The makeup session takes longer also, darker colors, to cover the darker bags, don't ja just wish we could airbrush in real life too (not just on photos!)
I'm half way done with Christmas decorating and may start the cards tomorrow!! The box that goes to Calif is ready for tomorrow, plus I have to renew my Driver's license this week!! Yuk!
Yesterday, did go to Asheville to the Grove Park Inn for their Annual Gingerbread Contest. Unbelievable what people think of to use as cake supplies!! The kids this year, amazing!!! We had a great pre show drink on the back porch in rockers looking at the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Then was saw the show, then we had lunch, after a bottle of Chardonnay from the Russian River (ooooh, the childhood memories there!!) we finally decided to head back down the mountain to Chapin. We went to the best party ever on Friday! Wealthy Gay People that have friends in the Ballet companies can throw the best parties. The house was amazing (amazing pronounced with lots of jazz fingers during the zzzz part) This is a link to the Charleston house which is bigger and grander, Wow! check the link out! http://www.charlottestcarriagehouse.com/index.html !!!! We hope we are on the invitation list to the 2008 Halloween party, the stories and pictures from 2007, are again wow with lots of Jazz fingers!! I'll have some pics tomorrow!!