And a Merry Christmas Eve to All

The joy of brightening other lives, bearing each others' burdens,
easing each others' loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives
with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of Christmas.

W.C. Jones

Morning all.  Seems the rain has ushered in the warmest Christmas weather ever.  They say we are set to break a record.  Not so happy about this, though.  First of all, when you are used to the changing seasons, Christmas is supposed to be cold.  Secondly, I bought a new outfit for Christmas Eve, and now it is too hot to wear it.  And lastly, I'm going to be using the oven on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  Too hot for that.

Speaking of food, made my  sausage and meatballs and marinated my pernil yesterday.  The meatballs are outrageously good. The white oozing from the meatballs is ricotta cheese. Makes them nice and moist. Had one with baby carrots for lunch yesterday.  Awesomely good.

Meatball mix--ground beef, 2 eggs, flavored bread crumbs, garlic powder, wee bit of red pepper flakes, 1 cup ricotta, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Bake in oven.

I'm off to Weight Watchers this morning, but only going for my weigh in.  It will be the first meeting I have missed since September 2014, but I really don't have the time.  I still have to stop for some gift cards at Rite Aid, some yogurt and a few other items at C Town, make my buffalo wings, make Ralph's shrimp, put together the lasagna, shower, get dressed, and leave for church at 5pm for the six o'clock mass.  Thank goodness I made lists and was really organized this year.

Christmas Eve.  Such a joyous time of the year.   And a this year I have my memories of Christmas past, memories that had been lost to me for so many years.  Been spending a lot of time going through the album my daughter sent me, and it's not only brought tears, but also joy.  Bear in mind, these picks are almost 60 years old.

 My beloved Susie and Tiny.

 Me and my dad.

Me and my cousins.

The Steinhauser family. Aunt and cousins.

More cousins.

Mom and her sister.  Mom was such a tall beautiful woman.

Christmas 1961

Uncle Arnold, Grandpa, and cousin.

Grandma and grandpa.

Tonight, after everyone leaves, I plan on lighting a few candles and spending some quiet time with those I have loved and lost.

Christmas--that magic blanket that wraps itself about us,

that something so intangible that it is like a fragrance.
It may weave a spell of nostalgia. Christmas may be
a day of feasting, or of prayer, but always it will be a day
of remembrance--a day in which we think of
everything we have ever loved.

Augusta E. Rundel