Christmas

We spent Christmas at the Martin's home this year.  We went caroling Christmas Eve and had a great Mexican style dinner.  Of course we pulled crackers and wore the silly hats, told the daft jokes and played the naffy games. We spent the night at Emily's comfortable new apartment - we had our own b/r.

We got up Christmas morning and quickly hightailed it to P'ville to watch the kids open their presents. We had eggs Benedict with 2 bottles of fizz and ate my world famous pie-lets.  Later in the day we had our Christmas dinner.
It was spectacular.  Jenn did a leg of lamb on the rotisserie and we also had smoked Greenberg turkey.  Nigella Lawson's recipe helped Jenn make the most scrumptious roasted potatoes I've ever had.  (secret ingredient was goose fat)
Poor old Anth was off-color and we all wished him well over and over as we drank the Cameron Hughes Lot 200 Cabernet that Nana and I provided.

Surprise!!!

We got a call from Steph yesterday afternoon saying that she and the kids had flown into town for an appointment.  They were on us 1/2 hour later.  We had been baking all morning and it was a very pleasant surprise.
We ate some of our cookies and then Evie took a nap.  The twins entertained themselves as they are so capable of doing.

Later that night we were surprised yet again.  After dinner -  baked eggplant parmagiana -  we were watching a movie when we heard noise at the front door.

Here's what we encountered upon opening the door....

Sausages make you Taller

Here's Little Evelyn having eggs and sausage with Nana and Grandad just the day before they flew off to California.

Yet Another Cruise

I soloed last week and did the same itinerary as Bev and I did last April.....Fla to San Juan, St Martin, and St Kitt's. 


Wasn't as much fun without her but I had a good week.  I spent the first night with Steve and Linda in Florida....

Then Steve drove me to the ship after lunch on Saturday.  I was really pleased when I got to my forward cabin and saw the room.

And the view...

 It was fantastic.  I got to see things just as the Skipper did from my spot right below the bridge.
Here is San Juan.  We parked downtown.

I saw several sunrise/sunsets...

Heading in an easterly direction that of course is sunrise.
I went snorkeling in St Martin but the weather wasn't the best with high winds and a few showers making the bottom murky.  Fortunately the crew had plenty of suds so the day wasn't a total waste.

I got home early yesterday, enabled by a high speed $77 cab ride from Miami Port to FLL  so I caught an early flight.  At dinner last night Graham, Paige and Evelyn welcomed me home with this poster.....

While I read my welcome notes, Nana and Evelyn were telling each other how the cow ate the cabbage....