As has been the case for the last ten or so years (since my youngest hit his teens and began to sleep in), I am the first one up on Christmas morning. I feel a bit wistful thinking of all those years of our kids coming into our room early, settling in our bed to open their stockings before we’d go downstairs to proceed with the gift-opening ritual. But I do enjoy the slower-paced Christmasses we have now and the chance to focus on my husband and to spend time with Bronwen and Adam, who, so far, are almost always with us Christmas morning as well. Today, as for the last few years, Paul and I will stay quiet with our cups of good, smoky tea and our holiday reading (always a few new mysteries reserved for that — this year, it’s James Lee Burke’s Pegasus Descending for Paul and Ian Rankin’s Exit Music for me) ’til the younger folk emerge about 10 for coffee. After the gifts are unwrapped and we’ve enjoyed our lazy breakfast, we’ll stuff the turkey and throw it in the oven and then be able to putter at will, new CD’s on the stereo, the fire burning, our non-tree lights shining. At some point, we’ll head out for a run and when we come back in, the rich smell of roasting turkey will permeate the house.
Megan just phoned from Tyax where she’s been up since 5-ish working to feed Christmas breakfast to the hungry skiiers — she’s in the middle of an absolute winter wonderland and she wishes us all a very Merry Christmas! May yours be Merry as well.
Hi and Merry Christmas from Budapest! Your Christmas routine sounds very relaxed and easy. We still have kids getting up early, but the rest of our day was very easy – went to English Mass at 4pm then spent the rest of the evening until the wee hours with a super group of Canadian friends (and one Italian family). We were asked to bring a dessert, others brought turkey and trimmings. By the way, please let us know how you like the last Rebus novel – I am Scottish-born, have friends who are police officers and think that this series is wonderfully realistic, especially the dialogue. Happy Reading! Patricia
Thank you for the Christmas wishes and the visit, Patricia. Sounds as if you’re settling into Budapest very well. As for the Rebus, I’m still stalling (actually reading Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love first) — I can’t believe it’s going to be the end of this series that we’ve enjoyed for so long!