Merry Christmas - Part 3 of 3

Another fun-filled gift exchange at Mom and Dad's. M-S and I made the meal at our house and brought it. The menu included: roast duck with red currant sauce, honey glazed ham, sweet potatoes, mashed potato with ham gravy, kale with bacon, fennel salad, and tomato/mozzarella/basil salad. We also had traditional English "crackers." You can see one in front of Tut on the table.

Two people pull on the ends, it makes a popping sound, and there is a prize inside, and jokes, and a paper hat:

Jim and Darryl show the technique here:

After dinner we did our exchange, with people bringing their gift to the recipient:

It was great fun, as usual. Lots of high powered personalities with quick wits. I got some very thoughtful gifts today - and I'm thankful to my wonderful family. God bless us everyone!

~MET

Merry Christmas - Part 2 of 3

We were worried this morning that we would not be able to prepare tonight's meal, as we lost power for a bit. While we waited for it to come back on M-S played Christmas carols. It did come back, and we are busy cooking. Our kids got here around 11:30, and they dug unto their stockings:

Then, its youngest to oldest opening gifts. "Little" Kori goes first:

Followed by Alex:

Chris:

Sarah:

M-S:

And then me. It was fun - and the kids are now getting us gifts on their own, which is nice. We'll be heading to my parents' at around 3:30 for gifts and dinner.

~MET

Merry Christmas - Part 1 of 3

I really enjoy spending Christmas morning with M-S. We always go for a wintry walk at around 7:30. While we're gone M-S's world famous egg bake is cooking. It really does seem to taste better each year:

After we eat I begin to prepare the evening meal, sporting the pj's that I'll be wearing all day:

We listen to holiday music, and both get excited about our kids' arrival. They range in age from 15-21...but they are still our babies. Next installment: the tree with our kids.

~MET

A Memory From A Couple of Decades Ago

It seems like all of the teachers at WHS, or close friends like the Fabbricatores have very young children or are pregnant. I can see in all of them an excitement as they get ready for a child's first Christmas...or anticipate how much next year's holiday season will be different with the addition of a new child. I actually am excited thinking about how the Goldsmith's will come down the steps Christmas morning knowing that Callum will be there to play with wrapping paper and clean each new toy by sticking it in his mouth. The same will be true at the Longyear's, the Hargrove's, and the Babik's. And the Garners will have a great time this year, but no doubt will from time to time be thinking about how next year there will be a little boy to redefine what December 25 is all about. I simply can't wait to watch Fab & Cindy get ready for their 1st Christmas next year in a new home with a new son. I may crash that Christmas morning - cause its going to be a hoot.
My first Christmas with a child included the two month old little girl in the picture. I have yet to see a baby as beautiful as Sarah, and I remember that holiday season was extra special because she was also Mammie & Tut's first grandchild. I love this picture for all kinds of obvious reasons, but also because of the blanket she is laying on. My grandmother, Tut's mom, made that for Sarah - but never got to meet my little girl. Its the only link between my very special grandparent and my children.
With all of these friends having kids, I think I'll do a post once in a while about my kids when they were little - oh, the Chris stories will be magical - so look for those posts in 2009. Can't wait for Christmas and spending time with my family!
~MET

The Stockings Were Hung...

...on the windows with care. Another day filled with Christmas chores. I am officially done my shopping - including stocking stuffers! I thought Augusta would be a zoo this morning, what with the blizzard on the way. But, it was a breeze. I just beat the storm home and put our stockings up. In the picture above you can see the snow beginning.

M-S is wrapping upstairs. I made chicken lasagna with white sauce for the faculty pot-luck tomorrow - if we have school. Then I noticed Owen playing with some ornaments on the tree, so I snapped a picture:

Burt was on his bed in front of the tree, so I got on the floor to get a picture of him and Owen jumped down and kept rubbing his head on the camera so I couldn't take it. This is the best one I could get:

You can see Owen's whiskers on the right side. And the tree is blurry from Owen's shove. He is the alpha male.

~MET

Parties, Shopping & More Dickens

Much Christmas activity this weekend. Last night M-S and I went to her office Christmas party. It was nice to meet all the new doctors and their families. Today I did A LOT of shopping, and met M-S in Augusta at Red Robin for lunch. Mmmm....burgers. Right now I am watching the 1938 version of my favorite holiday tradition. This one keeps very true to the novel, and stars Reginald Owen as Scrooge. He does an adequate job, but I like this one for Gene Lockhart's rendition of Bob Cratchit:

He does a fantastic job. His wife, Kathleen, plays Mrs. Cratchit. One of my favorite musical versions is on next starring Albert Finney (1970):

I like this one because of the great music, and because they extend the time after Scrooge has become a new man. I always tear up. Its being shown on channel 42 with the overture included!

~MET

500!

This is Random Digression's 5ooth post. It has been great to create a journal with pictures and text to help me remember:

• Great times spent with family
• Political activity
• My career
• The ups and mostly downs of the Washington Nationals
• Time spent with friends
• The transition to adulthood of my wonderful children
• Me in the outdoors
• "Monthly meals"
• The adventures of our pets
• My heroes
• Living with a fantastic wife
• And...well...random stuff

Thanks for reading and commenting - and I hope to make it to 1000 and beyond.

~MET

Happy Birthday, Suz!

My sister celebrates her birthday today...I think this is a significant one...think it ends in a zero. Hope you have a wonderful day!
~MET

First Viewing Last Night!

I LOVE every single version of A Christmas Carol - and I saw one of my favorites last night. George C. Scott makes a wonderful Scrooge. I'm looking forward to the musical versions, the updated ones, and of course - A Muppet Christmas Carol. I think this stems from an English course I took 25 years ago in college. It was one of the books we had to read, and write a paper - but we also read it aloud in class. This bit of Dickens really needs to be heard.
~MET

Good Food - New Age Shopping

What a wonderful day. This morning I paid my bills, and went to the dump, then made a really good brunch using a new recipe. I made an "evergreen frittata" that was outstanding. The recipe is is in this week's Parade magazine, and its really easy. You cook it in a frying pan in the oven and we enjoyed it with some deer steak:

For much of the day I Christmas shopped from my couch:

I bought a bunch while listening to i-tunes...very productive. Later, Mom and Dad came out for dinner - and my AWARD WINNING chili. We had corn bread, nacho chips, and good discussion.

We watched a bit of the Pats, and talked about Christmas - it was fun.

~MET

SNOW DAY!

Well...ice day, really. No school today, as the sleet and freezing rain have left a thick coating of ice on everything. You can see it on the rocks, bushes and trees in the picture above. Burt and I took a long walk around noon to get the mail, and all of the trees looked like this:

And, there were lots and lots of limbs down:

Burt likes the post office so we always walk there at lunchtime so the postmaster has closed the window and can't see us. I don't know if he's supposed to be in there or not.

Its nice to have a Friday off to hang out with my dog.

~MET

Christmas Quiz

My sister answered these holiday questions on her blog - here are my answers:

Wrapping paper or gift bags? Gift bags! I use them exclusively now, because my wrapping skills stink.
Real tree or artificial? Artificial for the first time this year. Its a nice one that looks real, and I like saving trees.
When do you put up the tree? No specific time.
When do you take the tree down? Right after Christmas.
Do you like eggnog? Love it.
Favorite gift received as a child? Any action figure, but my favorite was Evel Knievel - 'till I lost him trying to jump Riggs Brook.
Hardest person to buy for? Everyone. I always feel like made a bad choice.
Easiest person to buy for? My parents - monthly meals!
Do you have a nativity scene? No.
Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail.
Worst Christmas gift you ever received? My uncle gave me the exact same gift two years in a row once...its kind of funny now.
Favorite Christmas movie? Every version of A Christmas Carol
Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Nope.
Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Egg bake, peanut butter fudge, and Ann's chocolates.
Lights on the tree? Yes.
Favorite Christmas song? Have a Holly Jolly Christmas: Burl Ives.
Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home.
Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Yes.
Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel.
Open presents Christmas Eve or morning? It depends - we tend to have lots of different gift opening times, spread out over a few days.
Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Traffic and crowds.
Favorite ornament theme or color? None.
What do you want for Christmas this year? Good health for my family.
When do you start shopping for Christmas? This Saturday.
Favorite Christmas dinner? My Mom's seafood chowder. Last year we had goose for the first time. This year we'll most likely be having ham and duck. If Suz comes instead of tofurkey she can make tofuck. HA!
~MET

Winslow's Social Science Department

On Tuesdays and Thursdays we have a Social Studies Department meeting for about a half an hour to work on several initiatives, or just to share ideas. Our conference table is located in the back of my classroom, and we always have a good time with each other's company. To be frank - I work in the best department in the school. We all have specialties, I think we have great teachers, and we all are very willing to work hard to stay current in our fields. If you begin with the only female member and work clockwise:

• Trish is our European History expert
• Mark specializes in economics and psychology
• Scott teaches geography and western civilizations
• Mike specializes in geography
• Wick teaches American History - but with a social history emphasis
• and I teach American Government & Law and American History - with a political science slant

You'll notice that all the males are wearing ties, and that Trish is very professionally dressed. We are a competitive group, and pride ourselves in our professionalism. I know that I'm bias - but I feel very lucky to work with this department. We are also VERY experienced, with our junior member being an 8 year veteran, and 4 of the 6 having more than 24 years in the classroom. We love comparing methods and helping each other. Just another reason to look forward to my job each day.

~MET

The Tree is Finished

Happy Holidays!

~MET

Snow...Brunch...Tree

We awoke this morning to a thin layer of pretty snow, which made our walk this morning very nice. After we had our coffee we went to Mom and Dad's for brunch. Dad made ploys (sp?), fruit cups, turkey sausage, hash browns, and eggs. It was very tasty - and pretty healthy, all things considered.

M-S and I then did several errands in Augusta - including getting our Christmas tree:

We'll wait a couple of days to put the decorations on, but the white lights and the candles in each window make the place look pretty festive.

~MET

Date Night

M-S treated me to a date tonight. We went to Brunswick to the Eveningstar to see Rachel Getting Married. We like the theatre because it is like the Railroad Square in Waterville. No kids, indie films, and kitchy. Notice the couches and rocking chair in the front rows:

The movie was good, but a bit intense and depressing. The characters were very interesting, though. After the film we did what has become one of our favorite things to do together: trying a different restaurant. We went to Clementine, right on the main drag in Brunswick:

Good atmosphere, with a small but interesting menu. We both had the chestnut soup to start - which was awesome.

M-S had sage marinated chicken, while I went with the duck breast:

The food and service were excellent...and I have always enjoyed eating out with my wife. One of my new years' resolutions will be to eat at a new place each month with M-S.

~MET