Exhausting Fun

Now that was one exhausting day. Fun and wonderful, but exhausting. We ended up with 22 before it was over - although Liam Black never occupied an actual seat because he wasn't all that interested in the proceedings and only wanted to be held - but not really. Very much the six-month old and pretty-much fussy for the duration.

The new kitchen worked out beautifully; Rebekah bonded with the new setup and had fun making all sorts of scrumptious goodies. She says that granite counter-tops work very very well for making "angel biscuits" and she was right.

Cleaning up was actually easier as I can now see everyone and what's going on. Heather and then our neighbor, Bill, helped things run smoothly. Two of the casseroles were in Heather's "Pampered Chef" dishes. I was told not to use soap, just hot water and one of those plastic scrapers. The reason, apparently, is to protect the special "patina" - it takes years to set just right.

"Patina", I have discovered, is actually a little known French word that, translated, means "Stained and dried-on rotting food."

The nieces were great all week long. Lindsay and Jordan, both high school freshman, came a couple of days early and did things such as shine silver (left) and chop vegetables (right). They worked hard and were perfect guests. In fact - and parents everywhere will laugh at this - they're always excited to come: "Please let us go to Brandon and work our rear-ends off for Aunt 'Bekah this week!"

These are the days I miss our "off-grade" home in Pensacola, with the crawl-space under the house, decking and then wooden floors. So much gentler on the shins and knees when standing in the kitchen for hours on end!

So everyone just about went home by 9:30 PM and just the Jacksonville Alexanders stayed. Late night tea and Rebekah's amazing date-nut bread. Then more cooking this morning as the kids just "had to" have "Uncle-Derek's best pancakes in the world."

Yeah, I'm that good!

Peace to all. But, as tomorrow is the first Sunday in Advent, let's say "Hope" and Peace - DEREK