The apartment is Christmas decked out. Christmas ready. Big time. I don’t know how it happened. One minute we are at the Warehouse, buying kitty litter, mouthwash and paper towels, the next we are decorating not one, but two Christmas trees. This was supposed to be a day of chores – changing light bulbs, putting away loads of laundry, using up leftover avocados. Instead, it became one of Christmas music (Babyface, Merrymen and a mix), white twinkle lights up the stairs, colored twinkle lights in the kitchen, unwrapping goofy, beautiful, precious ornaments. We decided my Charlie Brown tree of nearly 20 years was finally too small for all the ornaments collected over all those years, so we upgraded to a four foot fake. I’m okay with not getting the real deal. Some traditions are too sacred for anything but the island. We agreed to get balsam and bayberry scented candles to compensate. This is how my husband rocks: after we had gone out shopping twice he noticed we needed a ground plug adapter in order to have both trees lit at the same time. He went out again just to get the adapter and came back with even more lights!
I’m liking the twin trees. My old tree sports cartoon decorations: Scooby, Marvin the Martian, Cookie Monster, a green M&M, Rudolph and Pooh Bear amongst the colored lights…while the new tree has white lights and “grownup” decorations: blown glass of purple and gold, a crystal angel, a ceramic cat, a shell, icicles of glass. Everything means something. Chessie’s tags, a champagne cork, Now and Zen in purple and green, bells from a wedding, a knit reindeer, a turtle my aunt just sent me, a carousel horse, earrings from an old boyfriend too tacky to wear but perfect for a plastic tree…all of it has a place in my heart. By the time I’m 60 maybe I’ll have three trees!
This is the first time I have looked forward to a holiday so much. Hmmm. I can’t really say that because I’m not exactly sure what I’m looking forward to. It’s not like I’m counting down to December 25th. There isn’t a definite end in sight. I can’t explain it. It’s more a feeling, more of a spirit, the spirit than anything else. I can’t really explain it. But, I’m there. I’m in that spirit. Big Time.
Even dinner had a different spin on it. I made Mexican soup, a la Tyler Florence. So, so good.
Onion, garlic, jalapenos, tomatoes, salt and pepper in a stockpot sauteed in olive oil. Simmering chicken stock, shredded chicken and cubes of avocado. Topping with crispy fried tortilla strips, cilantro and lime juice. Tyler has a conversational tone in his cookbook. He wants to “walk me through” the recipe. Everyone knows Tyler. He’s the new spokesperson for Applebee’s. He rocks, too.
~*LunaSea*~ 