Monday, Dec. 20

Today is Son's birthday. Happy Birthday, Son!

Up around 7:30 this morning, and did a treadmill session and resistance exercises after breakfast. Mother came over while I was getting ready for the day and started a pot of 11-bean soup cooking. Naturally, this did not go off without a hitch. Mother discovered we didn't have Rotel for the soup. Since Hubbie was out Christmas shopping, I tried to call and ask him to stop by a grocery store. I couldn't reach him, though he said later that his phone was on, but he didn't hear it ringing. So as soon as he got home, he had to turn right around and go to the store.

Kitchen duties today also included baking the other pumpkin from the outdoor fall display, which we then bagged for the freezer. The 11-bean soup went into the freezer, too, to be brought out as part of a soup and sandwich meal on Dec. 26, when Hubbie's family will visit.

Otherwise, we spent the afternoon following lunch watching Christmas movies..."Miracle of 34th Street," on DVD, and "A Christmas Carol," performed in 1992 as a ballet by the Northern Ballet Theater on PBS. I taped the performance several years ago. Wish I had this one on DVD. The VHS tape is getting worn.

For supper, I fixed bagel pizzas, which we had with leftover sauteed potatoes, and cottage cheese. As soon as the kitchen was cleaned, Mother and I made a batch of chocolate/peppermint bark. The candy is made from melted white chocolate, on which is swirled melted semi-sweet chocolate morsels, and topped with broken candy canes. I won't want to eat much of this candy, but it's pretty for serving or using for gifts.

Mother went home after we made the candy, and Hubbie and I watched TV.