The days between....

(yeah, that's a somewhat obscure Grateful Dead reference...whatchoo gonna do about it? LOL)

Christmas day was a quiet stay-at-home kind of day with predictions of heavy snow that never came.  We got a dusting, and some ice, too.   It was really cold and windy.

But there wasn't enough of anything to cancel work on the next day, dammit.

My first ever sauerbraten turned out PERFECTLY.  Oh wow, was it GOOD!  New Christmas day tradition!!

The goodies my sister sent sat under the tree until Christmas day, which has not happened before.  Usually, Dave insists that we open everything when the box arrives, but this year, he exhibited restraint!

She sent stuff that I love from Trader Joes (which we do not have in Oklahoma because of the stupid liquor laws here), and some cloth napkins to start my collection!  Yay!

And also a recipe for chicken chili that I tried already and we LOVED!

Since Dave's been off work since the 21st, he went and did all of the weekly errands yesterday while I was at work, so that was nice.  All groceries were gotten without my having to participate!

This weekend, we went to the movies for the first time in many months, and saw "Lincoln."

Oh my dear God...you really should see that movie.  It's phenomenal.

And we're doing laundry and I'm cooking.  Just a normal type weekend.  These are just the days between Christmas and New years.

I have to work new years' eve, but that night, when I get home, I'll roast a chicken for us to sup on, and we have a split of champagne for our toast...though, since I have to get up at 5:45 for work that morning, I have some doubt as to my ability to make it to midnight to bit 2012 a most fond adieu.

(incidentally, 2012, if we make it through 12/31 without incident, will be the first year that I have been here in which David has NOT BEEN HOSPITALIZED!!!  THAT is something to celebrate!)

The friends we brunched with last weekend MIGHT join us at some point on NYE, but I haven't heard yet if they're coming or not.

New year's day will be a blissful day off work, and I will make black eyed pea and Virginia ham soup.   It's just one day off, though, so no big plans.  It's also the last day of Dave's vacation.

And I will heartily welcome 2013.  I have a good feeling about this coming year.  I had a good feeling about 2011, too, but let's hope 13 does better by me.