Marion's Miscellaneous Musings

Finished wrapping presents at 11:30 last night. While doing exercises this morning, remembered the candy, which had been hidden primarily so the dog would not find it.

Got up before the teenagers (not hard). Opened presents in shifts, as people arrived. Got positive comments from the daughter, so happy there. Gave games to husband and exchange student, won those games.

Grandson entertained everybody, and ignored presents in favor of eating a small flashlight on a tripod. And chasing after wadded up wrapping paper.

Burned fingers on the turkey roaster pan (how was I supposed to know that a metal pan in the 325 degree oven was hot?) Spent the next couple of hours doing things 1 handed. A couple of ibuprofen helped; the fingers feel almost normal now, but the blisters, when they pop, won't be nice. Someone else will be shuffling cards tomorrow.

Tried a wild rice/white rice stuffing for the turkey (the ancestral family stuffing, which included croutons and clams, could not be used because one daughter is sensitive to gluten and one guest is allergic to seafood. As it turns out, the daughter doesn't like stuffing anyway and the seafood guest was too sick to come. But the rice stuffing got positive reviews even if the wild rice turned everything a dark purple. (Cooked rice in chicken stock; added sauteed onions and garlic; celery, carrots and parsley. Will try to add different seasonings and sausage next time.)

Had 10 people around the table at dinner. Note to self: daughter and boyfriend are too big to share the piano bench, and even they said so! Next time we will have to consider ages and possibly get out the card table. Or create a teenager table around the coffee table in the playroom.

One of the games is Monty Python Fluxx. Highly recommended. The other game was Robo Rally. As the exchange student said, two hours later, this is for a really rainy day. Or a Friday night. And you have to be willing to think. Note to self: perhaps Jack lost because he was drinking Gluehwein. Must remember this.