what goes on

My husband has a theory that the one guy in Seattle who actually drives the snow plow; can't find the keys. I am half-way around the world observing friends/family putting up with the insanity of the snow and the general incompetence of various local gov'ts. Apparently they have run out of de-icer at the airport and a number of people are stuck for Christmas.

Dinner was nice last night. Plenty of meat and people. It is funny to note how in a few years things have changed so much when having a Sunday roast with my husband's family. There are all of these little kids running around, the conversation is sort of stop-start as people attend to babies, comfort toddlers, cut meat for kids and generally tell them to try one more bite of something. It isn't a bad thing but interesting to reflect upon the change/evolution of dinner time. I am now Auntie to several children, I have somehow acquired the multi-tasking skills to carry on a conversation about a book or politics while cuddling a kid and helping someone with their shoe or adjusting/fixing a toy. Thankfully I still trip over things a lot and spill tea on myself on a regular basis. It keeps me humble.

Last night we were discussing something that was going to be on television and My Mother in law mentioned something about University Challenge and my Father in law said, "oh that is such useless stuff... It is like most cookery programs. It is blancmange for the mind." harrumph harrumph. I teased him a bit and defended my Mother in law. Then not two minutes later he wanted to watch some clip show of the top 50 funniest comedy moments in christmas specials. When he said enthusiastically that he wanted to watch that I snorted loudly and made a few remarks. It was gentle teasing and he seems to take it rather well from me. It usually ends with him throwing up his hands in the air in mock resignation and saying, "fine...fine I know when I have been beaten." He then proceeded to fall asleep about a quarter of the way through his clip show. Snoring loudly and protesting that he was merely resting his eyes should someone suggest that he might go to bed.
Jenners have their traditions.

My new form of luxury is lying in bed with a hot water bottle and eating chocolate while reading a book. Not bad for fun.

good times

More relations have arrived. Some more will show up tomorrow. My husband's Grandma brought along her cousin. They have obviously known each other since the dawn of time and so they are constantly making fun of one another and gossiping like woah about folk. Right now they are playing cards.
At one point they were talking about how useless men are when they get old. Nanny said this right next to her husband. *snorts*
It was a classic dinner. We were having cold beef, jacket potatoes, ratatouille and other vegetables. Plus plenty of gravy.
Mr. Jenner's Granddad as some know is half-deaf and is also losing his sight. You often how to shout/repeat things to him a few times. (he does have a hearing aid but it isn't the best) At one point Mr. Jenner's Father suggested to Granddad, "Have you ever considered reading lips?" Granddad replied, "well I could... but I can't really see the lips." There was a bit of a laugh around the table because Dr. Jenner had somehow forgotten about Granddad's sight. A bit of a lead balloon.
My nephew insisted upon a great deal of gravy with his dinner and then didn't want to finish most of it. Senor Onion was spooning his milk into his dessert and I kept knocking over people's beverages. It was a golden night.
Tomorrow several more cousins are arriving. Plus more aunts/uncles/cousins on Christmas Eve. I think we may end up having twenty five at Christmas. So the house will be nearly full. I will be grateful on Boxing Day that we have our own suite and I can escape when they start driving me batty.
As for the rest of tonight, there will be sweets and we will watch QI. But first there are games of UNO to play and knitting to do.
Tomorrow I am going with my Mother in law to do more grocery shopping. We will pick up huge joints of meat, bread from the baker and all the vegetables and dairy products.
I should pick up some tums so I can survive Christmas dinner.