Getting close to Christmas, and Hanukkah is here

I think I'm done with my shopping, mostly. Whoops, forgot the gift certificates for the god-child and his sibs....those can be sent email from Amazon. (adds note to to-do list...) One gift was shipped to Moultrie and will need to be wrapped when I get there--we had a change of plans and will go to my father instead of bringing him up here, as he had out-patient surgery on Friday and can't travel.

So, I'm packing clothes, cooking stuff (sent the rib roast ahead with my brother who left this morning--it will dry-age in the fridge a few days), presents, the bicycle and equipment, board games, etc. I'll work a few hours tomorrow morning, then will hit the road, I hope. Sister-in-law and the kids will go right after younger niece's orthodontist appt. at 9. We shall all converge, put up a tree, do some baking, and celebrate. Brother and sister-in-law will have to leave Christmas night, as they fly out the next day to go visit her parents. I'll stay until Boxing Day, and do the cleanup. And assess how my father is doing with his recovery....

The weather tonight is at least a little like December. With apologies to those of you not enjoying your recent snow, freezing rain, or other winter weather, we'd been having light rain and 70 degrees for the last few days. Today it cleared off and the wind blew, and we'll be down in the 20's overnight. Even Moultrie will be around freezing, but then it looks to warm back up into the high 70's down there for Christmas Day--must pack both a good jacket and some short-sleeved shirts.

Tonight was the first night of Hanukkah, so I went next door to eat latkes and watch the candle-lighting. Sister-in-law will have to haul her Hanukkah box along with the Christmas presents...part of the the mixed marriage challenges on years when Hanukkah overlaps Christmas.

A Christmas Carol at the Shakespeare Tavern

To the aid of getting in the spirit of Christmas, we went to see Dickens' A Christmas Carol at the Shakespeare Tavern last night. We saw it last year as well, but had seats in the balcony (and weren't there early enough to get good ones either)--this time we were on the main floor. It's a tiny theater, so it's not the distance to the stage so much as the dining experience. The Shakespeare Tavern is a tavern, you see, with a pub menu and beverages. Food is available for 75 minutes before the show, and dessert is available in the intermission. Those balcony seats require balancing a tray in your lap if you're lucky enough to have the space, otherwise you use your lap. We had only lap-space last year. The main floor has tables (you still fetch your own food from the kitchen area), which is much nicer.

The production was just as wonderful as last year. It's a near-complete reading of the story, as best I can tell, with various actors doing the narration parts and then switching into playing roles as needed. Several sets of Christmas carols are worked in and nicely done, too. I could quibble about some actors' lack of careful enunciation at times, but you know, the story is familiar and can be followed. You miss some of the enjoyment of Dickens' words when that happens, but then the narration will switch off (or the actor will slow down and improve) and you're right back in the story.

I'm making a note to get tickets again next year--this production is one I can see again and again.

Packing notes

I note the temperature in Moultrie is supposed to increase 10+ degrees per day: Monday the high will be shy of 50, Tuesday 63, Wednesday 74. Then it stalls out with only 76 (and rain) for Christmas Day, and 78 on Friday. The average high for December is about 60, and the record is 80. Could maybe break that record...