1. I deeply appreciated a Christmas gift today that came from Eric Yuan, the founder of Zoom (I like to call it ZOOM!). Thanks to ZOOM, I could stay home in my bubble today for the family gift exchange and join in with Zoe, Travis, Molly, Carol, Christy, Paul, Riley, Sadie, Clark, and the thought of Leo who were all together at the Roberts' house AND have Debbie join the gift exchange from her basement room in Valley Cottage, NY.
I just can't take this for granted. I can't measure how happy was I to be able to participate in the gift exchange, stay in my bubble, know Debbie was joining us, and know that the rest of my family understands and accepts my caution?
Here's how happy: I showered! I put on a brand new pair of L. L. Bean khaki trousers! I wore a buttoned down shirt! With a collar! I decided not to look like the haggard unkempt paranoid isolated anti-social old uncle/brother with unbrushed hair all akimbo wearing a pair of hole-y faded gray sweatpants and a ten year old Lane Community College hoody.
2. This year, back on January 29th, before Kathy and Mary arrived at the Riverbank Tap House to play trivia, I ordered a Rye Whiskey Sazerac -- a drink I'd never ordered before.
At family dinner the following weekend, I told my sisters and Paul and Everett about this drink and how I'd been in correspondence with a Eugene friend, Melissa, who loves Sazeracs, and I bemoaned my outcast fate that I didn't think the Kellogg Liquor Store carried neither Peychaud's bitters nor absinthe, the Sazerac's foundational ingredients.
Well, I don't know if this is exactly how things worked out, but here's the story that it's my head.
A couple of weeks or so ago, Val sent me a package from Portland of the liquors needed to make the Bourbon Renewal (plus a bonus bottle of Pineapple Rum).
Carol and Paul saw how happy I was to receive that package and how much I enjoyed bringing the liquors over to their house to mix Bourbon Renewal cocktails for family dinner a couple of weeks ago.
So, today, on Christmas, Paul delivered a gift from Zoe and one from Paul and Carol.
The Paul and Carol gift was unusually heavy, I thought, and being the not very imaginative person I am, I had no clue what was the gift was.
I opened the gift from Zoe. OMG! It was perfect: a book of Russian recipes and lore entitled, Beyond the North Wind.
Then I opened the heavy package from Carol and Paul.
On top of the contents I found a book entitled, Sazerac.
Hope, the uplift of a dream come true, mild euphoria all suddenly gripped me.
Was it?
Yes it was!
It was a box of ingredients to make the Sazerac: Peychaud's bitters! Absinthe! Cognac! A box of sugar cubes!
They followed Val's example. I realize they might have put this gift together without Val's example, but I want things in my life to connect, so I'm going to believe that Val inspired Carol and Paul, who must have remembered me bemoaning my outcast state back in January about the Kellogg Liquor Store, to go to Total Wine last Monday and put together a Sazerac box as my Christmas gift from them, with the accompanying book.
I might mix myself a Sazerac some time before this Sunday's family dinner, just for practice, and, then, if Carol, Paul, and Christy agree to give this cocktail a try, serve a Sazerac before our December 27th holiday prime rib dinner.
3. Around 3:30 or so, Christy delivered a plate of frosted sugar cookies to me and I sent her to the Roberts' house with a Mediterranean Chopped Salad I finished making a couple of hours earlier. A bit later, Paul arrived with a helping of oyster stew and slices of a remarkable homemade rosemary bread, baked by Zoe, that I loved. I handed off the prime rib roast I purchased for Sunday's dinner to Paul.
Christmas Day in my bubble was very good. After dinner, I relaxed by watching Minnesota win a thrilling overtime basketball game against Iowa. I started another acrostic puzzle. I cleaned up the kitchen. I received a picture of the flower bouquet I sent to Patrick and Meagan. I spent the day feeling at peace.
God bless us, every one!
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