Season's Eatings

Our nephew Davis makes a fine centerpiece for the dining room table.

House guests do not go hungry at our home, thanks to Susan. This week she has been preparing lovely meals to delight her dad Roger, her siblings, her brother-in-law, and her nephew (and her husband and children, as usual). Let's review, shall we?

Sunday

• lasagna
• green beans
• buttered corn
• garlic toast

Monday

• supper at Susan's aunt and uncle's

Tuesday

• meatballs in gravy
• mashed potatoes
• steamed broccoli

Wednesday

• 17-lb. ham! (courtesy of Roger)
• cheese buttons (a tradition in Susan's family: homemade noodles filled with cheese, onions, and dill, folded into dumplings, boiled, and served with melted butter)
• dill pickles

Thursday

• smoked salmon cheese ball and crackers
• shrimp cocktail
• lobster macaroni and cheese
• crab-stuffed mushrooms
• oyster "stew" (another tradition in Susan's family; it's a misnomer, though: instead of a stew, it's literally a kettle of warm milk and melted butter with oysters dropped into it)

There's a storm a-brewin' and headed toward this state, and it's expected to affect our area tomorrow and Saturday. Susan's sister Cassie and her husband Nick already changed their flight plans to leave ND from Bismarck on Saturday instead of from Fargo, but will they be able even to get to Bismarck without leaving our house early tomorrow (instead of Saturday, as they had planned)? Their getting home safely is our main concern . . . but here's what they could miss:

Friday
brunch:

• egg bake
• sausage
• banana/chocolate chip/oatmeal muffins
• fruit salad
• coffee and fruit juice

supper:

• homemade pepperoni and Canadian bacon pizza

In the meantime, it's Christmas Eve! Susan started the oyster "stew" early and sent some of it with Roger, Cassie, and Nick, who took the "stew" and the kiddos to Roger's mom Laura's nursing home so that she could enjoy the traditional oyster dish and see her granddaughter and great-grandchildren. Meanwhile, Susan and I stayed behind to prepare the seafood meal for their return.

Laura with her granddaughter Cassie, her son Roger, and her great-grandson Davis

Laura with her great-grandchildren Davis, Suzanna, Abigail, and Hillary

After they returned and we ate supper, we had Davis open the gifts from our family and our daughters open the gifts from Davis and his family . . . just in case they have to leave early tomorrow due to the weather. All the presents were well received, but the very best part of the holiday has been the presence of our extended family. Gotta get to bed now; the girls have written Santa a note, left him some cookies and an empty glass ("There is milk in the fridge; help yourself"), and hung their stockings by the fireplace, so I'd better get to sleep so that Santa can make a stop at our house tonight!

Davis Claus!