Christmas on the Border.

My breathing is a little more shallow than it was yesterday before the traditional Christmas meal. In addition to the center piece spiral cut honey glazed ham, we added the tamales and salsa of our neighbors in the Valley. This along with yeast rolls, broccoli casserole, scalloped potatoes, pecan pie, ice cream sandwich layered desert, and iced tea not only rounded out the meal, but also rounded most of us out.

I was reduced to a lean on the couch in a semi-comatose state while nodding through old episodes of Knight Rider and One Adam Twelve. I may have switched to the Monk marathon for some more contemporary fare, but most of the plots were lost to my intermittent nodding.

The early morning hours were spent at my daughter's house watching the grandkids open their Santa gifts. I am always invited because I still carry a pocket knife. The toys these days are so secure in their boxes, one has to carry a pair of wire snips and a pocket knife to get them out of the tamper proof packaging. By the time I got the "D-Rex" remote controlled Tyrannosaurus Rex out of its box, I had made such a show of not being bitten by the thing that my grandson jumped up on the couch with the remote in hand to avoid being attacked. My little granddaughter paraded around the room in a variety of costumes from chef to ballerina. She is already showing definite signs of being "high maintenance".

Now comes the hard part, figuring out how to package the left over dishes into "Lean Cuisine" styled meals and portions. I've considered packing myself in ice for a while to take down some of the swelling. I didn't do as well as I hoped this morning but I did get rid of four of the huge yeast rolls. I split the rolls and toasted them slightly in the oven. Then I cut small portions of ham and placed them on both halves. I fried three eggs in butter and flattened the yolks. After I flipped them in the pan, I sprinkled them with grated cheddar cheese and cut them into four equal parts. I placed the eggs on top of the ham to create a Pappy McRoll. I shouldn't eat again until supper. Man those things were delicious.

The weather is predicted to be drizzly and cold for the next couple of days so I guess I'll have to exercise with my "Gold's Gym" elastic exercise bands. I need to start on my office clean up for the new year. The maid won't even come into my office anymore without a specific request. I'm going back for another cup of coffee.

"To the world you might be one person,
but to one person you just might be the
world." --- Unknown