Christmas Eve

cold, cloudy, still day. temps minus 13

So lovely outside. Snow heavy on trees. A light dusting on the car this morning. Michael and I went out early and did errands including dropping in at La Rumeur Affamee - on rue Principal in Sutton. Wonderful epicerie...filled with cheeses and cold cuts, pies and tortieres (we ordered two for next week when Michael's sons are here), quiche, olive oils, salts, condiments, ice cream, and...breads. And croissants. We picked up some brie and a special goat cheese only available at Christmas. And two fresh, warm baguettes for dinner tonight.

then post office. finally found Christmas crackers in the hardware store. Quite an Anglo tradition, so not all that easy to find Christmas crackers outside Montreal. But it's a part of Christmas dinner I adore. Always have. Silly really. The pop of the cracker, digging for the ridiculous joke on the slip of paper, and the 'present' - normally something plastic and breakable or already broken. And those garish tissue hats shaped like crowns. We all wear them. All the way through dinner, as they slip off, or over and eye, and get shoved back. By the end of the meal they're torn and askew, but we'd never dream of taking them off.

Then a final trip to the grocery store - packed! Bedlam. But enough check-out people that there was actually no waiting. We didn't need much, but what we needed was crucial...milk, bananas, grapefruit, and ingredients for stuffing. The fruit is for show. The truth is, we're now in junk highgear. Chocolates, fudge, christmas cake, anything Lise made, bark, and pannetone.

Once home we unpacked, walked Trudy, and while Michael laid the fire I made a couple of cafe au laits, carved the pannetone, and we plopped down in front of the hearth. Ahhh.

Doug is on his way from Toronto - presumably bringing Buttercup (the hound from hell - with the surfeit of joy and a tail like a baseball bat). Will have dinner in front of the fireplace, with the tree lit, carols on the stereo, and cheese, pate and baguette on a tray. And spend the night getting all caught up.

I will blog tomorrow - because I do want to say thank you for all the many gifts you've given me over this past year. In the meantime, I hope your travels are safe and swift, if you're going out - and that you have a wonderful holiday.