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I'm avoiding responsibilities, so apparently I'm filling out the rest of my post-Christmas post.
- I got nice goodies--a lovely plush bathrobe, a new briefcase, a wine-tasting party kit, and some books I've been coveting, among other things. Most excellent presents.
- People liked the gifts I gave them. Chuckro loves his PS3, my brother made his wife listen to the horrible dancing Christmas tree over the phone, and the wine tasting dinner went smashingly well.
- I got to talk to my brother, and he got to spend two days with his wife. These are important to me. Also, his wife did all her Christmas shopping online and so lovely and thoughful gifts were sitting under the tree in DC waiting for us, all wrapped. Despite the fact that they're both in a war zone, and have been for months. The internet has changed deployment so much since my father was deployed to Baghdad, I cannot even begin to say. (My dad was in Desert Storm. My brother and his wife are currently in Operation Whatever-the-hell-it-is-this-week.) My mom's also chatted with both my brother and his wife on IM, casually. We sent them pictures of us opening the gifts they gave us, which they received that day. They have sent us photos of their quarters (decorated) and their offices (full of packages). When my parents were first married, my mom could go weeks or months without even knowing what hemisphere he was in, and I can chat with my brother about what he had for dinner last night in real time. They can get pretty much anything at all they want shipped to them with a couple mouse clicks. Unreal.
- Aforementioned wine dinner was a fantastic success. Not even sure what we're going to do next year, after that. Flavored olive oil tasting with prosecco, homemade ravioli filled with pear and pecorino with a Vernaccia from San Gimignano, an absolutely amazing beef braciole with an odd but interesting mixed red from Mt. Etna, and zuccotto (dome shaped sponge cake brushed with Chambord, filled with whipped cream, raspberries, toasted hazelnuts, and chopped Heath bars, all draped in ganache) with this lovely berry-ish bubbly red whose name escapes me utterly at the moment but I will be hunting down again.
- Once again, so glad to be home.
- I got nice goodies--a lovely plush bathrobe, a new briefcase, a wine-tasting party kit, and some books I've been coveting, among other things. Most excellent presents.
- People liked the gifts I gave them. Chuckro loves his PS3, my brother made his wife listen to the horrible dancing Christmas tree over the phone, and the wine tasting dinner went smashingly well.
- I got to talk to my brother, and he got to spend two days with his wife. These are important to me. Also, his wife did all her Christmas shopping online and so lovely and thoughful gifts were sitting under the tree in DC waiting for us, all wrapped. Despite the fact that they're both in a war zone, and have been for months. The internet has changed deployment so much since my father was deployed to Baghdad, I cannot even begin to say. (My dad was in Desert Storm. My brother and his wife are currently in Operation Whatever-the-hell-it-is-this-week.) My mom's also chatted with both my brother and his wife on IM, casually. We sent them pictures of us opening the gifts they gave us, which they received that day. They have sent us photos of their quarters (decorated) and their offices (full of packages). When my parents were first married, my mom could go weeks or months without even knowing what hemisphere he was in, and I can chat with my brother about what he had for dinner last night in real time. They can get pretty much anything at all they want shipped to them with a couple mouse clicks. Unreal.
- Aforementioned wine dinner was a fantastic success. Not even sure what we're going to do next year, after that. Flavored olive oil tasting with prosecco, homemade ravioli filled with pear and pecorino with a Vernaccia from San Gimignano, an absolutely amazing beef braciole with an odd but interesting mixed red from Mt. Etna, and zuccotto (dome shaped sponge cake brushed with Chambord, filled with whipped cream, raspberries, toasted hazelnuts, and chopped Heath bars, all draped in ganache) with this lovely berry-ish bubbly red whose name escapes me utterly at the moment but I will be hunting down again.
- Once again, so glad to be home.
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no subject
Date: 2010-12-28 05:20 pm (UTC)From:Wow, the internet really is a magical thing, especially for people who have no way to be with their loved ones on special days. I'm so glad you got to talk with your family thanks to that.
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Date: 2010-12-28 05:48 pm (UTC)From: