Christmas 2025

It's not chestnuts roasting on an open fire, but a prime rib I'm roasting for my solo Christmas dinner.  I might be alone but that's not new to me now, 5 years since Jerry passed.  My friends including the widows all have familues to be with.  I couldn't think of anyone to invite this year, so here I am.  I'll be dining solo but I still will dine elegantly using finest crystal, China, gold utensils.    

In a moment of otherworldly thinking I decided to have prime rib for my Christmas dinner.  It's been years since I cooked one and this will be my last time.  I had to buy 2 bones at Festival and today I must have cut away a pound of fat before putting this 6.6 lb. roat into the oven.  What was I thinking?  I'll have to freeze a couple meals from this because it's way too much for me. And from the looks of the oven now I'll have to run the cleaning cycle tomorrow.  

It's a grey dreary day out there again but at least no snow, rain, nor sleet.  A break in the wintry blasts we've been under since right after Thanksgiving 

For some reason unknown to me our church did not have the traditional 2 Christmas Eve services this year.  First time since I don't know when.  I prefer that 9:000M mass.  Since only 4:00PM was offered or 10:00AM Christmas Day, I went to the 4:00.  What a bad circus!  I knew it would be packed as the Chreasters come in force, that's what we call those who come only Christmas and Easter.  It mystified me why.  So I thought I'd be a little early and went at 3:30PM!  Hah!  Bad mistake.  Packed already.  I parked blocks away.  I nearly left in disgust but figured, oh go on, you're already here.  Fortunately an usher found a seat for me, on the end of a pew towards the back.  The place was a mess!  People crammed in like sardines.  I saw very few parishioners that I knew, just the Chreaster invasion.  Somehow by the Grace of God I endured.  

Last night I wanted to watch at least part of the service from the Vatican, so I busied myself rewatching It's a Wonder full Life while waiting.  It is a good movie, old black and white.  A reminder to be grateful, a timely message of blessing.  But my eyelids kept closing as the news came on and still at 11:00PM no trace or hint of the Vatican service that was supposed to be on NBC.  I gave up and went to bed, late for me. Surprised myself by sleeping in until 9:20 this morning!  I guess compensating for late night.

Well the probe in the prime rib is starting to heat over 100 degrees.  I have it set at 135 for medium rare.  So I best now fix my salad and reheat the twice baked potato I mixed up earlier.