Our plans went awry. The restaurant for dinner tonight had a fire (?!) and was not open on Christmas. The movie theaters are packed, and we will not risk COVID-19 if we can get seats. So Joan and I agree to try “Jewish Christmas” on another day and in a less packed theater.
Starting from the morning, I slept until just about 9AM and then started slow and stayed that way. I found the one roll I saved myself, puffy, sweet (Grammary insisted this is sweaty–No), and filled with dried fruit and pecans. It was good. It went with the end of my liberal coffee from this previous purchase. Tomorrow, it will be NYC Zabar’s ground. Thank you, Smiths. I ate that with a banana. Even though it was Christmas, it was Monday, and so I put in a load of laundry.
I wrote the blog for Christmas Eve, and there I went slow; there was no reason to rush, and I tried to capture this year’s feelings. I wrote slowly with care, trying to find the words I wanted. It is not a complex Emerson-like piece but a telling of my experiences.
Once Joan and I rescheduled, I decided (it was nearing 1PM) to cook a steak for myself. I picked up some ribeyes from Safeway yesterday. They’re not as thick as I like, but they’re still good. I pulled one out, salted it on both sides and let it sit out while preparing. I found that the gas grill needed to be heated to clean it up and then found a kitchen towel I was tossing (it was stained), and I used it, dampened, to clean the firey hot metal. That got the grill ready for reuse this winter–it was a three-pack of steaks, and I have some chicken too that I would like to grill, given a chance. I am good with the broiler, but the gas grill is better.
I got out some frozen corn and started that steaming–I love corn with pepper and butter. I made a salad. It was nearing 2 when I was ready. I had turned down the grill, put the steak on the hot metal, and then turned the steak to get those cross grill marks. I went in and set a timer for three minutes.
I returned, and the thin ribeye steak was an inferno. I was laughing and also trying not to burn the hair off my arms or my eyebrows, for that matter. I put out the steak. I flipped it, and it looked good with only a bit of char. I pulled it and took it inside; it was perfect–just luck and the discipline never to put anything on the grill or in the oven without a timer. The corn was ready, and I finished off the salad makings.
I watch another DC Batman animation with the best voices for Joker and Batman again. My Christmas dinner was excellent and a bit early, but I was hungry. The steak was salted just perfectly, and I had sprinkled just a tiny amount of ground coffee that was good.
Next, it is Christmas Day, and Doctor Who Special 4 2023 is now available on Disnery+. I thought the previous three were a bit sappy and contrived. This one, while having two dance numbers (apparently something we will see more of instead of chase scenes), and the new Doctor sang. I liked the episode and thought it was just a bit scary. I felt much better about the series’ future after today’s show. I recommend it.
I did the dishes, finished the laundry, and opened a present. I was sad but not upset. It is the first Christmas I have been alone in a house for. I went back (while writing) to remember the previous Christmas Days and the previous Christmas. There were some wet eyes when seeing pictures of Susie I had forgotten.
Please enjoy these good memories, some sad.
I took a short nap, started to watch the new Midway movie, and made eggs over easy for a light dinner. I was nervous and sad–something that happens when I am not busy. But I am OK. I will write some more and write this blog.
Thanks for reading! Merry Christmas.
Alohawild (Michael Wild's) Website 