Anticipation

I'm late with Monday's entry because I got caught up preparing the elf trap for tomorrow night and lost track of the time. This year I won't be using an Acme elf trap, as I've never had good luck with them. All they've ever caught were stray coyotes, and coyote makes a lousy Christmas dinner. This year I swear I will have roast elf! I even bought parsnips to put in the pot with it. That's how optimistic I am!

Today a seasonable cold spell interrupted the unseasonable warm spell that has prevailed for the last few days, but tomorrow the warm spell will return. Highs will probably be in the sixties for the rest of the week. There's still no rain in sight. This evening I irrigated the azalea bushes. One of them is looking pretty bad, and I fear it might be dying from lack of water. The lawn is looking parched, too, but I'm not going to water it. It survived summer with very little water, so I guess it can survive a dry winter as well.

It's hard to believe that the year will be ending in a little less than eight days. I hope at least one of the stores will have a sale on Guinness this week. It's nice to have Guinness to bring in the new year, but I'd rather not pay full price for it, which around here is usually almost double what I'd pay for the same amount of Sierra Nevada. Cheap porter has spoiled me for pricey stout.

Portia is nagging to get into my lap. It's terribly awkward to use the keyboard with a fat cat on my lap, but letting her curl up there is the only sure way to get her out of my face. Phew, kitty breath! I wish I already had a slice of roasted elf to distract her with.

Eve of the Feast

There's a yam in the oven and it's almost done, so I must be quick. I woke up early enough to get some leaves into the vegetation wheelie bins today before the truck arrived, so the pile in the back back yard is somewhat diminished. It was almost too warm for such work. I could easily imagine I was back in Los Angeles. the afternoon grew so mild. My consumption of soup for lunch has been put on hold until winter decides to reassert itself. It's back to sandwiches and beer for now. This should work out well, as I will have plenty of leftover elf to put in sandwiches for the next week. I'll probably freeze some elf, too, for making soups in January and February. If I also get a tiny reindeer or two that will be a bonus.

I do feel a bit bad about the kids west of here who won't be getting presents as I'll have trapped the elf before would have gotten to them, but at least I am so close to the International Dateline that there won't be very many of them. It will probably be only three percent or so. I'll feel only slight guilt when I'm having my Christmas dinner.

Once again I forgot to take advantage of the warm day to wash the HVAC filter. Maybe I should just get rid of the reusable one and go back to the disposable variety. I'll try to remember on Thursday, when it is supposed to be mild again. Tomorrow is to be cooler. That's good, too, as the oven will be on for several hours. Slow braising is the best way to prepare elf.