Sue, Jess, and Emily had a birthday party for Glen yesterday.  He is holding up his favorite version of a birthday “cake”, a frosted chocolate chip cookie decorated with golf balls.  I think Mom used to make cookie cakes for him too.

Emily got a left-handed Fender for Christmas.  I expect to hear her entertaining on UMD’s Open Stage in the near future!

We gathered at Tom and Lisa’s again today.  Robin and Jason are visiting Donna and Harvey for the holidays so we wanted to get together to visit with them for the first time since the wedding.  I had a chance to visit with and get to know Ryan’s Rachel today too. 

Jane, Annie and Holly came from Bemidji too.

Here is Holly with Grandpa….

The ever-entertaining Lisa and Tom.

Donna and Harvey were there today too, of course.  We had a nice pot luck lunch and a nice visit.

I have had one of the most productive reading years since I was in high school thanks to getting hooked on audio books.  I notice that facial expressions change when I tell people that I am listening instead of actually sitting down and reading the book.  Well, here is what I have to say to scoffers…   Audio books have changed so much in the past few years.  I have found that most often listening enhances the story for you, giving the characters a real voice.  There are some very talented vocal actors out there.  Stephen King is a strong advocate of audio books and says that “audio perfects reading.”  I have been mesmerised by the readers in what might have been a not so interesting or dry read.  I have sat in the garage many times unable to stop listening before I had to go in to work or when I got home.  Sometimes I un-plug the iPod from the car adapter and put my headphones on for the walk into work or the house.  I have even started listening while I am cleaning.  Amazing how that can even make doing chores more pleasant!

Above is a photo of my “reads” of 2006 and I highly recommend the following in no particular order:

• Arthur and George by Julian Barnes
• Bliss by O.Z. Livaneli
• The curious incident of the dog in the night by Mark Haddon
• I am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe
• Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
• Terrorist by John Updike
• Everyman by Philip Roth
• Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem

Congratulations to nephew Ryan Hickok and his girlfriend Rachel who got engaged on Christmas Eve.  Both are students at Bemidji State and plan on finishing school before they set the date for the wedding.

I spent Christmas day at Tom and Lisa’s along with Donna & Harvey and Lisa’s mom Ruth.  Ryan was home as was the usually on the go Justin.  Dad joined us later in the afternoon for coffee and dessert.  Dad brought some letters that the Jarvi family had given him, letters that Mom had written to Elma just days before and after they got married.  Its hard to put into words how you feel when you read letters written in your parents youth, but it was all good.  We played games, as usual, and I hate to admit the guys won in the end after a brilliant start by us gals.  Tom and Lisa are fun hosts and we all had a good time.

The most entertainment was provided by Colby, the yellow lab.  It was my responsibility to bring to gallons of milk to the event and of course they didn’t fit in the refridgerator so Tom put them out on the porch until dinner was served.  As Tom and Lisa were about to put dinner on the table, we all noticed Lisa whisper something to Tom so we knew something was up.  She asked Tom how many gallons of milk he had put out on the porch…  right now there was only one gallon of milk and one lonely milk cap.  Colby had opened the second one and it was no where to be seen.  Later, we saw him playing with a half full jug, spilling it out and drinking!  I guess it is better than the time he grabbed a turkey leg during grace.  Tom said they all say grace with one eye open now.

Justin got goose decoys for Christmas, they are pretty big.  Tom said they are going to have to take a trailer hunting next year just to bring the decoys!

Kelly, Aaron and I had dinner at Solera in Minneapolis last night.  Solera is a Spanish Tapas Lounge and Bar in the Hennepin Avenue Theatre District.  My intro to Tapas was in San Francisco a few years ago and very enjoyable so I was delighted with their choice of restaurants.  Tapas are appetizers that you order in rounds and share.  We had two rounds which included Roasted Duck with Sherry Glazed Figs and Goat’s Milk Cheese, Grilled Bread with Serrano Ham and Manchego Cheese, Deviled Eggs with Blue Crab and Cumin, Chorizo and Hot Green Peppers with Sidra, Chorizo Stuffed Dates with Smoked Bacon and some chilled marinated vegetables.  The food was great but the company was even better!

This afternoon I attended a performance of White Christmas at the Ordway in St. Paul.  The play followed the movie pretty closely and the changes that were made enhanced the story.  The finale was the best; after singing the song White Christmas the sang I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm with a rousing tap dance that made the dancers look as if they were skating.  Then snow started falling on stage AND in the audience.  I guess they use something similar to a bubble maker and the “flakes” are dissolved by the time they hit the ground.  It was so beautiful with all the lighting.  The General was played by David Ogden Stiers who played Major Winchester for six years on the tv show M*A*S*H.  What a fun play, they also invited the audience to join in to the final songs.  Below is a photo of the main characters taken at the Opening Night Reception.  Check it out….    White Christmas

From left their character names are Phil Davis, Judy Haynes, Betty Haynes, and Bob Wallace.

Al and Joan's friend and neighbor Charlie recently caught this lovely walleye on their trip to Lake of the Woods.