Progress is made - but more to come

Time marches on normally so why at Christmas does it have to be at a dead run?  Every minute is now being used and from the tales of the stores told by Our Ken, we aren't alone.  He has joined the hordes of men trolling the stores hoping for inspiration, the perfect stream of consciousness or even the glimmer of an idea.  Pitiful, isn't it.  Conversely, Lee had finished shopping, spent the day baking, wrapping, got the tree trimmed (well, trimmed enough that it can be deemed ) and ushering the various delivery and repair people in and out of the property.  It was the day to clean the furnace, have oil delivered, have dog food delivered and on it went.  Had there been any requirement for concentration or a period of unbroken activity, all would have been lost.  The weather was dreadful - continued high winds and rain.  The up side is that it is warm.  Mud is the order of the season and even our mud-loving Airedales are becoming less enamoured of the conditions.  Only Marilla is still airing out her ears and digging in the lovely soft earth.  We assure the rest that this too will pass.  We are advised on our nightly calls from Virginia that the south has indeed and once again made off with our weather.  Thievery is alive and well below the Mason Dixon line.  They have our snow and our cold and have the nerve to fuss about it.  A hi-light of the day was a good chat with Ralph and Don in Victoria.  Life is busy and Simon is assisting with the management of the new addition.  Ears to be glued long distance are and interesting Christmas project that Ralph appears to be looking forward to.  If anyone knows a source of Jiffy Sew or Tear Mender in Victoria, we would be happy to take suggestions.  Apparently their Wal Mart is not as well stocked as are those on the East Coast - points are awarded for braving Wal Mart but no gold star since the trek did not result in any success (there is some suspicion that the parking lot may have been as far as they got but who can confirm?) 

The kennel continues to fill.  Margot's dogs arrived - three Norwich and two Welsh now ensconced in various spots including the house.  Dover is not amused and would like a letter written to Santa ensuring coal is prominent and conspicuous in appropriate stockings.  Crockett concurs.  We are somewhat suspicious considering that they are Heathrow bound that this is simply a break from the dogs . . .  Naomi and Moses are happy.  Naomi loves the exercise yards and Moses is tickled to be in charge of the kennel - he takes the role seriously and works with gay abandon at the task.  Bailey and Gemini are now best friends - the blind leading the blind as far as we can tell but they are delighted with each others' company.  Nemo is helping them along and may be the most sentient of that triumvirate.  Jake and Barbaro have decided that the end of the day is a favourite time with the doling out of the bedtime treats.  They both wait expectantly as we wend our way down the hall and take their treats with a gleam in their eyes and great enjoyment.  Roddi and Ruari would like to speak to someone who cares about them with respect to the weather.  Rauri is running Our Ken a merry chase - refuses to come in his door and grins like mad when Ken has to go out and carry him in.  It is even better when Our Ken forgets that the trap door is still open and Ruari scoots back outside to play the game yet again.  Both are eating well and have set their routines, welcoming new arrivals with alacrity. 

The Regalridge crew are well.  Patti had a great day, with good mobility and a good appetite.  Today it was grilled burgers with squash followed by chicken with potatoes.  Lee is well trained.  Lori detests the high winds and attendant noises.  She is determined that bad things are happening and the only hope for salvation is to tear dog beds apart and hide in the fluff.  Paula simply wants Lee to sit down - anywhere will do - so that she and the puppies in her belly can park on Lee's lap.  That seems to be her greatest source of comfort.  Nick's only consolation is watching the vehicle leave the driveway with Ken in control is that there is so much coming and going that he must stay and manage Lee's ability to keep things going.

Dinner included Lee's Christmas addition to the house of Chex Mix (remember, she grew up  with one foot in the US and this is an integral part of any well adjusted Christmas celebration), panko crusted fresh haddock, potatoes and corn with the newest Christmas cookies (chocolate-ginger with crystallized ginger and Rocky Mountain chocolate rolled in icing sugar).  There has to be one new cookie a year.  It is generally not repeated because the basic cookies require that only one addition is possible - basics include Lee's Mom's Christmas collection - Peanut butter balls, Swedish Tea Cakes (think shortbread, walnut coating and blackberry jelly), Cherry flips (almond  shortbread, cherry and frosting), Mocha Cakes (pound cake, icing and ground peanuts) and Scotch Cakes so the Chocolate-gingerbread is a nice and different addition for 2010. Add the Christmas Plum Puddings, two sauces and the Marmalade pudding and there you have it.  Of course there are also the tea breads, homemade bread and biscotti.