National Lampoon's Christmas Pot Luck

I get a call from my brother Curt. His son will be here for the holiday....do I want to do my usual "get together for desert" on christmas day evening?

One problem I tell him, we stopped doing that almost 6 years ago.

We do, however, continue with the pie on Thanksgiving evening(almost 20 years now)and since we were sick two years ago and in South Dakota this year, getting together during christmas sounded pretty good!

After hanging up, I remember that we stopped christmas day evening because our grown children, nephews and nieces, needed time to visit their in-laws. I send out an e-mail requesting majority rule for the 29th or 30th.

I get a second call: Why are you giving people options? They'll never agree. (thus, the majority rule I explain)Just set the date. After some discussion, I realize the problem is that New Year's may be celebrated by the nephew from Japan on Saturday. OK, I don't need to be hit by a truck. I didn't realize it was New Years(celebrating is falling asleep on the couch and waking up in time to go on the porch with my pots and pans )if it effects him, it will probably effect others... so let's start early on Saturday, have a pot luck.

I get a third call: I just got off the phone with Laird(our cousin)We had a great talk, you may want to include him in this get together...Curt, does that mean you already did? Silence.

I send out an e-mail suggesting the menu and decide to call and leave a message for my oldest brother Fred (he lives in St George)just in case there's a chance he could make it.

I get a fourth call: It's Fred. "I don't know what you have in mind, but I've got a fantastic french stew ....maybe we could plan the party around it.


Merry Christmas