Barbie had told me should would like me to come over in morning so I could help her with the baby and she could be free to do all her preparations for the family supper that night.
About 8:40 as I was trying to get everything together to go over there the phone rang and it was Martha. I had been wondering how to get her gifts to her without taking them all to Barbie's with me as I would not be back that day. Martha said they would come fr me and take me to Barbie's with all my gifts for her and they could take their gifts on home. She called Barbie to tell her. It was a nasty rainy day all day and eve. In the paper in eve it said the amount of rain we had would have been 15 inches of snow. Most older folks are glad not to have snow after last winter's severe heavy snows but everyone likes the looks of a fresh clean snow on Christmas.
I hurried from the car up the steps in the rain at Barbie's on 10:15 a.m. Martha and Keith carrying my suitcase and presents. Jim was just finishing mopping up the kitchen floor--Barbie was upstairs shampooing her hair. The girls met us at the door: Martha and Keith only stayed a short while. They day moved pleasantly along: Barbie had all her food prepared except for putting turkey in oven. She had my quilt top on the dining room table--my former table that I fixed up with my mother's damask linen cloth for forty years of family Christmas dinners. I made the quilt top over 40 years ago before I was married--never had it quilted. She pulled it out of a trunk and started using it on table so I washed it and hemmed it. Quilts--fully quilted--are being used as table covers--wall hangings--even on beds!--very popular. I am glad to see her use it. If I had used it on a table 30 years ago it would have looked odd--it wasn't in style yet!
I went upstairs and lay on Jana's bed--a bedstead my girls had when little but it has a new mattress and springs and is very comfortable. I lay there feeling content and savoring the moment--hearing the muted action downstairs. Emily was crying in a crib across the hall but it didn't bother me, I knew she was alright. I lay under a rose wool blanket I had for years--I forget whose bed we bought it for. Across the room was the old bed I had lived with all my life: a true antique, lovely paneled headboard, heavy beading and an oval mirror in headboard set in with little shelf on lower part.
I was born in the bed 68 years ago and it may have been 25 years in my father's home before that. Dorie sleeps in it now and loves it.
Dorie came up about 4:45 to tell me I better get up so I put on my lavendar outfit and went downstairs. The girls were dressed up in pretty outfits and Barbie looked lovely in a blouse and skirt. She put out her buffet in the kitchen on the long counter and the food was colorful and delicious--sliced ham and turkey, 3 molded salads, an eggnog recipe (whip cream and 4 eggs, etc. . . . but it tasted as mild as a custard), strawberries in jello, potato salad, breads, cheeses, pickles, etc. Martha brought sweet potatoes.
She (Martha) also brought a stollen, peanut brittle, chocolate covered peanuts, a cereal and peanut mix for nibbling, and a beautiful big plum pudding. These were for the family on Christmas.
The guests arrived--Jim's Uncle George and Aunt Mary--bringing a chocolate cake; Katie--sister of Jim's dad and mother of John Unes who helped me so much fixing my house; his father, Mike. She brought a beautiful cream pie with meringue on top. Martha and the boy arrived bringing gifts as well as the goodies.
We started eating by 6--Lou and Margaret LaHood arrived a little later--much later Katie and Mike. A lovely time for everyone. Mary was put to bed after she had her dolly from her LaHood grandparents. She was a delight in her joy over the doll-kept running to Lou to show him which thrilled him since she has been shy and never let him hold her.
Finally, Kate and Mike left and George and Mary. The rest of us went in living room. Jana played her Christmas music and Lou joined her. Later Martha played piano and Keith strummed a guitar. Gifts were exchanged: Martha had little things for girls and Barbie had gifts for boys including a big jigsaw puzzle. Martha and boys left and Barbie gave Jim's folks their gifts. They stayed and had a good visit. Barbie was finally able to put Leigh to bed--she was worn out. Jana put herself to bed. The folks left. Dorie was sent to bed. Barbie and Jim started pulling presents under tree. I went in kitchen and cleared up all dishes. She used paper plates and cups for punch, but there were glasses and cups and big plates. I think I was there an hour. I went to bed--it had finally stopped raining and winds had slowed.
(not 1979 . . . but a great Christmas Eve picture!)
1 comment:
Might this have been the night the home video we call "Leigh runs out" was shot? It kind of seems to match up but maybe they weren't old enough for that video yet.
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