Full Disclosure

Here is my Christmas Eve dinner! It is whole wheat linguine with olive tapenade, olive oil, steamed broccoli and cannelini beans. I also topped it with a tablespoonful of marinara and some nootch. It was really, really good. Everyone had their choice of pasta types and toppings. I also offered regular angel hair and real parmesan. This was a perfect Christmas Eve plan for myself and for Wynne, but not necessarily for the boys.  They went with the flow anyway though.  Normally we are the lucky beneficiaries of our friends, Gretchen and Sean, who invite us to enjoy their family's Christmas Eve buffet celebration with them. This year, however, my burning the candle at both ends to prepare for Christmas and our party stirred up whatever germs still lingered from my illness the week prior. I woke the day after the party with full-fledged laryngitis and a basically closed windpipe. I finally bit the bullet and went in to see the doctor where I was prescribed antibiotics (perish the thought, but they are working). Anyhoo, since I was sick again we skipped our friends' Christmas Eve and had pasta in our p.j.'s.

Things don't always go as planned, and in most cases, around here, it's because the plan is never really fully formed. My husband and I are a bit of an odd couple.  Most wives are the planners, the social ones. I do try my hand at this, and am as social as most other gals, but my social prowess pales in comparison with my mate's. He's quite gregarious -- the life of the party. As such, he's the one who normally makes our plans. If I manage to make a plan of my own, my husband, who truthfully would prefer not to be pinned into any plan, will usually tweak or alter it. So you can imagine how, through the years, I have lost much of my enthusiasm for the role of planner. Nevertheless, occasions such as holidays tend to go better with at least a loose plan, so try I did.

My husband's best friend, Dan, from Boston, returned last month from Afghanistan so my husband made a plan to meet him, along with his son and ours, for a fishing trip in Miami right after Christmas. So here's me trying to plan our Christmas festivities:

"When are you and Hans leaving for Miami?"

Him: "I don't know, right after Christmas,"

Me: "Right after opening presents or the next day?"

Him: "I haven't decided yet,"

Me: "I only ask because I need to know in advance if you would like a nice Christmas dinner since the store will be closed on Christmas,"

Him: "Won't you and Wynne need to eat dinner?"

Me: "Yes, but we don't eat turkey and ham. I'd rather not make those if you won't be here,"

Him: "Do I need to decide now?"

Me: "No, but just let me know when you do,"

I never got a decision. As our lovely, lazy Christmas day lingered, Andres said, "What have you got planned for dinner?"

We ordered Chinese takeout. It was delicious!