Christmas Dinner Menu at the Doral and Anita Johnson House

Hello,

At 11:30 pm, I was talking to Doral and Anita, wondering what I could bring to Citadel Crest Heath for dinner on Christmas Day. I was further questioning the Johnsons about how many people would be there. They said that when they invited guests over for Thanksgiving, one by one the people phoned to say they couldn't come, so their family ate that turkey alone, and perhaps it might be the same this Christmas.

Doral was planning on cooking a ham and a turkey. The community turkey. I asked what that was. Doral said that the women on the block got together and bought a turkey for a block party and have stored it in his freezer. Bought in September and still there, he asserted with passion and so he thinks it is time for that meat to become dinner for a different community -- us.

Anita was not in favor of that action.

I told Doral that as a landlord, I have learned from Richard, that what is left at your house is not yours until 6 months has passed, so we will have to find another turkey.

I was going to buy the buns at the Coop for the meal, I told them. One day Moiya told me that the tray buns there are as good as the ones we can make at home. That was enough for me to sign onto buns from the grocery store.

Doral warned me though, that there will be guests with milk and cheese allergies, which put me back into the mode of thinking, make the buns. Afterall, who am I to spoil Christmas by presenting food that won't work for some of the guests.

Then Doral added that Bonnie, Joaquim and David will be there for dinner. I told him that was last year -- not this year. He was certain he had talked to Bonnie last week and she had run that by him. So pinning down the number of guests to be fed is a job for the future.

So now -- the dilmena I was facing. Is it better to have only milk, cheese, meat and butter for the meal -- thus limiting how much some of the guests will eat.

Or shall we go with a lactose-free, vegetable laden meal? Again, limiting what some of the guests will eat. Healthy, but not a meal sounding like a Christmas feast made in the queen's kitchen with double cream gracing the plum pudding and all.

Anita said, "Only the Johnsons would think up something like that -- a meal no one can eat."

Doral disagreed.

"Not the Johnsons. Not the Johnsons. This is Pilling humor. We can't blame the Johnsons."

Arta