Wyona's St. Nicholas Feast, December 6, 2009

Hello,

Party attendees:
Lurene Bates and Tim Oldham; Zoe Bates; Charise Bates; Wyona Bates; Art, Marcia, Gabe, Zach and Audra; Jeremy Pilling; Laynie Hicks; David Pilling; Connor Pilling; Stacey and Matthew Wood; Doral, Anita, Dalton, Ceilidh and Meighan Johnson; Kelvin and Arta Johnson; Kelve Johnson; Curtis, Sarah, Alanna and Daphne; Richard Johnson; Matthew and Sandy Oldham

Outstanding events:

• Audra making sure she was in the arms of her mother or her father -- all other arms excluded. I have never seen someone roll out of the arms of someone she didn't want to hold her so quickly. She was, however, happy to munch on chocolate chunks or sugar cookies handed to her by others. She was happy in Charise's arms if Art and Marcia were out of the room.
• Zach announcing he is sixty pounds and eats his vegetables
• Laynie murmuring that there is something wrong, ... really wrong with chocolate covered cheesecake lollipops being ... that good. (filling came in two flavors: orange and chocolate amaretto)
• Jeremy Pilling remarking that the next Ronnie Burkett puppet show event is in March 2010 and seeing who wants to join him there
• Marcia and Laynie getting deviled eggs in place faster than Wyona could stop them
• Cousins around the kitchen island, enjoying crudites and remarking on the magificence of the jalapeno cheese dip
• Matthew telling Laynie that he would be at the Tuesday brunch as well, the one she organizes for the tenants of the buildings she manages, and the building he works in -- a party that involves Christmas music and Victorian carollers. Matthew says he knows when to get to these parties -- it is when everyone else has wandered off to the event and he notices he is alone that he thinks about the party going on somewhere else.
• Gabe telling about the pre-supper party of cupcakes and good wishes to Zoe for her birthday
• Lurene who gets the award for the best scarf drama -- sophistication nonchalently wrapped around her shoulders the whole event
• Meighan with seconds of the Ceasar salad and saving a seat for her dad though he never came to take it.
• The candy table on a low table in the front hall: cheesies, sour soothers, and blue whales with 3 other side dishes
• Red napkins from superstore are not the blotter of choice when trying to wipe up a simple water spill.
• Anita getting a chance to admire Audra's silver shoes and dress with ruffles, lace and frills
• Arta and Kelvin arriving in a handi-bus, a first for her. Kelvin is a regular now, and this was his second trip of the day.
• Wyona's upside down tree in place, sequined black balls hanging over the window, mistletoe by the door, the creche lit, and in the window
• David Pilling still not having tried one of the lollipops by the end of the evening. All he would take home was a plate of ham.
• Connor knowing that his stomach was going to be hurting by the time he finished the end of his lollipop.
• Hearing that Charise gets to be the Mikado which is being presented late March and April. First rehearsal January 3rd. Meet and Greet the Cast sometimes this week.
• Alanna and Daphne in Christmas outfits made by their Grandma Moiya.

The Food

1. Appetisers: pepper cheese, cranberries and melted brie, jalapeno cheese dip, chips, crackers and crudites
2. The Main Course: ham, chicken in cream and chives, wild rice, ceasar salad, broccoli salad
3. Desserts: cheesecake lollipops, cupcakes, iced sugar cookies, milk and semi-sweet chocolate chunks

The last word: the weather is still amazingly bad. ie The handibus got stuck in the Johnson's alley on the way home.