Six Days of Eating Big

Last Thursday’s dinner at the Halls was fun. I left work and ran, then swung by the library. By the time I got home it was time to go. Will was in a hurry because he was leaving after making an appearance to go to trivia. Then two other kids decided to go to trivia as well. I wasn’t feeling great, but the men hung out and chatted in front of the TV: Grizzlies/Mavs and the Poinsettia Bowl. Supposedly light eating, but we had pigs & blankets, meatballs, spinach dip, chicken tenders, brownies, and other goodies. Stayed until ten, then I had to go fill up the van with gas, then pack.

Friday we had to pull of a Christmas miracle for EZGo. That filled up most of my day. I hadn’t been feeling great all day, and by the time Ceil and the kids arrived after four, I felt like I had the flu. Traffic up 85 was heavy. We stopped to eat at Moes on the other side of Greenville SC. Taking a short rest and getting out in the cool air helped me feel better. While they cashed in their Starbucks gift cards I walked over to Publix for Poweraide, so I was able to drive the rest of the way.

Saturday Ceil took her mother and the girls shopping up in Monroe, NC. Will went with the boys to Florence, SC to shop and eat. Mr. Miller, Matthew, and I ate at the Smokehouse, the local BBQ buffet. Good Brunswick Stew. All day I worked on my laptop, catching up with stuff. Saturday night we ate in downtown Jefferson, at the Golden Nugget. Ceil and Will had salmon, Matthew chicken tenders, Anna a chicken sandwich, and I had a burger. Went home and watched the Falcons impressive win. Enjoyed seeing Calvin Johnson have a big game and break the record. During the game I typed out 1900 words on my experiences carrying the Olympic Torch…one event that I’d never written about in detail.

Anna spent the night and went to church with her cousins in nearby Pageland. Will took his grandmother to her church. Afterwards we all had the Sunday buffet at the Golden Nugget. When Will was throwing the football with his cousin I took Barney outside and let him run around a leach. He loved it, running full speed sprints across the yard. He also found a lot to smell. Later I took Matthew to Monroe to look at old records, gas up the van, and get him some Taco Bell. Sunday night we went to the candle-lighting service at their Methodist Church. Right at the end of the service we all heard Ceil’s friend Jackie screamed, and ran out the door. Her son surprised her by returning from Iraq a week early. There was a delicious covered dish dinner, and Santa made an appearance for the kids. Will and Matthew went to a party with the guys, and Anna’s gang rented “People Like Us”.

Monday I spent the morning packing the van, going back and forth from the warm house to the chilly outdoors. At 12:30 we had 24 over for the traditional Christmas lunch, a day early. Since we were leaving, her cousin suggested we move it up a day. Ham, turkey, roast beef, chicken salad, shrimp, salad, pimento cheese, coconut cake, pecan pie, caramel cake, etc. The twelve children sang “The Twelve Days of Christmas” (at the end everyone applauded, and Barney jumped in the middle, barking). We hit the road at 2:20, made good time, and made it to Atlanta in time for Passion’s Christmas Eve service. I sneezed all the way home, so I drove Barney home, unpacked the van, rested for 30 minutes, filled the van with gas, and drove back to pick them up. Took Will up to Alpharetta to see MC’s family. At 10:30 C and M went to eat at Waffle House. I went to bed.

Christmas morning Ceil fixed breakfast, and we opened presents. Then Will left for Cartersville (and NYC). We drove to Macon for lunch with my family. Turkey, roast beef, pork chops, sweet potato soufflé, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, rice, spinach, cake, brownies, ice cream, pumpkin pie. Headed back after 7 pm. Halfway back the van started skipping, but today after I refilled the tank it started running better. C, M, and A stayed up late watching M’s new Psych DVD’s. Haven’t heard many reports from Will.

I slept in a little Wednesday morning, ran to Kroger and the Post Office, then came to work at noon. A lady brought in her leftover chocolate dessert, which was a nice treat. Ceil fixed hot ham and turkey sandwiches for dinner, along with guacamole.

For Christmas we received gift cards for movies and McDonalds, so we may have a family night out this week. I’m not that interested in the Hobbit. This Friday night Joel Norman is performing at land of a Thousand Hills.