As I have said before, it appears that a lot of our family photos are from the most wonderful time of the year. Allow me to demonstrate:
Honestly, I don’t even have to try and I am able to find photos like the one posted above tucked away in a book or small box. If you look carefully, you will see the that we are enjoying a fondue. Easily one of the most continued Christmas Eve traditions that is kept at the Wieczorek household. My mom is trying out an electric fondue this year. For a short time we had Canadian bacon and pineapple pizza and later there was a Kentucky Fried Chicken period. We will try different things but it always comes back to the fondue.
Friday night I had the best intentions of going to the Wieczorek Family Christmas party. Another tradition. It used to be held at my Uncle David’s home on Christmas Eve but as extended families continue to disconnect and spread apart they have it earlier in order not to inconvenience anyone. By the time Saturday night turned around I wasn’t feeling it. I opted for “Earth” in high definition. C_ woke me up at midnight. I had fallen asleep on the couch. James Earl Jones is a very heavy tranquilizer.
So today, in order to make up for last night’s lame dismissal of family, we went out to my mom and dad’s place. It’s always such a nice tie. I got the Armada up and sailing on battery power again (touchy bloke). Vacuumed the house with the Dyson (hey, who knew, it’s awesome) Dad showed me how to make a fire in their fireplace. Apparently it involves much more than just throwing some wood in it and striking a match (thanks for showing me how to open the flue, Dad!)
How to start a fire at my parents’ house:
Open flue (pull down vent panel and move lever all the way to the left, tap to the right after fire gets going so it doesn’t burn so quickly)
Log cabin style stack the kindling, placing chunks of starter log underneath various pieces.
Light a piece of newspaper on fire and hold it up to the flue in order to create a draft.
Create draft by opening door to the outside.
Light pieces of starter log, close fireplace doors but don’t latch.
Burn baby burn.
Spaghetti for lunch and then we watched “School of Rock” which is like watching Jack Black do the same joke for two and half hours. Still tho – there’s some good stuff in it. Played the balloon game with Rhen for awhile and then packed up the family truckster. Pulled out of my parents’ driveway -thinking of fondue, snow falling , ready for the coming holiday.
Check out our clothing – flannel shirt worn by Dad, flannel nitie by Paula, Thermal jacket by Patrick and there’s Teddy in a short sleeve T-shirt. Rhen is like his Daddy when he chucks all his clothes down to his underwear in midwinter.