In fact we were the first up at 10 am. Normally the kids wake us up because they want to open their presents. The younger they were the earlier we'd be getting up. Now they are 23 and 17 years old, I guess that's no longer young. Sleeping in suited me fine.
There is no better feeling than getting up for Christmas morning fully rested. Most Christmas's I remember get up so tired I just wanted to sleep and it didn't was even worse if I had a lot of Christmas cheer the night before.
Before the kids got up I even had time to have a shower. That's another first on Christmas morning. We couldn't wait any longer for them so Alice woke up Reid who then woke up Alyssa and Adam, Alyssa's boyfriend.
Everyone got lots of good stuff as always. It somewhat easy to buy for me so long as it has an Ironman M-Dot logo. I got a couple of awesome cycling Jersey's. Reid like the Michelob one so much he said he would almost get into cycling to get to wear one. I really enjoyed just hanging out and opening presents although it seemed to go by to fast then everyone was gone.
I got Alyssa a kitchen gadget kind of as a joke. The perfect pancake maker. The pancakes didn't turn out so perfect. Reid got an original in the package Farrah Fawcett poster. He's into anything 70's.
The printing and color on it is awful. Yet in the 70's it looked great. It's amazing how technology has made color reproduction so much better. I suggested to Reid he might want to keep it in the package as a collectors item if he has kids or something. He then so correctly pointed out to me that no one in his generation knows who Farrah Fawcett is and that in one more generation definitely no one will know or care who she was. Good point. Frame away Reid.
We had our traditional Christmas breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast and pancakes. Alice makes the absolute bar none most perfect bacon.
I then headed out for a run.
It seems that it's become a Christmas tradition I head out for a run. Regardless of the weather. In Winnipeg there was many a Christmas run that I did in minus 30 C weather. Today the challenge was ice from the ice storm a few days earlier. It was a little better, there was snow on the ground that helped. It was very slow going in order to be safe.
Running in the afternoon on Christmas day with a light snow falling is pretty magical.
When I got back home the house smelt awesome. A Turkey was cooking. Nothing more warming than coming into a house that smells so great. It's like family togetherness is in the air and it's a warm loving feeling.
My job was to mash the potatoes and cut the Turkey. No problem mashing, that's easy. The cutting of the Turkey is a challenge. I've never been taught how to do it and too lazy to watch how to on You Tube. Instead I try to figure it out on my own every year.
Things I've learned over the years about cutting a turkey.
1. Have the proper knife. Very important. I used an automatic knife and although it was super fun to use it wasn't easy to get through the joints.
That's it. That's all I've learned so far.
I'm totally amazed that serial killers can cut up bodies. I can't even get a leg or wing off a fully cooked turkey easily with a sharp kitchen knife. To keep myself motivated I try to think like a serial killer when I cut a turkey. Surprisingly it works in keeping your patience in check.
We are starting to get used to the small family holiday dinners. Today we had an extra guest, Adam. Normally it's just the four of us. We used to have the traditional larger family gatherings when we lived in our hometown of Winnipeg and then when we moved to Burlington 8 years ago it went from big down to four. Now it's 5. I figure it's just a mater of time until it start growing in people. That should be cool to watch. The more the merrier.
Great dinner. I didn't over eat until afterwards. Alice bought chocolate Turtles. I love those things. I couldn't stop eating them and of course you use the excuse in your head "This is Christmas, you're allowed and expected to over eat", and I did pretty much up until bed time.
Highlight of the night was a photo that Alyssa took of Alice and I. I think it's one of the best we've had taken in a long, long time. Definitely Christmas card material. It has us holding the Griswold Christmas cups that I got as a present this year. If I crop it tightly it's such a great family man image with a beautiful wife that I could use it if I decide to run for congress or something.
Mod Run - 1:06:03 / 10.6 km / 6:14 per km
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