Too much chocolate!

�Twas Brumalia morning and all through the land,
The ripping and tearing had got out of hand.
Wrappings and ribbons belittered the floor
While overwhelmed parents cried out, �No more!�

Well, it was sort of like that at our house this morning. I must say that Santa was extremely generous to me, and I had only asked for one thing and expected nothing, really. Just to make things easy on Hubby, I had requested a new, stainless-steel wok to replace the one I got as an engagement present the first time I was betrothed (another story, another time) and which must not be washed out with detergent because it rusts. He ended up getting me an absolutely gorgeous cast aluminum wok with a glass lid and a long handle (the other has two small handles that end up getting very hot) and has an integrative non-scratch coating which is actually guaranteed for seven years. I surmise that after that time the coating suddenly disintegrates and flakes off. So I shall inaugurate it this evening when I make dinner.

He also gave me a whole pile of books, some DVDs (Michael M00re, wouldn�t you know), and a lovely white top with three-quarter sleeves and a fine knit in some luxurious fabric. I must admit that his taste has improved over the years. On the other hand, my mother-(and father-)in-law gave me the ugliest polyester blouse ever and an extremely tacky bookmark. I love my in-laws, I just hate their taste. Luckily my brother-in-law and his wife gave us a gift certificate to a bookstore (the closest outlet of which is in Montreal). Little Princess gave me a lovely ornament for my hair and a glass icicle to hang in a window and which for now is gracing our Brumalia shrubbery. Buddy Boy duly wrapped and gave me the Godiva truffles I bought, and I�ve already eaten the coconut cream one, since that is my least favourite.

The kids did well too with their Brumalia hauls. The most exciting gift for Little Princess was a scanner so she can digitize all her artwork. We got it up and running and the first thing we scanned was a photograph that Patsy took last spring of my Lamia sculpture, the final project for my goddess course. Here it is:

Yesterday was spent doing fun Brumalia eve kinds of things. I made a batch of gingerbread and Little Princess and the BF assembled a house, decorating it with royal icing and entire packages of smarties, skittles, gummy bears, gummy worms and gum drops and part of a package of raspberry licorice whips. It�s very colourful and delicious looking. Every time I walk by it I�m tempted to break off a smartie, but so far have resisted. I also made a blueberry pie since the blueberries I purchased at Costco on my last trip were absolutely tasteless. We�ll have that for dessert tonight.

We got a call from our good friend Dave from Rochester whose in-laws are in Sh�brooke. We�ll be having them and their kids for lunch on Tuesday, which gives me a bit of a chance to plan. He�s the wheat-intolerant guy, and I like to cook specially to offset the heavy Qu�becois food they always serve him when he�s here (tourti�re St-Jean, etc.). It�s a challenge. Now it�s time for a nap.