Best Laid Plans

A few years ago I was very sick on Christmas Day. I can’t remember exactly what happened that day I was do delirious, but after I recovered I heard from Carter and Russ that they had the best Christmas dinner at Happy China. It was festive and crowded and they saw friends who go there every year as their family traditions.

When it became clear that this year we were going to be home alone for Christmas Russ declared it was a Happy China year. We all got our heart set on Chinese. To compliment the Chinese, Russ and I went to an early afternoon movie to see The Darkest Hour while Carter took a nap. The theatre was packed, not a seat in the place. I think Christians are taking their cues from our Jewish friends who go to the movies and Chinese on Christmas.

After watching the Churchill movie I had to come home and finish up the last two episodes of The Crown to fill out my full on British Christmas. Around 6:30 Russ tried to do the online ordering from Happy China. When it wouldn’t go through he thought it was a technical problem. So he did the old fashioned thing and called the restaurant. The phone rang Nd ring and no one answered.

To the car Russ and Carter went to order in person. There was a reason the internet and phone ordering system was turned off. There were 25 people waiting in line to pick up orders and no new orders were being taken because the kitchen was backed up hours. So much for our new tradition.

Good thing I am the biggest over cook there ever was. Everyone scavenged for their own dinner of varying leftovers. I continued my British theme having leftover lamb chops. Even Shay looked despondent on her bed with her new Martini chew toy. “What has this family devolved into?” was the look she was giving us. Next year we will plan on Chinese earlier in the day.