Not the Mama

Today was a big prep day. I feel like we got a bonus extra pre-Christmas day with a whole weekend before the big day. This meant I didn’t have to cook all day, although I was instructed to add another dish to Christmas Day.

I made Cannelloni with crepes for Christmas Eve. It was a labor intensive dish and after covering every counter in dirty dishes I decided I needed a break. Carter took over kitchen duty making tart shells and I went to watch TV and work on my Santa Puzzle. I was in the middle of bingeing season one of Reacher. This is about the least Christmasy show to watch with lots of bad guys being killed in every episode.

After dinner Russ suggested Carter and I watch a Christmas movie. Lord, there are so many Christmas movies to chose from and all would be less violent than Reacher. Carter suggested The Family Stone with Diane Keaton and Sarah Jessica Parker whom I love.

So we snuggled with Shay on the big sofa, needlepointing and watching this movie. It has a great cast and good sound track, if not a very quirky plot. Diane Keaton was the mother and a little difficult as a she has five adult children and one brings home a girl for Christmas. You think the movie is going one way and suddenly it serves and after spending 90 percent of the film on one Christmas Day you are at the next year’s Christmas and Diane Keaton has died.

Through our tears I look at Carter and she says she is so sorry to have picked a Christmas movie where the mother dies. Reacher, with ten killings in fifty minutes was less emotional. I made Carter promise no more sad Christmas movies.

Merry Christmas all you mothers. Hope to see you again next Christmas.