Happy Festivus!

  Today is the official day to celebrate Festivus.  Last night the dinner went fairly well.  Unlike last year, we actually had a Festivus Pole - fashioned from a broomstick and aluminum foil - suspended from the lamp above the dinner table.

  Despite the short notice, we had just shy of a dozen people there and the food people brought made for a rather delicious meal.

  At the beginning of the night, it was rather delightfully awkward as people were not terribly talkative; they were constantly consulting me about what to do next.  At best, Festivus is a vague holiday, and I don't claim to be an expert, merely an enthusiast.  The best course of action was clearly to loosen people up by drinking while we waited for the rest of the attendees.  Eventually, more people came.  The conversation livened; bellies were filled with food, and hearts were filled with laughter and happiness!

  It wouldn't truly be the holidays without a grumpy gus, so it was truly a Festivus miracle to have had one person there who didn't seem to have been in the Festivus spirit.  Nevertheless, I think that a good time was had by just about everyone!

  Today has been a low-key day.  I've been doing some composing mixed with keeping an eye on my puppy niece.  She has been quite naughty: climbing on couches, reeking havoc in the kitchen, barking like a mad-dog, and general mischievousness.  Because my sister and brother-in-law are heading East on Christmas day, we are having our nice big dinner today.