Jul 2005

The grown up guys around our Christmas table used to talk about cars Garrison. Now those guys are gone. It's just my brother-in-law, my sister's partner and me.

Then there is the thirty and under crew. Guys with enough energy to go snowmobiling, ice fishing and to play Texas-hold-'em after dinner.

My niece's six year old is present as well as another niece's twin boys and two girls. I'm the Old Uncle aka The Monster.

"Play Monster with us. Please?"

I asked my son to play Monster with the Purple People Eaters dressed in Culpepper jerseys. He begged off with the excuse that the last time he played with them they kicked him in the privates.

There are two European women in our family, one Norwegian one Dutch. They cracked up when my sister commented that she could tell if somebody was on a diet by the way they filled their plate.

"If you can see plate under their food, they're on a diet."

With the cultural diversity in our family, one never knows what will show up on the table at Christmas. This year it was West Coast of Norway lefse, not potetlefse as is common around here. We heated up some glogg, careful not to boil off the alcohol. We had Abba Curry Herring, freshly smoked tullibee from White Earth, Norwegian Christmas sausage and White Cheese on crackers, Sugar Free Jello, Snicker Salad lathered in Cool Whip (a family favorite) ham or turkey, Grandma's recipe for Baked Beans heavy on the brown sugar and molasses, fruit, cauliflower and broccoli salad, Doritos, potato chips, Smorbukker and Daim on the table for dessert, DQ Treatzapizza for the less adventurous. A real Minnesota Smorgasbord. Two Buck Chuck Merlot for some, Mountain Dew (not available in Norway) for most. The Norwegian made coffee. Those Americans who drink coffee added water.

The Packers mounted a comeback against da Bears, but Favre failed us.

Bro-in-law was out on the lake in the portable fish house with niece's energetic husband until the Viking game started on ESPN. Sister was getting worried. The younger set kept getting calls and IM's through out the day and evening. Keeping it touch. What did they have to say? Hard to tell, much was whispered.

"What's goin' on?"
"Nothin'."
"What are you doin'?"
"How much longer do you have to stay?"
"The party's at so and so's."
"He's leavin' for Iraq."

The Vikes led until down the stretch, then wilted like the rest of us. Those not falling asleep were playing poker around the dinner table.

"What time does Target open in the morning?"