Christmas Dinner

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Standing Rib Roast

Tatties & Neaps (potatoes & turnips)

Yorkshire Pudding

English Trifle

Christmas Dinner Kit

I decided to splurge and spent $35 for a beautiful choice two-bone standing rib roast. I wanted to remember my holidays spent in England by cooking a proper dinner, and here's the "kit" I started with. The roast was perfect, crusted with rosemary and garlic, medium on the outside and medium rare in the middle. The vegetabes were roasted in a separate pan; the Yorkshire puds rose up just right, flavored by roast drippings in the muffin tin bottoms. The trifle was simple, made with lady fingers, instant pudding, frozen strawberries, and aerosol whipped cream. Made the day ahead, the flavors all blended beautifully. A meal to remember! We were too hungry to take pictures.

When I was shopping at Sam's I spotted beef tongue marked down to $2.03 a pound. I got permission to fix one later in the week, only if Maureen would never have to actually see it. Did it up in the pressure cooker, made a sandwich for lunch on homemade bread with homemade mayonnaise -- it was better than the prime rib!

Hitchiker

Leadbelly Fatcat waiting to catch a ride on the 4-wheeler.

Christmas Letter 2007

Dear Friends and Family,

Things have settled into a less exciting but more comfortable lifestyle at Maguire House. Our experiment, not charging fees, worked out rather well. We still had weddings (Maureen’s assistant and a soldier posted to Iraq in lieu of a honeymoon) and family get-togethers at Labor Day and Oktoberfest, a Welsh farmer, and Blues, Bikes, and BBQ motorcyclists. We asked for contributions to the Elkins Library and the library, we, and the guests benefited. We had more time to enjoy what we are doing here.

We had bumper crops of tomatoes, cucumbers, and dahlias this year, and lots of eggs until the rooster got picked off and the hens went on strike. We also captured more skunks, ‘coons, and ‘possums than we knew what to do with.

Besides all the usual childhood activities, all three grandchildren were involved in organized sports. With the two parents we got to play chauffeur and monitor their practices more often. You should see the pink uniforms and helmets on the girls!

No trip to Europe this year, but we did manage a spring week at Niagara Falls and Southern Canada. Things were much calmer and prettier on this side of the border. We really enjoyed the biannual sailing trip to the BVI with our sailing friends over Thanksgiving on a 44' catamaran.

Maureen is working harder this year and was rewarded with a nice raise and bonus. She is on a four day week, which gives her more time at home, but she's now in charge of Friday suppers.

We are making slow progress on our projects: greenhouse, sailboat, house repairs, landscaping. Next year we are looking forward to a ten-year anniversary trip to Europe, a U-2 reunion in California, and, mostly, more of the same, especially visits with family and friends.

Merry Christmas,
Mike & Maureen

The Religion of Peace?

Thousands of irate Muslims in Sudan are calling for the execution of Gillian Gibbons, who allowed her first-grade students to name their Teddy Bear mascot "Mohammed." Followers of Islam say their religion has been disrespected. Just how much respect does such a hate-mongering religion deserve? In honor of the occasion I am naming my aquarium's scum-sucking scavenger fish "Mohammed."

Striped Skunk

When the Highway Department striping machine gets going it doesn't stop for anything!

Immigration

Calling an illegal alien an "undocumented immigrant" is like calling a drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist." Imagine sneaking into Russia, then demanding a drivers license, free education and health services, welfare, and citizenship status for your children. Then imagine trying to escape from the Siberian gulag.