We have smelts instead of anchovies. We have white rice instead of wild. The buckwheat flour has some baking powder and salt in it. Other than that, it's all good.

I knew it intellectually, but it was still interesting to see up close and personal - one can get an itty-bitty jar of decent caviar for the same price one can get a whole suckling pig and three pheasants.

This is Emily Apocalypta Robins, guard dog. What does she guard? Her nose. Why does she guard her nose, even in her sleep? Well, someone might steal it. Or put straws up it. Or spread jam on it and attempt to eat it for breakfastses.

There's a certain "oh, it's all too much" attitude about this pose which I find both melodramatic and adorable. And who would think that so large a dog could curl herself up so small!

I'm making oatmeal, because it's warm and yummy.

Today I must make pumpkin pie and bell-pepper salad to take to the in-law's for Christmas dinner, and make up the bed in the guest room (formerly Avocado's bedroom) for Sarcasm Girl and the Beau. I have presents to wrap, and stockings to fill, and sticky buns to prep for being popped in the oven in the morning.

The Spouse has off until next Wednesday. I'm going to have to force Avocado to work on high school applications and essays, but not today or tomorrow. Today--despite the 50-degree temps and the palm trees scattered around the landscape, it is Christmas eve, and I intend to be jolly. The sun is shining and "A Charlie Brown Christmas" is on the stereo.

I wish you all the joy of the season, whatever holiday you celebrate and whatever way you celebrate it. May you be warm and surrounded by the people you love, filled with contentment and generosity, with just enough good stuff to eat and drink (but not so much that you feel sick, because that's no fun).

Love you all (in the best, most seasonal way).

ETA: And because I love you all, here's the link to NORAD Tracks Santa, which has already given me my first Holiday Weep. (I am a total soggy sentimentalist, as if you didn't know.)

ETA the Second: And the Senate passed the Health Care bill. It's sucky, but it's a start. Cause if it died this time I'm not sure it ever would have happened.

Last year, Eletarius and Cat gave me The Nero Wolfe Cookbook for Christmas, and so this year's Christmas dinner will be cooked from recipes in that book.

There's an obvious menu: in Poison a la Carte, Fritz serves up a dinner for the Ten for Aristology's celebration of Brillat-Savarin's birthday. That menu is as follows:

blinis with sour cream
green turtle soup
flounder poached in white wine
mussel with mushroom sauce
roast pheasant
suckling pig
chestnut croquettes
salad with devil's rain dressing
cheese

There's several problems with this menu. First, I think that some of my guests would squig at eating turtle, even if I could find turtle meat. Second, "cheese" is actually a blended cheese pot construction that I should've started last week sometime if I wanted to serve it Friday. Third, Meredith wants cassoulet, and so Meredith gets cassoulet. Fourth, we have some vegetarians, and so need to beef up that part of the menu. :) And last, given that there are two big ticket items that I have never prepared before, trying a finicky fish dish is akin to wearing metal armor on a mountaintop during a lightning storm screaming out "All gods are bastards!". That sort of trouble I do not need on Christmas Day.

So I'm going to substitute an onion soup for green turtle, cassoulet and anchovies fritters for the flounder, and if I can find fresh figs, figs and cream for dessert. In addition, I'm going to add in a cucumber mousse, and artichokes drigante. And Marian is going to make bread.

If I'm feeling ambitious, I might also assay some walnut pudding. We'll see.

Happy Birthday nazyrnn!

A Joyous Feast of the Sun's Return to you all, and light and warmth and good things in the solar year ahead!

I've been dithering about getting a new computer for a while now - the old G5 is getting to the point where it doesn't run new software (amazing the number of Mac programs with the label "require Intel processor" there are).

About a week ago, I started noticing pretty waves of purple bands, a computer generated aurora borealis, streaming across a variety of applications. It took me a bit unaware at first, since I thought it was just the precursor of things to come with the new Cataclysm release for World of Warcraft, but no, it happens on you-tube videos as well. That, plus the internal hard drive often grinds away before finding data, and the DVD drive has been a bit flaky for a while now, which means it is probably time to get a new computer.

I'm leaning towards the 27" display iMac. I guess the quad core Mac Pro, for $500 more (because I already have an adequate screen) is also in the running. I think the 8-core Mac Pro, at $1200 more, is not.

It's primarily a gaming platform, with some occasional programming projects. Anyone have something cogent to say about what I should get? (I don't know diddly about Windows, and don't propose to start at this late date, but feel free to proslytize for them if you like.)

Mild mannered as I am, I thought I'd probably be Hecate. But it seems I am not.

Eriskegal - This Sumerian Goddess of Death is naked and asleep. She weeps for all those who die, yet when her sister tried to take over her realm, she turned her into a chunk of rotting meat... When provoked, you have one hell of a temper!

Naked and asleep? No wonder I'm chilly.

Elsewhere--not just on Making Light, but on four or five of the listserves I'm on--there has been a swell of comments about the tutelary example of an author who flew to the defense of her book after a reader on Amazon panned it. Much of the tone of the commentary has been, I'm afraid (and I piled on as hard as anyone else) distinctly schadenfreudean, partly because it was such a train wreck, and the author made such a mess of herself, stooping like a hawk to prey, insisting that the conversation be about the critiquer's inability to take criticism, scolding commenters wholesale as "minions" of the first reviewer, complaining that her editor made her do anything that anyone didn't like, and ultimately playing the "I've called in the FBI" card. There's a peculiar, horrid kind of fascination in watching such a mess, and seeing the inevitable arrival of commenters who delight in throwing kerosene on the conflagration just to watch the pretty shower of sparks. But a friend of mine pointed out in e-mail this morning that this writer is a woman, a colleague and a writer, and there's something unseemly about piling on in this way.

Conventional wisdom says: talking back to your critics is not a good idea. Which is almost right. I'd say that correcting a gross mis-statement--in tones level and matter-of-fact--is okay. "Mr. Faddlesworth errs in saying my book is set in Verona in 1740; in fact, the setting is Ulan Bator in 1950." Which might go a long way to make other readers question the validity of Mr. Faddlesworth's other comments. And I would also say that it is possible (if not really tricky) to respond to an ad hominem review, one of those where the critic says mean things about me, or infers things about me in the review. On the other hand, I mostly don't, because...why? I had a reviewer on Amazon say "Madeleine Robins is clearly a weak author. She tries very hard not to use words that a twelve year old wouldn't understand and succeeds - by a margin." While I might be a "weak author," I don't remember having made any effort to dumb down my vocabulary on that particular project (my Daredevil novel for Byron Preiss) and I will admit that I had a moment of "Why I oughta..." But I didn't. Partly because I have absolutely no taste for the sort of scrum described above, but as much because not everyone is going to love my children or my books, and I have to just deal with it.

Unless you're very very smart--and humor helps--answering a negative review with anything but straight facts (see above) is a zero sum game. "I'm sorry my book disappointed you; perhaps you'd prefer this one or that one" is not a bad tack to take. But unless you want to become part of the lore of Great Literary Feuds or Fannish Wars or something of the sort, think three times before answering a review. Stay focused on the review itself. And choose your words veeeerrrrry carefully.

I do feel a little guilty for piling on the writer above. A train wreck isn't achieved for my edification or amusement, and there are real lives entangled in all that twisted wreckage. But I am human, and I'm afraid I gawk.

The snow stopped finally about midnight. I think we got about 4 to 5 inches of the white stuff. Philly got over 23 inches. I had to go out again and shovel the stairs and sidewalk. Cleaned off the cars and scraped the ice off melvh's windshield. She made French toast for breakfast. Yum!


View of the stairs and the big spruce on the side yard


View of behind the house looking towards the living room and oil tank


View of the house and the two giant hemlock trees


View of the end of the street looking towards Shiloh Church parking lot

Decided to walk up to the Turkey Hill (about a 1/2 mile from the house). The snow is coming down nicely. Not a bad walk, but my cappachino got a little cold on the walk home....Will post pictures of I-78 when the damn computer decides to download the fricking photos.

Also, some videos to warm your day....

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3sied_ultra-kawaii-holiday-cuties_animals

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xb24b6_heavy-metal-pussy-cat-remix_animals

Here's the photos I promised:

This is in front of the Turkey Hill, looking south towards I-78.


This is looking East on I-78 on the Morgan Hill Road overpass towards New Jersey and the toll booths.


This is looking West up I-78 from the Morgan Hill Road overpass towards Bethlehem.

Sarcasm Girl and The Beau just arrived. The theory is that they, with Avocado, are going to decorate the Christmas tree, which has been waiting for these ministrations since Wednesday. But of course, they're all in there nattering and dancing to "A Charlie Brown Christmas" instead. Spouse has taken The Emily to the park, so at least that chaos is less, um, chaotic than it would be with a dog barking in the middle of everything.

It's kind of seasonal and nice, really.

V is for victory! Well, my Dad is happy this morning. His Villanova Wildcats beat the Montana Grizzlies 23-21 to become the 2009 Division I AA National Champions! Woohoo! Go Cats!

Villanova 23, Montana 21
By BETH RUCKER, AP Sports Writer
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP)—Andy Talley’s friends warned him about undergoing heart tests a few days before traveling to the national championship game. They didn’t want the Villanova coach to suffer complications before the big game.

After waiting 25 seasons for his first shot at a title, Talley didn’t heed their warnings.

“If I died here winning the national championship, that would be a pretty good death,” he said. “Does that tell you how much it means to me?”

Talley can rest easy now.

Matt Szczur ran for 159 yards and two touchdowns and had another 68 yards receiving, leading Villanova (14-1) to its first Football Championship Subdivision title with a 23-21 victory over Montana on Friday night.

Talley was hired in 1985 to rebuild the program after the school’s four-year absence from the sport.

Top-seeded Montana (14-1) was making a record 17th consecutive appearance in the playoffs. The Grizzlies, the 1995 and 2001 champions, lost to Richmond last year in the title game. Montana also lost in the final in 1996, 2000 and 2004.

“This hurts so bad to be sitting here two years in a row with the same sick feeling,” Montana wide receiver Marc Mariani said. “It just kills.”

Chris Whitney led an 81-yard drive, running for 22 yards on one play and connecting with Szczur for 26 yards on another. Whitney hit Chris Farmer with a 3-yard TD pass to give Villanova 16-14 lead with 5:26 left in the third quarter.

Whitney finished 10 for 13 for 142 yards, an interception and the touchdown. He also ran for 102 yards.

It wasn’t a lack of confidence that caused the Grizzlies to struggle in the second half, just mistakes, coach Bobby Hauck said.

“We didn’t stop the run well enough,” he said. “Szczur and Whitney are good ballcarriers. They had it in their hands as they should have.”

Montana’s Andrew Selle threw a 53-yard touchdown pass to Jabin Sambrano to pull the Grizzlies to 23-21 with 1:07 left, but the onside kick attempt went out of bounds, and Villanova made a first down before running out the clock.

The Wildcats were down 14-9 at halftime after allowing the Grizzlies 246 yards passing in the first two quarters. Talley made adjustments—defensive backs played more man-to-man and the Wildcats found their pass rush after taking the lead.

Selle finished 12 for 35 for 351 yards and three touchdowns. Mariani had 178 yards on nine catches before halftime, but didn’t catch a single pass in the second half.

Marquis Kirkland sacked Selle for a loss of 7 yards, ending Montana’s last drive of the third quarter. The Grizzlies’ next drive ended when Villanova’s Eric Loper hit Sambrano so hard on third-and-12 he dropped a first-down catch.

Villanova wouldn’t be denied. On fourth-and-1 at the Montana 3, the Wildcats went for it and Szczur plowed ahead into the end zone for the 23-14 lead with 11:04 left in the fourth quarter.

“To be honest, I didn’t think I’d break as much as I did. The offensive line came out and had a great second half,” Szczur said.

Montana had a shot at a 31-yard field goal on its first drive of the game, but the ball, wet from the falling rain, spun out of holder Jeff Larson’s hands and his pass attempt fell short.

“That’s a pretty short field goal. It would have been nice to have that,” Hauck said.

I had a routine mammogram in November. Late in the month I got a letter saying there was an anomaly and they really wanted me to come in and let them do another one. So today I trundled in, they took more pictures, and I these were clean, clean, clean. I've been through this once before, and while I didn't really think there was anything to worry about...well, there's always the possibility. Just another fabulous stressor to add to the Festive Holiday Season.

Getting a little insecure (between scurrying around cleaning and cooking)) so far the only confirmations we have of people coming to the Solstice party are Ekke and Eleanor and Mark Saturday and Steve tonight. I do hope someone else will show up. We now have parking for 6 cars besides ours.
(I know many who read this are too far away)
We're kinda going Hogswatch theme this year- pork and ham (but also turkey and beef if you get here early enough)
Do call if you need directions

Sometimes, it turns out to be good to be playing against a decent player.

I had AhAd in middle positions at a loose table with a couple of limpers in front of me. I raise it 12, and get a total of 5 callers, including the BB. Flop comes a 7c7h2c, and the BB bets 50, and the next two players fold, leaving me and 2 other players behind.

BB is a decent player who was priced in. He could have a 7, pocket 22s, or a flush draw. If he has one of the first two hands, there's the question of why he should bet, when I am likely to make a raise to scare away the flush draws myself, and then he can figure out what to do. But of course, if I raised with AK/AQ, I'm not going to continuation bet into five players, and so he could lose a round of betting. So the bottom line is I decide he has a flush draw often enough to call, but not often enough to reraise him off his draw. The two players behind me fold.

Turn comes the 9c, and BB bets 75. I don't quite insta-fold, but I do manage to get it into the muck without a lot of dithering around. If I was beat on the flop, I was still beat with 2 outs left, and if he was drawing, he just got there, leaving me with 4 outs.

Later, he chummily tells me he had a 7. I don't know that I believed him, though I don't know that he was lying either. Regardless, the turn card did save me a lot more angsting over a decision about the hand.

Basically: Whee!

In much the same way that the first Matrix film was Whee! In terms of story this breaks no extraordinary ground-but it's a solidly crafted SF story that builds in all the twists and turns. If I caught on to some of them very early--well, it's my job to see structure and how this thing here is probably going to be used there. Some of the ideas are genuinely cool; others are well-worn but serviceable. But the visual impact...oh, boy, howdy. Like The Matrix this film has so much gosh-wow-whizbang-cool stuff going on that I very early stopped thinking about how they did things and just went with it. The facial acting of The People is extraordinary--that is, the creature-guise mapped on human faces. And the local fauna...there are dogs and birds and horsies, but they're really scary, alien dogs and birds and horsies.

I would see it again. Maybe even a third time. Cause: wow.

ps: Spouse says the sound mixing is excellent. I'll take his word for it, but I will say that I never missed a word of dialogue spoken in English.

pps: Sigourney Weaver is having Too Much Fun. Good for her!

Shelby says thank you for all the birthday wishes! They really made her smile :)

I got up at O-Too-Early this morning and went off to work with the Spouse. See, there's a screening of Avatar at Skywalker Ranch tonight, and he got us seats, but we only have the one car, so the only way I could get to see it is if I came up and spent the whole day sitting around in the "hospitality area" of the Tech Building, writing, drinking coffee, listening to the glamorous sound people milling by. My life is soooo hard. You may hate me now.

No, really. The Tech building is this big, vaguely barn-like structure (red brick, but with exposed timber galleries and sort of 30s dude ranch furnishings. I'm sitting in a little conversation nook kind of area off the lunch room: two long benches, a sound system, a fireplace (which for some reason is populated with those hurricane candles with the faces of suffering saints on them). Very cozy. For lunch the Spouse took me over to the main house to the lunchroom there, and then we wandered about looking at things. The grounds here are gorgeously maintained, and the various buildings are set so that wherever you are, you never quite get the fact that there are hundreds of people doing business in this valley. And valley it really is--the Ranch is literally nestled at the bottom of a stack of small, green hills. With hawks wheeling overhead. I swear, I'd almost think they hired the hawks to provide local color.

The exterior of the main house looks like the smaller sister of the Disney Grand Floridian hotel--white woodwork, broad porches, circular rooms, a conservatory... Inside, the whole place is decorated in very handsome Mission-elegant style stuff (there are a couple of light fixtures I would kill for). Every fireplace has a Christmas decoration of boughs and Lucas-themed ornaments (Darth Vader with holly on his helmet; ArtooDetoo bearing gifts, etc.). And the reference library--OMGOMMFG--is like a platonic dream of a Mission-style library, including a stunning spiral staircase, all dark wood and gorgeousness, and full of useful books. I could stand to just sit in there for a coupla years taking notes. In the front hall of the main house they have a gingerbread replica of...the main house. Including the willow tree behind, the white-and-green striped awnings over the windows, the decorative woodwork over the porch. And Artoo and Threepio, in frosting and gingerbread, hanging at the foot of the porch stairs. There are little displays of movie stuff here and there, very low-key (there's the idol Indiana Jones exchanges for the bag of sand in the opening gambit of Raiders; his bullwhip and hat; the glow-in-the-dark heart-stones from Temple of Doom, and of course, the Holy Grail from Last Crusade. Also four different lightsabres--Obi-Wan's original one that he built, the one it "became" by the time of A New Hope, Luke's, and Darth Vader's. Basically, everywhere you look, something new to see, but all of it very low key.

We went to the Company store and bought presents for the family (because what every girl really wants is an Skywalker Ranch EMS/Fire Department t-shirt) and wandered around gawking at the general gorgeousness of the day. The olives have been harvested and pressed (we got a bottle of Skywalker Ranch olive oil I may never open, just cause it's so beautiful), the grapes are off being made into wine, the cattle are wandering around being, well, cows and stuff.

After all this (and getting 5000+ words retyped and restructured) I get to see a movie, too. Today, my life really is cool.