Christmas Day 2010

Started the day at Fair Grinds, assisting on Xmas Day for maybe the 6th time (a few years break after Horrible Katrina).
Made coffee while owner Robert happily tinkered with espressso machine, and then finally put his tools down and brought Elizabeth from home around 9. (She is quietly kind of great by the way.)
Made coffee, laughed at lovely Lawrence, Steve, Mark, Pat, Perry, Larry (and a few others) stories, jokes, POV and fumed at the regulars that I cannot handle (as they hog center stage disagreeably- boy do I hate that.)
After 4 hours, I left it with much coffee made and loads of treats on the table from quiet citizen/neighbors (in other words, no thanks needed.) I have noticed that those who offer more also leave enormous donations for the non-profit that I donate the proceeds from the tip jar on that day.
Texted and received texts from loads of friends, and decided not to head to Marigny for ELM and cajun famulee's pahtee. I miss her. She can make me laugh when she works at it. I hope I can see her soon.

Went next to M&V's for omelets. warm (friends, house and food). Stayed til dark, over talking and laughing (sometimes til we all cried and had to wipe our eyes) at M's latest goof-giving away V's pecans to his friend. She told him about himself and he good naturedly listened and even agreed to the one point. ONE out of 5 or 6 she made....

Drove home and made lamb chops, drank French 75s and talked to my French Quarter mother via email, telling her I would see her on Sunday. True to her nature, she was fine with that, and more worried that I was warm enough in my apartment. She also told me a funny story about her friend who drank too much sloe gin on their 1959 prize trip to Columbus OH for godssake. When she was 18 and an assistant buyer at Maison Blanche. And unfortunately, met my father. But the sloe gin part was funny...