December 25-26, 2009:

Ah–Christmas day, after eight days of Chanukah, almost a relief. Presents, dinner, family friends, all at once. I made a pancake breakfast at my house, Heidi made the dinner at hers (though I made the traditional Yorkshire pudding and gravy and brought it over. Neighbors stopped in for drinks and laughter. Then Adam and Betsy's kids both got sneezes and hives from the cats, so the dinner and festivities were over by 8:30.

On Boxing Day, we sat around and ate leftovers. I worked on the speech f...