Our party, Kate’s suggestions in comfort gifts

December 20, 2009

 Our party was magnificent. Morten Lauridsen came with his beautiful girlfriend Amber. We didn’t get him to try the piano, but maybe next time and then I will have it tuned. So many fabulous people I can’t even name them all. Bart Edelman and his brother Artie from New Jersey, Charles Harper Webb, Ron Koertge with Bianca Richards, my friend Celeste Fremon and Aimee Liu both came. What a surprise. Both looking ravishing, and Elena Karina Byrne. Sydney and Adam dressed to the nines, Sydney with her beau who is always adorable. Zack and Andrea, Andrea laughing and laughing. Bob and Lisa and Sally, Marcos and Michelle with their kids, Jared and Kelly, my ex all dressed up! With his lovely wife Laura, Mike and Karen, at one point there were so many people you couldn’t move in the kitchen, this kid Nate who’d I met earlier that day showed up with a great bottle of wine and a friend named Collin. Kim Dower was there with her artist husband.

 I made all this lasagna, Mark made chili, Steve and I made chocolate chip cookies. We always do all the cooking ourselves for our holiday party. Rob Roberge came smelling of bad boys, he always does, I love the feeling of this party because when Eloise Klein Healy comes by and Beverly LaFontaine and the whole place heats up with music and wine I remember walking down a road alone in 1981, and I think see, I’m flying and I’m not alone in the world, it’s a party. All these friends, it’s lovely.

 This morning the place is peaceful and quiet, my dog JJ and my dog Luna got some leftovers, we’re going to a party tonight and one tomorrow night and out with friends Wednesday and Thursday we are going to play Monopoly and wipe the floor with Mark, but wait, Tuesday night we have no plans! Maybe we should quickly make plans for that! No, I think we’ll wrap presents that night. I always worry that we didn’t get enough presents, this year more than most. That’s because this year we really didn’t.

Why? Let me guess. Three reasons. Money, money and money. However, we got each of our four kids a couple cool things and we like to get each other a book or two. When we open the book, we guess what’s in it, we guess, blue whale or huge diamond necklace, then we open and it’s a book. We also get each other socks. So I feel good about the books and socks. I can count on my husband for these things. When you think about it, books, socks, hot chocolate and marshmallows are the ultimate in comfort gifts, that’s why I suggest buying those things for your loved ones. If you have those four things, no rainy day can get you down. You curl up with your book, your cozy socks, your hot chocolate and your marshmallows, and you’re all set. Now, if you’re riding a little high, and the recession hasn’t got you in a tight corner and you want something else for the stocking, put a little mini Kahula bottle for your friends who did not just get out of rehab (I know, I know, for some of you writers, musicians, but especially the poets, that’s a short list), there’s nothing like a bit of Kahula in with that hot chocolate in my opinion. Then the morning, afternoon or evening is perfect. Home is where the books/socks/hot chocolate is. When you have that, you know everything is going to be all right.

By the way, if you haven’t checked out Celeste Fremon’s blog, you must, it’s at http://witnessla.com/