The time before Christmas is great. There’s so much to do, so much fun, so much to look forward to.

The time after Christmas is great. Once all the guests are gone, the extra guest beds are squared away in the attic and the laundry is on in the basement. For a while it feels like there’s nothing to do. Except get a well deserved snooze.

There is much fun to look back on and much to digest. In more ways than one.

Mrs J had a great Christmas. She was busy without being too busy to enjoy. She loved cooking and working with her mother and Belle-Mère in the kitchen. There was a lot of joy.

It was also very real. Especially when her pot of hot goose fat exploded. Especially when she got her sleeve caught in the door just as she was about to serve Christmas day dinner. Yes, especially when she launched the potatoes into the dining room like hot napalm.

That felt like real Christmas y’all. Rest assured though, no humans (or cats) were hurt during the production.

And to paraphrase, after Christmas is before Christmas. You always learn something and there’s always next year to put those learnings into practise!

Right now Mrs J is enjoying the break before the End of the Year. Hope y’all had happy holidays too. Mrs J is ready to pop some corks and walk this one out in style!