When I arrived, Francine was making her fresh bruschetta and trying to set the table. I couldn't wait for everyone else to get there, so when she wasn't looking, I sampled some of the spanakopita, dolmades and olives. She caught me stealing a cookie, but if she saw me swipe anything else she kept quiet about it.
We started the night with some music a la Mark the Barber. Mark cuts hair in the shop next to my work by day and plays guitar for a 50s and 60s band by night. He had set up a couple of microphones and a guitar with his amplifier in a corner beside our Christmas tree. As everyone was arriving, I was standing too close to Mark and he handed me the mic. I knew some of the chorus to the songs he was playing. The rest of the time I just did some back up dances or sang "shoop shoop". I think I did really well on "Stand By Me" and I would have got "Unchained Melody" just perfect, except Mark threw me off with a wrong verse. I really enjoyed "Sweet Caroline", but I couldn't get my co-workers to do the damn "Ba ba ba"... You know that part. Sing along with me now:
"Sweet Caroline... BA BA BA! Good times never seemed so good!"
Oh, you all suck! You gotta sing it LOUD! Neil Diamond rocks. Those sonsobitches ruined it for me by not playing along. Props to Nino for trying.
Francine and I did a duet of "doo wahs" for some song I had never heard before, so I ruined that one. Then, she did quite a few numbers of her own (caesar in hand), including "Teenager in Love".
The meal was amazing. Greek Salad with pounds of feta cheese and Francine's own dressing to start. Everyone had Pastitsio for a entree... except for me. I'm special so Francine made me a huge plate of Eggplant Parmesan with fresh tomato sauce (with wine). I never did open my bottle of Costalunga. I had a couple of small glasses of French Cross boxed wine, which is not too bad. Don't believe the hype. You can get good wine with a screw top cap or out of a box.
I played Santa and delivered all the secret Santa gifts after dinner. Fred got some porn from Nancy. Whitey and Greg got video games. Mike and Nancy got chocolate and nuts. Amanda used Mike's tissue paper to stuff her bra, so it was a gift that kept on giving. Francine got some cute ceramic snowmen from Lisa. Nino got aromatherapy car fresheners from Elisha. Elisha got a big bag of bath products from Mike (but we all know Francine did the shopping). Kimmy got bath stuff, too. I got a new Robin Hood cookbook from Francine. I have Robin Hood by the bag (and I won't let him go.) Addy got Bailey's, Rusty got a 12-pack of Blue and Amanda and Heather both got bottles of Yellow Tail. I got Jonathan a case of Coke and some Old Spice. No. Don't even try to call me cheap! It's what he likes!
Such a fun night. It was just like a Mediterranean/Quebecois version of the party at Mr. Fezziwig's house in Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol. Like Scrooge said, “(Francine) has the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil…The happiness (she) gives, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune.”
We ended it with some Galaktoboureko and Googaloo (Greek desserts). We were all having fun with baby Mykael and then someone (who had too much to drink) decided to compare the boss's ass to the width of the sidewalk. That's about when you know it's time to go home.
Monday night at the Waring House was much less eventful. It was minus 20 with the windchill. Rod and I dressed for dinner at 6:30, arrived at 7, stood in the buffet lineup for 20 minutes, ate some dinner, drank some shitty local wine and left at 8:30. Norah always decorates so beautifully for the holidays and nothing is left untouched by her Christmas spirit. It's just that there are so many staff at the Waring House, the Claramount and the Picton Harbour Inn; it's hard to have a nice, intimate Christmas gathering. I did enjoy chatting with Sharon (who makes me jealous because she's the only person I know with a busier social life and, therefore, more fun than me... plus she has a hot tub) about snowmobiling and Ang (who makes me soooo jealous with her long, blond hair and her Victoria's Secret body) made me LMAO. Wish that I had known about Louis' after party. Just as well, 'cos I had to work at 7:30 the next morning.
Sounds like you're enjoying all the holiday cheer Sheila! I enjoyed your post; written just as you would speak it. I did have to re-read the line about your boss' ass and the sidewalk though..laughing so nice touch! Like the bit about Robin's bag too. Very you. Quite funny.
ReplyDeleteSending hugs and xmas booze toasts to you.
Jen