feast

Perhaps quite obviously, one of my favorite things about "the holidays" is good food. In my family, there were more cooks in the kitchen at this time of year because there were more and different things to prepare. Delicious standards (like garlic bread) and rare treats (eggnog pie) emerged from the commotion of the kitchen only to land at a table whose company was equally as bustling. I've recently realized that my fond memories of holiday feasts stemmed as much from the good company as the good eats.

S and I just returned from a visit to Oregon where we feasted on the delights of reconnecting with friends we hadn't seen in far too long. The phone and e-mail are good, but I really enjoy face-to-face conversation (and all the subtleties of expression that come with it). S and I have had the good fortune to come to know some pretty remarkable people. Seeing many of them in only a few days was like overeating at a wonderful, long holiday feast. At its end, we were contentedly exhausted and ready to return for more. (One of the few drawbacks to this trip was the absence of C and those Santa Cruz people.)

So, if you're going somewhere in the next week or so (and even if you're not), I wish all of you great feasts.