Brookfield Wannabe

The holiday season is filled with traditions.  I'd like to share with you a favorite tradition of mine.  (If you'd like to share one of your holiday traditions, feel free to use the comment feature.)

When I was in high school at Brookfield East many moons ago (or perhaps even earlier at Burleigh Junior High -- we're not quite sure), a group of us decided to throw a holiday progressive party.   More than twenty years later, although the character of the party has changed and the number of attendees has dropped, we are still going strong.  I hosted it this past weekend.

A progressive party is a dinner party in which each course of the dinner is hosted by a different person.  When we first started, it made for quite the production considering (a) that parents had to be somewhat involved given that we were invading their homes and (b) that we had a limited amount of drivers since the majority of us did not have our licenses yet.  Dressed in our holiday best, we drove all over Brookfield in all kinds of weather for years. 

Over the years, we developed certain traditions.  We had traditional appetizers -- spinach balls from Mike, egg rolls from me, and "shrimp aujourd' ***" from Liz. The traditional game held at the after-party was charades.  (I think I've mentioned before that a lot of my friends were drama geeks.)

The traditional team match ups for charades were the Catholics against the Protestants (not sure how that got started), with one or two of the Catholics having to be re-baptized Protestant in order to have fair team sizes.  One memorable moment was when someone was able to get his/her team to correctly say "Sussudio" a song by Phil Collins.  (I told you we were geeky.)

Even when people went off to college, we all managed to reunite at Progressive time, sometimes even bringing boyfriends/girlfriends, and yes, we forced them to to play charades.  Remarkably, one or two of them forgave us and married our friends anyway.

When we got tired of actually progressing, friends hosted the entire party at their homes, or we all decided on a restaurant in the area.  As people began lives out-of-state and parents' sold the family homes, the number of attendees gathering in Brookfield dropped.  Several of my friends moved to the MInneapolis area, and they have their own version of Progressive in Minnesota.  I had Progressive at my house for the few remaining in the Milwaukee area.

The party was off to a shaky start when the spouse and I discovered that our corkscrew had gone missing.  This necessitated a quick call to the neighbors who, god bless 'em, lent us theirs.

As we sat at dinner, we reminisced about old times, lamented our "old age," and exclaimed over the fact that our friends have a daughter who is now in high school.  Kudos go to my spouse who cooked a great meal and to my friend Kathy who made the traditional spinach ball appetizers.

Good food.  Good friends.  Good times.

Are you ready yet?  I'm not.  Although I promise myself every year that I will start earlier, I still find myself scrambling at the last minute to decorate, shop, etc.  My tree is up and decorated, but that's about it.  The stockings have not yet been hung by the chimney with care (luckily St. Nick came to my daughter's school), and the few presents that have been bought are still waiting to be de-tagged and wrapped.  As for outdoor lights, the snow and ice storms made that decision for us.

My friend, whose household is in a similar state, tried to put a positive spin on it:  Our houses are brimming with "Christmas potential." 

I have a serious case of "Christmas Card Envy". I have friends (and you know who you are!) who every year send me beautiful pictures of their families, sometimes accompanied by witty newsletters printed on holiday paper.  About 99% of the cards I received this year are of the family-picture postcard variety.  As I open them, I sigh -- longing for the day when the spirit of Christmas organization will fill me and make me think of taking pictures on our vacations -- pictures that actually have all family members in it and without someone blinking at the flash.

One friend, who never before sent me a newsletter and who I see on a fairly regular basis, sent me one this year.  Et tu, Brute?

I should, however, take a cue from another friend of mine.  She has four kids.  A few years ago, she decided not to send out Christmas pictures of her family anymore because trying to find the time during the holidays to take one and send it out stressed her out.  Instead, she takes a family picture in the spring and sends out Easter cards. 

But it will all get done; it always does.  And I still find time to enjoy the moments.

The preschooler had her first Christmas program this week, and we got a few chuckles watching the preschool angels, dressed in all their finery, fidgeting and fiddling with their "halos" -- so much so that a teacher had to be sent into the bleachers to keep the hallowed ones in line.

So, take heart, ye who are not yet ready.  We've still got a couple of days to go! 

Is it "Belgian" waffle or "Belgium" waffle?

This is a question that my spouse and I have have talked about before, most recently at dinner tonight.

We were having dinner at the Capitol Cafe/Grecian Inn Restaurant, located on Capitol Drive, slightly west of the intersection of Capitol and Lilly Road.  For those who don't know, the building that housed the Grecian Inn is now home to two restaurants, the Capitol Cafe and Pancake House on the main level and the Grecian Inn on the lower level (formerly the pub).  It's my understanding that both businesses are owned by members of the same family.

I have been a loyal fan of the Grecian Inn for years, dating back to when it was a cozy little place on North Avenue.  (Speaking of dating, it was my first boyfriend, who was half-Greek, who introduced me to the restaurant.)  I haven't been to the "new" Grecian Inn yet, but from looking at the menu, the lower level is now devoted exclusively to Greek dishes. I particularly noticed an expanded seafood section. 

On the upper level, the Capitol Cafe and Pancake House hasn't changed layout wise.  On the menu, you'll probably still see your favorite specials -- like the Friday Fish Fry-- and even a few of the popular Greek entrees like the roast lamb sandwich or the gyro sandwich.

As the name implies, you're also still able to order breakfast anytime, and the breakfast menu is bigger and better than before.  There are all kinds of pancakes and crepes, different kinds of eggs benedict, an expanded kids menu, and of course waffles, which brings us back to our question.

On the menu, it said "Belgium" waffle, which incidentally is what I ended up ordering, but I've also seen it as "Belgian" waffle in other restaurants. 

I think the latter is correct.  My argument is that "Belgium" is not an adjective.

Maybe we should just call it the Brussels waffle?
 

...while driving today... 

1. Why are there no Starbucks stores with drive-thrus in Brookfield?

This frustrates me every single time I am in a hurry, don't want to get out of the car because it's so darn cold, and need a shot of caffeine.  (The only drive-thru coffee store that I know of in Brookfield is "That Coffee Place," across the street from the post office .)

2. Why--at holiday time-- do radio stations play that really sad song about the little boy wanting to buy shoes for his dying mother?

Has anyone else listened to the lyrics to this song? 

Call me crazy, but I listen to the radio station that plays Christmas/holiday music beginning on November 1 and I LOVE it.  But, every holiday season, there is this song that comes on, and I just don't get  it.

This guy sings about a poor, little boy who wants to buy shoes for his mother, who doesn't have much time left because she's dying, so that his mom can look good when she gets to heaven.

It doesn't really put me in the holiday spirit. 

This blog is as fluffy as the snow that is currently coming down. 

Despite the dire winter storm warnings from the weather people (and is 3-5 inches really that bad?), I decided to go to the mall today because the spouse actually agreed to take the preschooler to dance class this morning, a task he generally avoids because of "all the women."  (In his defense, 99% of the time, it is the moms who are waiting.  Sometimes, it is almost like a mom therapy group.)

But here is the story of my dash to the mall before the snow hit.

Saturday morning (12/1) 

9:55 a.m. (about 2 hours until snow supposedly flies)

Arrive at Mayfair Mall to shop for outfit to wear.  Rejoice that there is still close parking.  Further rejoicing at realization that I am free to shop without anyone asking me whether we can go home yet every 15 minutes.   But also dismay that I am still a procrastinator after all these years; Could limit dress selection.

10:00 a.m.

Get distracted by jewelry counter at Macy's. Big sale going on today.   See some items that would make good gift to me from spouse.  Decide that procrastination is not necessarily a bad thing.  Decide to embrace it.

10:05 a.m.

Back on track.  Find THE dress!  Purchase dress; head to makeup counter.

10:20 a.m.

Chat with cosmetics saleswoman.  Describe the dress I just bought.  She knows which one it is, exclaims: "You will rock that dress."  Am now feeling better about cost of dress, but feeling old compared to younger salesperson.

10:30 a.m.

Head into mall. 

10:31 a.m. 

Am now remembering why I hate going to the mall on weekends.

10:45 a.m. 

Now fuming in slow-moving, check-out line at a store that shall remain nameless.  Picked the wrong line to stand in.  Vow in the future to only patronize stores that respect the "many cashiers but only ONE line" rule of shopping etiquette.

11:00 a.m.

Still in line.  Arrgh.

11:20 a.m. 

Finally getting out of mall.  Snow's coming down.

Driving in Snow Pet Peeve:  People who cut in front of you for no apparent reason when they know the roads are slippery.

12:00 noon

Arrive home.  Car slips around in driveway.  Regret not putting snow tires on minivan last weekend. Arrgh.  Snow sucks.

12:01 p.m. 

Favorite Christmas song comes on radio.  Listen to it while parked in driveway. Decide snow is pretty.

If you have to go out tonight, take it easy out there.  Enjoy the first "big" snow!

******

ADDENDUM

6:20 p.m.

Driving to spouse's office party.  Snow is no longer pretty. 

7:00 p.m.

Bad News - Ten people show up for staff party/ Good News - More than enough fried eggplant appetizer to go around. 

10:00 p.m. 

Snow is okay, but icy rain REALLY sucks.

10:40 p.m. 

Arrive home to find that driveway is now a skating rink.   Winter is here folks!