What a great Christmas (although I did have one crying jag in the car on the way over because it always takes us about three times as long to get packed up and go as we think it will, and because I had been wrestling with recalcitrant baked goods alone in the kitchen for three days.) (MY poor husband - I am going to make a great academic, because I fret and stress about things being perfect all the time.) But once we got there all was well.

I got TWELVE PLACE SETTINGS of Fiestaware! Hooray! (Some were duplicates and have to be returned, but I ordered the missing colors off the internets today and they'll be here in about a week!) I got one in every color that's not discontinued right now. (Except boring old black and white, and I didn't want ugly cinnabar but I got it anyway so I'll use it.)

Man they're vivid and gorgeous! I think the scarlet and the peacock and the shamrock are my favorites (also got tangerine [which is lovely], sunflower yellow [ditto], cobalt, plum, and the aforementioned blecchy cinnabar.) My cabinet looks like a little rainbow right now. Once all the colors come (I ended up being missing periwinkle, sea mist, turquoise, shamrock [came with the wrong cup!] and persimmon, and also I just wanted one of those little cream and sugar on a cute little tray things, so I ordered that in yellow) then I will be even more thrilled! AND my mother-in-law got me the cutest pitcher in the scarlet!

And my husband got me all the glorious stuff I posted about last week and also a HUGE (I mean HUGE) 12 quart cast iron Dutch oven to replace the one I lost. (Don't ask me how you lose a thing that weighs like 20 lbs and rarely leaves your stovetop - I certainly don't know. But I was pissed - I bought it at an estate sale and it was all seasoned and beautiful, and I had it for years. I must have lost it in a move somehow, or taken it to somebody's house to cook and had it stolen. Assholes.)

And also I got a nice fuzzy fleece jacket and 2 warm outdoor hats and a scarf. And probably a lot of other stuff that I"m forgetting right now in my entrancement with the Fiestaware!!!

From now on anybody who wants to get me a present? Can just get me stuff like butter dishes and salt and pepper shakers and teacups and saucers and stuff in every color of the rainbow! (That will make it easy on my husband!)

I feel so lucky and so spoiled right now. And so ready to turn out some good shit in our kitchen - it is stocked and colorful! Expect many posts about Lucullan delights (except not for 3 days while I'm at MLA - which I need to go pack for.)

Bye internet!