"In the Event The Winner is Unable to Serve..."

Just got back from a few last minute errands.

*Blech!* What a nightmare.

Everyone and their uncle is out shopping today. I stopped by the liquor store to get some wine for tomorrow night's dinner. I decided to use my credit card. Needless to say the store's credit system yorked on my card. But the clerk was bound and determined to make the charge go through. His perseverance created a huge back-up at his register.

"I have cash! I have cash!" I pleaded.
"No, sir, I'll get it for you. The tax is being taken off for some reason. I have to do it by hand but I'll get it."

I could only apologize to the patrons behind me as I got malevolent glares and icy stares. Two brown paper bags of crabbed hand calculations later, I was given my slip to sign. I signed it to much applause. How I love Christmas sarcasm. The wine better be good.

Well, I'm off to fix Christmas Eve dinner. The White Family tradition is beef stew and biscuits and the stew takes the afternoon to simmer, so I'd best get started. I've got a new recipe for buttermilk biscuits that I'll be trying out this evening. I'm still rubbing down the goosebumps.

Finally, just to make reading Plugs and Dottles not unlike Chinese water torture, I give you my 51st Birthday Dinner invitation list that could have been, indeed, might be next year for my 52nd birthday. Think of them collectively much as you would Suzette Charles.

The Seven Runners-Up for Kem White's 51st Birthday Dinner
Martin Goldsmith - XM Classics DJ and former Performance Today host
Tom Horton - Chesapeake Bay activist and wonderful Baltimore Sun writer
Bob Newhart
Bill Nye the Science Guy
Jimmy Page
Meryl Streep - toss-up with Sean Penn. She's probably a better conversationalist
Grete Waitz - 9 time NYC Marathon winner and 1984 Olympic silver medalist

Have a great Christmas holiday.
K-