All on a Christmas "Eve Eve"

Had some problems last night that I am pretty sure were attributable to not taking one of my pills and then taking another before bed. This happened another time when I did not take the Prilosec (or took it after the fact) and then had chicken. Poor Schuyler must think we are nuts, especially with us having stayed up past midnight and my watching "Christmas in the Airwaves" a second time on chat with Rodney and Mike.

Needless to say we had a slow start this morning and did not make it to the Colonnade on time to have lunch; the after-church crowd was already milling its way out the door. We went to Ryan's, which used to be Olde Country/Hometown Buffet. I only had a little steak—it was so highly peppered even James complained—and a few spoonfuls of mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, a bit of crust from a tiny slice of apple pie and some chocolate cake. It seemed to sit okay.

We then drove up to the Stage Door Players to see ARTC's annual "An Atlanta Christmas." They had a new sketch this year, "Civil War Triptych," which was originally performed when "Atlanta Christmas" was a stage production rather than a radio show: a Civil War Christmas was described by turns by a white woman (the preparations for the feast), a black woman slave (the "Christmas Gif'" tradition and the happiness of the relative freedom of the celebration), and a Confederate soldier (privations of camp and homesickness). Plus of course all our favorites, including "USO Christmas," the affecting "O Tannenbaum" about the Christmas truce, and "Are You Lonely Tonight?" We sat between Lin Butler, Stephanie Gould, and the Rutledges and enjoyed beginning to end while I snapped photos.

We must have arrived at the Colonnade for supper during a lull: we got right in and were served promptly, and then people began to arrive again. The Colonnade opened in 1927 and, despite one loss of location and one fire, has survived ever since. They serve "down home Southern food," and you can't pass tables without seeing big plates of fried chicken, but my favorite here is the turkey and dressing: it's the only dressing I eat all of and in large quantities. Their applesauce is not overly sweetened, either.

Unfortunately my tummy was still in a tender state and I have been tasting supper ever since.

We were home early enough to watch "Christmas in Yellowstone" on Nature, a beautifully photographed overview of the park in winter. How I loved the red fox pouncing in the snow, and the beautiful wolves! Also saw Rick Steves European Christmas.