Christmas Day, 8:40 pm. Just finished dinner. Rosie surpassed herself this

year: a huge pork joint with masses of crackling. (Rosie: “It’s hard to

find pork with the skin on nowadays. They take it off to make pork rinds.”

What’s the point of a pork roast without crackling?) Brussel sprouts, my

favorite vegetable, something very interesting–creamy, cheesy,

garlicky–done with the potatoes. An extraordinary salad–endives, beets,

walnuts, Roquefort cheese. Pecan & walnut pie for afters. Fresh fruit,

fruit cake, figs, dates and Turkish delight on the living-room table. A

good new bottle of ruby port, still half a bottle of egg nog to finish off

later. Kids watching Doctor Doolittle on TV. Blizzard outside, blazing

logs in the grate. “This is as much as can be made of life.” Shall now

sink gracefully into an alcoholic stupor. Good night all. Merry Christmas,

and God bless us every one!