I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and New Year. Here are a few highlights from my own holiday season...but first, a message from our sponsor - Kilally Meadows!
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| Winter Solstice - Dec. 21. The day of the year that our shadow it at its longest! I will miss those long legs as we reach the Summer Solstice! |
- had a Christmas week breakfast with a former colleague. Donated some "free coffees" to the homeless (the place we always go to for breakfast is a restaurant which hires only folks with disabilities) and has set up this program of buying coffees for those in need. And the food is fantastic!
- went out to dinner at The Winebar with two girlfriends (they also serve food :)
- spent hours and hours perfecting my Scotland calendar - will post the photos next time
- finished reading several books - my favourite was "Scotland: The Genetic Journey." NOT as dry as it sounds! It was so good that I've also purchased "England: The Genetic Journey."
- Went for several walks in Kilally Meadows - almost NO snow to be seen! (You know there is something wrong with the climate when you're surprised to see snow in January in CANADA!) Yup, a green Christmas and New Year again this year!
- had two long visits with my brother and fellow traveller - Kim :) (One of the traditions we started when in Scotland was to have a wee dram of scotch and a couple of Hobnobs with a good cuppa after. So we've now added that tradition to our bi-monthly visits here at home! :)
- Went to see two movies, with a third coming up this coming weekend. The first was "Will you ever Forgive Me?" with Melissa McCarthy in her first dramatic role. I loved it, my friend was luke-warm. Then on New Year's Eve we started a new tradition by going to a movie - when we went into the theatre it was 2018 and when we left it was 2019! That movie was "Bohemian Rhapsody" with Rami Malek playing Freddie Mercury. If he doesn't win an Oscar for that role it will be a disgrace! I give it five stars!! No, six!! The other movie we want to see is "The Green Book" with Ali Mahershala and Viggo Mortensen. The "Green Book" was a book created for African Americans to use when on holiday in the U.S. back in the 1960's. Only certain motels/hotels/restaurants etc would serve them and were listed in the book. Mahershala plays jazz musician Don Shirley and Mortensen plays his driver and bodyguard while on tour. It's getting RAVE reviews!
- Spent Christmas Eve watching Christmas movies with Kazi and Christmas Day with Kazi and my brothers, sister-in-law, nephew, his wife and child. GOOD times. I also went for my 2nd annual Christmas walk in Kilally Meadows after Kazi and I opened gifts and had our traditional breakfast of peach pancakes. (I made them with whole wheat flour this year and I thought that improved the taste!)
- Interspersed were a few games of volleyball and ball hockey, some baking and batch cooking and more reading and a bit of genealogical success tracking down my 4th great grandmother and father! Yay!
- My only resolution is to READ more which should be easy as I've picked up about 20+ books the past few weeks from friends, brother, library, Amazon etc. (I also donated some thrift shop clothes when I was in Scotland to make room in my suitcase for the books I bought while there! )When I was planning my retirement I imagined myself lounging around all day with stacks of books around the house and nothing but time to read them all. (No bonbons please!) But it hasn't quite turned out that way as every time I pick up a book I feel guilty and think there is something more important I should be doing. BAH HUMBUG!!
Now I want to hear about YOUR holidays :)
But first...a message from our sponsor, Lilypad...
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| Such a big chair for a wee little kitty! |
That chair looks so bloody cozy, a kitty paradise! Sounds like you had a busy but fun holiday. We have not seen a snowflake either but just go over to Cumberland or the ski hill and they have tons! Down in the valley here we have just had tons of rain, my friend is worried about her septic field (we are hooked into town sewer so are not worried). I read a lot of books last year but it got to November and I just stalled out! Only read 1 in December. Have 4 started, nearing the end of 1 but I just can't get into reading. Maybe on our trip. Is your hand all healed up?
ReplyDeleteYes, have taken off the splint and doing lots of physio exercises and am happy with how it feels. The skin around the knuckle is still a bit tight but no pain so just need to keep up the exercises.
ReplyDeleteI understand the feelings of guilt when you could be doing something else. I experience it every single day, but I am learning to get over the guilt. I enjoy reading and have a 2 book a week reading goal for 2019. I decided unless I have something pressing me the first 1 1/2 hours of my morning will be reading and coffee time. Especially since I can start the dishwasher and a load of laundry and not feel totally self indulgent.
ReplyDeleteBTW. This is the 3rd time I have commented on this post but the others were sent from my phone and did not work. NO idea why!
Happy New Year to you too. You paint a picture of a lovely, cosy family Christmastime. Thanks for sharing.
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