That’s it then.

Christmas 2012.

Quiet, good food, nice walks, Midnight Mass, time spent with family and friends, reading, knitting (I’m still not finished, thanks for asking!), watching unaccustomed amounts of telly. No big parties, no teenage drama (which probably counts as a miracle) and really no stress. I’m beginning to think I could actually cook a Christmas lunch in my sleep. Years ago it seemed like such a big deal. After 20 years of Delia and the same menu it really runs like a dream.

We’re still enjoying turkey sandwiches. (Which for me is one of the best things about Christmas really!)

So…I know you’re all waiting to hear about the quilt.

Well I can’t say there was unadulterated delight. It was more a case of ‘oh, what shall I do with this?’ Mum did think it was lovely, but then put it away and it hasn’t been mentioned again. I’m chalking it up as a success because she hasn’t asked if she can leave it at my house….yet….there’s still time, but my fingers are crossed. Sorry Katy I have to disappoint you on the request for a delighted photo….. 🙁 I guess this was about as good as it was ever going to get, so I’m pretty contented with how things panned out!

I rather like the after Christmas down time, don’t you? The weather is rubbish, no-one wants to do anything and I can potter to my heart’s delight. Today is laundry, making turkey stock and general cleaning and tidying. I’m pondering as I go – resolutions for next year, projects I want to make, ways I’m going to make changes in my life. I rather like days like today.

Helen

Wishing all my friends out there a peaceful and joyous Christmas.

It has enriched my life over the last few years to get to know so many of you – and even meet some in person. I love receiving your comments, reading your blogs and feeling that I have friends out there all over the world.

Seasonal Greetings!

Helen

All the doolallying that  I’ve been doing here in the last couple of days has been rather delightful and just what I needed.

But…

and unfortunately there is a but…

I clearly had my eye off the ball.

The Austin Hoodie that I’m making for eldest daughter for Christmas is still two sleeves and half a hood short of being a hoodie. Even knitting non-stop for the next 36 hours I’m not sure it’s humanly possible to remedy the situation. Her bottom lip is currently all the way from here to kingdom come, but I suspect that she may be pulling my leg and not be all that bothered.

Several things landed me in this situation.

• 1. The recent uncharacteristic descent into utter laziness.
• 2. The fact that I made a fairly monumental error on one of the fronts and had to pull it out back to the armhole divide when the front was only a whisker away from being finished.
• 3. The unbelievably enormous colour variation between skeins of this yarn (Madeline Tosh Merino Light in Margeaux). It is gorgeous yarn, but it’s hand dyed and I know that can give rise to quite a bit of variation….but at it’s most extreme I had one ball that looked blue and another that looked pink. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to knit with several balls at once to try to even it all out – and I’m still not really happy…
• 4. My complete failure to make significant progress during last night’s Strictly Come Dancing fest ….in three hours of dancing I should surely have been able to knit a hood. You’d really think so, wouldn’t you? I blame utterly mesmerizing dancing and Louis Smith taking his top off. (Daughter No.2 says I’m not allowed to say this, apparently it’s really mortifying if your almost 50 year old mother thinks a 22 year old man (read: god) is hot). So I’m not saying anything of the sort, but it did disturb my knitting.

On that happy note I’m going back to my smoking needles.

Helen

The most amazing thing about my resolution to stop, do nothing and get healthy is that if I’m honest, I don’t think any of my family even realized I was doing it. On one hand that’s a good thing – at least nobody was feeling neglected, but on the other it does slightly make me consider the value of my contribution to family life. I guess at the point there were no underpants in the drawer and the fridge was empty they might have realized that I do actually do something here!

Anyway, my quiet days have benefitted body and soul although maybe not as much on the getting rid of the flu front as I had hoped. Yup, I’m still headachey and coughing, but otherwise  don’t feel quite so washed out.

Hubby and I took Granny (who is a spritely 85 year old) on a city walk today. It was a bit of a grey day, but mild – and it felt good to get out of the house. One of the things I love about Zürich is that although I’ve lived here for more than 20 years and it isn’t a big city, there are always new things to discover. Today it was a whole quarter I’d never dipped my toes in and a funicular railway (the Dolderbahn) that neither my husband nor I had ever ridden before. (My kids have frequently as there is an ice rink at the top of it, but we never have).

We finished off with a spectacular afternoon tea at the Dolder Grand – one of the top hotels in Switzerland. Not only was it wonderful, but it also means I can get away without cooking dinner this evening – Yay!

I think I could get used to this sort of life!

Helen

Today I’ve sort of come to a stop. The flu has abated, but I am in that energyless washed out post flu stage. So be it.

So I’ve made up my mind that I’ve bought enough presents (and if people think they haven’t got enough, well tough), sent enough cards, not baked enough (but I’m hoping the girls might take over on that one), or cleaned enough, but that’s it. It’s enough.

I need to have some recovery time that is guilt free and this is the Christmas gift I’m giving to myself. I’m going to do a mammoth online food shop, set the kids to work, make hubbie pick up anything last minute in town and for the next couple of days I’m putting everything on hold.

I might knit a little, or sew, or read…but only if I want to. Mostly I’m thinking I’m going to sleep, drink tea, take eucalyptus or lavender baths and recover. I would like to be in a fit state to enjoy Christmas.

So that’s it. There may be a rebellion, but as I shall in all probability be asleep, I don’t really care 🙂

Helen

(Thanks for your lovely comments yesterday – I managed my reading and the church and the music were sublime, truly sublime. I may have fallen down a little on the glamour front, but that’s OK!)