old suziebeezieland

when things don't go to plan

Well, Christmas wasn't quite as we'd planned. We all got wiped out by the stomach flu.  Bob's dad came down with it at our house on Christmas day.  Then Claire got it the morning of the 26th, and I got it the afternoon of the 26th, and Bob got it the evening of the 26th.  Bob was well enough to go to work yesterday by noon (he's a machine), and Claire and I were all pretty much better by last night, although we're watching what we eat.  Today my sister, brother-in-law and dad have it. 

It's pretty mean, this virus. 

Today Claire and I enjoyed a pleasant, stay-in-our-jammies, play-with-Christmas-toys day.  She didn't even know some of the things she'd received at my folks because she was lying on the floor between trips to the bathroom to throw up while we opened gifts, so she was excited. And I'm getting over my bitterness that I was in bed and Claire was on the couch while everybody else ate my mom's Christmas dinner, which is THE BEST MEAL OF THE YEAR. No, really, I'm over my bitterness. (Bob regretted eating that meal, however.)

But life marches on, and after you're sick, there is always that great joy in life when you're not sick anymore. :)  And I had some nice quiet time to kind of lay in the darkness of my parents' guest room on the 26th and think about Christmas and pray for every single person I know. :)

package from finland

This past week, I received a box of goodies from our Susanna in Finland. She had asked awhile back if I wanted to do a swap with her, with things that represent where we live.

It was like Christmas, opening this!

Look at the apron Susanna made for me! So beautiful.

Tervetuloa Muumilaaksoon!

She crocheted three snowflakes, which she says won't melt. :D

Yum. Finnish candy.

There were so many cool things . . . a delicate little bird from Lapland named "Riekko" (he made it intact, Susanna!); an envelope of Kardemumma (Cardamom -- which is EXPENSIVE here, so I was so excited to see this) with a recipe for typical Finnish bread ("pulla") and a diagram of how to braid it, printed on fridge magnets; a little coin purse and napkins from Marimekko ; some Finnish skin cream that feels really good; a Donald Duck magazine for kids in Finnish (that cracked me up!); a seagull named Allu who symbolizes Susanna's seaside city; a cookie cutter shaped like Alvar Aalto's famous modernist vase; and some Finnish flags to put on my Christmas tree! Hooray!

Thank you, Susanna, for your thoughtfulness. xxoo

light

Finally, it's been dipping down into the 50s and even 40s at night, and it's officially December.  We here at the Bailey household need no further encouragement. As far as we're concerned, winter is upon us. Do not laugh, my little Canadian friends.  We take the month or two of winter that we get here very, very seriously.

We did a bit of Christmas decorating (the tree will come later, but everything else is out), and for the past three evenings, we've made a fire in the fireplace, turned on or lit any warm light that can be found, made hot mulled wine for the grownups and hot cocoa for the wee one, and snuggled up on the sofa to watch a Christmas special.

Yay, winter! Yay, lights! Yay, warmth! Yay, cozy! Yay!