Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noel, Glædelig Jul

Happy Holidays, my children!

I had a truly stellar Christmas. Christmas Eve was just Richie and me – we stopped and visited with my BFF Sally after picking up some last minute things – I made seafood chowder, we lit all the candles, finished our decorating, then watched the George C. Scott version of a Christmas carol, in between face timing with Tim and the grandkids, as snow came down outside and goodwill abounded.

I was pretty tired. We’re having hellacious weather (lots of snow, some ice, and then the bottom of the thermometer is going to shatter) – so both of us snuggled down for a long winter’s nap (me listening to a cute Christmas romance on my iPhone, only to have it suddenly ring at 8 in the morning (we we exhausted so still sound asleep.) It was the grandkids in New Mexico, two hours earlier, opening their presents, excited and happy. I was on the iPad, the other grandparents on the iPhone, and we watched them romp around in joy. I’d made Christmas pajamas for all of them, and Alex was proudly wearing his (Ali was wearing hers later that day) from a large amount of Hello Kitty Christmas flannel I’d bought for Daniel when he was a kid, and they looked adorable.

We facetimed for a couple of hours, then I finally got to pee, then we had sausages and scrambled eggs, then my older child Daniel called on FT, and we watched him open his presents, and then honorary DIL Erin called for help on setting up the PS4 Pro we gave them, (2nd ft with them), while I was making Risalamande (traditional Danish Christmas dessert). Then my niece Jenny, the only one remaining from my family of origin, called me via FT, (she and my younger son Tim went out for early morning ski runs in Tahoe and then she took him out for a Christmas lunch, which was just perfect). Then grandson Alex again, then we went to my BFF Sally’s (I’d been planning to make Gløgg and Smørbrød but I crashed, cried a little, cheered up, got to Sally’s and immediately Facetimed with Tim and then with the grandkids again while they facetimed Tim on another device. Finally we went home and I had the best night’s sleep in my entire life.  The only person missing from my life was my other BFF, Crusie, but getting her to FaceTime or even talk on the phone is a major battle.

I’m sitting here this morning by the Christmas tree watching Hallmark movies and snuggling under my delicious new electric throw (which, since the temperature won’t be reaching 0 degrees for the next few days it will be very timely – a present from Sally).

So now I’ll sew and pick-up stuff and bake my grandmother’s julekage with no deadlines – we celebrate the entire week between Christmas and New Years. Life is quite wonderful. I have the best grandchildren in the world, wonderful friends (Jenny and Sally in particular), an excellent niece, fabulous children who seem to be emerging from long, difficult times. We won’t even mention that magnificent man I married. Plus two phenomenal cats.

I’m hard-wired to notice the good things around me – I think that’s partly why I’m happier than most people. Life is a banquet, and right now I have a groaning board.