Christmas has made its way into our home

We have successfully produced a feeling of Christmas in our home. The plastic tree is up, complete with sometimes blinking, sometimes solid white Christmas lights, some favourite Christmas decorations brought from home, and new decorations to fill in the gaps. This year's purchase: teal balls. I noticed that our tree has a rather "red" theme and so the teal really breaks it up. Very pretty. Very small. In fact, I can look our beautiful German Angel right in the eyes. As for baking, the smell of "Nonnie's Almond Tarts" is filling the air, and the sugar cookie and gingerbread doughs are cooling and hardening in the fridge as I type. Earlier Bing was singing about bells ringing and it was quite the treat. The banister is green with, well, greenery, and I have even been able to squeeze some more cinnamon scent out of the pine cones mom and dad brought over last year. Last June, thinking in advance, I bought some cinnamon sticks which I have now spread throughout the pine cones. Looks woodsy, if not Christmasy.

With the decorations, as expected, come the emotions of the season. Today is my nana's birthday and each year a tear or two squeezes out as I go about my day, remembering her. I think of her sitting on her green couch, under her lamp, crocheting while watching tv, usually with a really fat poodle-type dog either at her feet or at her side. Either that, or Nana standing in her kitchen, either over the sink or next to the oven. I remember things like Alphaghettis, vanilla pudding pops, home made raisin pie, or even better, home made bread. In honour of Nana on her birthday, I am baking in one of the aprons mom brought me from home. I'm not sure if she made it, but it was Nana's at one time. It's amazing how much you can miss someone even when they've been gone for over a decade. I often wonder if I ask God, if He'd pass on a message to her and tell her I love her and miss her? No harm in trying.

***Those first two paragraphs were written a few hours ago. Since then I joined a friend and headed to the plant store on the side of the road. I bought one hanging plant and two varigated bush type plants that will go in some wall pots (one side of the pot is flat so you can hang it on the wall). I am covered in sweat from drilling holes for screws into a cement wall. It took me about 45 minutes to hang the potted plant, which isn't unusual with cement walls. Seems to be about the average! I am going to go to the school for a swim and then when I return, I'll turn on the Christmas tree, put on some Bing (or maybe Ella Fitzgerald for tonight) and try and recreate the ambiance I had earlier when the smell of Christmas baking was floating through our home.

More Christmas to come...

Thanks for reading.