…and more fun than mulch!
Category Archives: Christmas
When Christmas meets science….
…and more fun than mulch!
H/T to Stacks and Stacks Clutter Control Blog!Aren’t things supposed to be quieting down now?
The last few days continue to keep me up and active, with nary a moment to lounge on the sofa and work on my book pile.
Alex’s laptop screen got cracked due to some dorm-room hijinks and, although I thought I had bought the “Complete Care Warranty” from Dell, a closer look at my invoice suggests otherwise. So now he needs to come up with $499 (plus tax) to replace the screen. On a laptop that cost less than twice that. Four months ago. So I spent time with Dell on the phone trying to figure out exactly what warranty I DID buy, and that (of course) the damage wasn’t covered.
My mother-in-law can’t stop cooking. Our freezer is full. The fridge is full. The beer fridge no longer has room for beer. She’s here for three more days and she’s figuring out how to get “everything done” before she leaves. I keep buying 500 g of ground beef, 500g of stewing beef, onions, and lemons, and it all keeps getting turned into ziploc-packed goodness that needs to be crammed into our freezer. I’m feeling bloated from all the bulgur my poor intestines are being subjected to. I’ve been to Arz more in the past three weeks than in the past year.
Michael is still keeping night owl hours and he goes back to school tomorrow. Sigh.
We met Alex’s girlfriend yesterday when she dropped over for tea before they headed downtown for lunch. Lovely, polite, funny. She is studying architecture at University of Waterloo….they met last summer when they worked at the same day camp for the summer.
Z and I are going to Rome for Easter this spring. It will be my first time there and I’m completely excited about it. I just worked my way through the Air Canada Vacations website, booking everything, to end up with some system error when I tried to actually pay for the tickets. Dang. The office closed until tomorrow, so I can’t do anything about it now. It’s just frustrating to sit at the computer and do all the work, checking all the information three times, etc. and then getting kicked out.
Choir was quick and easy today; we only met 45 minutes before mass to go over music. Our choir-only stuff was a quick read and sounded lovely. For the offertory, we sang We Three Kings unaccompanied (the SATB version from here). At communion, we did a lovely arrangement of In the Bleak Midwinter. It’s such a beautiful hymn….I knew that the text was by Christina Rosetti, but I’d never noticed that the music was by Gustav Holst.
This afternoon, I finally got my blog template updated with a simple new look for the new year. I’m not done with it yet, but it’s fine for now. My resolutions are still feeling right and I am definitely enjoying the extra sleep. The Christmas tree will come down this week, and then the living room can return to it’s natural state, with my desk replacing the tree. I received a number of books for Christmas, so I want to give some books away, and tidy up my bookshelves while I’m at it. I also have two books to review for Thomas Nelson…one is sort of “chick-lit” and the other is a book of devotions. I hope to have these both done in a week.
Until tomorrow!
Aren’t things supposed to be quieting down now?
The last few days continue to keep me up and active, with nary a moment to lounge on the sofa and work on my book pile.
Alex’s laptop screen got cracked due to some dorm-room hijinks and, although I thought I had bought the “Complete Care Warranty” from Dell, a closer look at my invoice suggests otherwise. So now he needs to come up with $499 (plus tax) to replace the screen. On a laptop that cost less than twice that. Four months ago. So I spent time with Dell on the phone trying to figure out exactly what warranty I DID buy, and that (of course) the damage wasn’t covered. My mother-in-law can’t stop cooking. Our freezer is full. The fridge is full. The beer fridge no longer has room for beer. She’s here for three more days and she’s figuring out how to get “everything done” before she leaves. I keep buying 500 g of ground beef, 500g of stewing beef, onions, and lemons, and it all keeps getting turned into ziploc-packed goodness that needs to be crammed into our freezer. I’m feeling bloated from all the bulgur my poor intestines are being subjected to. I’ve been to Arz more in the past three weeks than in the past year. Michael is still keeping night owl hours and he goes back to school tomorrow. Sigh. We met Alex’s girlfriend yesterday when she dropped over for tea before they headed downtown for lunch. Lovely, polite, funny. She is studying architecture at University of Waterloo….they met last summer when they worked at the same day camp for the summer. Z and I are going to Rome for Easter this spring. It will be my first time there and I’m completely excited about it. I just worked my way through the Air Canada Vacations website, booking everything, to end up with some system error when I tried to actually pay for the tickets. Dang. The office closed until tomorrow, so I can’t do anything about it now. It’s just frustrating to sit at the computer and do all the work, checking all the information three times, etc. and then getting kicked out. Choir was quick and easy today; we only met 45 minutes before mass to go over music. Our choir-only stuff was a quick read and sounded lovely. For the offertory, we sang We Three Kings unaccompanied (the SATB version from here). At communion, we did a lovely arrangement of In the Bleak Midwinter. It’s such a beautiful hymn….I knew that the text was by Christina Rosetti, but I’d never noticed that the music was by Gustav Holst. This afternoon, I finally got my blog template updated with a simple new look for the new year. I’m not done with it yet, but it’s fine for now. My resolutions are still feeling right and I am definitely enjoying the extra sleep. The Christmas tree will come down this week, and then the living room can return to it’s natural state, with my desk replacing the tree. I received a number of books for Christmas, so I want to give some books away, and tidy up my bookshelves while I’m at it. I also have two books to review for Thomas Nelson…one is sort of “chick-lit” and the other is a book of devotions. I hope to have these both done in a week. Until tomorrow!Merry Christmas!
It’s been a bit of a whirlwind chez moi these past few days.
Alex got home from Queen’s Monday night and we see him occasionally, when he’s not in his man-cave in the basement communing with his electronics, or out with friends, or shopping. Michael’s already on his holiday schedule, which means sleeping until noon, and then going to bed in the early hours of the morning.
On Tuesday, Z and I went to see the Canadian Brass with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. It was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed the repertoire, but the guest conductor was a tad annoying and the orchestra and Brass seemed out of sync quite often, as if they hadn’t spent enough (any?) time together rehearsing before the concert. We attended the first of three concerts, so maybe it got better. We had a lovely dinner at Joe Badali’s beforehand, a first visit for both of us, and were quite impressed.
Wednesday afternoon, Z took his mom to see The Sound of Music at the Princess of Wales Theatre and she really enjoyed it. It was one of two movies that she saw in the 16 years that they lived in Beirut (the other being about Ste. Therese) and so she knew the story. Seeing it live on stage was a real treat for her. Because she speaks “only” French and Arabic, it’s a bit difficult to find entertainment options here in Toronto, so this was a good pick.
On Thursday, we did some dinner prep for Christmas Day and then headed to my brother’s for a Christmas Eve get-together with his family and my mom, who arrived from Ottawa this past week. Neither Alex nor Z had been to their house before, and Alex hadn’t seen the boys for a few months, so it was lots of fun. Except that I was starting to feel symptoms of a minor illness that occurs every few months and was a little leery with the impending holidays. We got home around 9 pm and I called Telehealth Ontario (phone-based heath information and triage) to see what my options would be for getting some labwork and a prescription in the morning. Then I headed off to prep for Midnight Mass with the choir at 10:45.
Christmas Morning dawned and I knew that I had to see someone about my health issue. I called the walk-in clinics that I’d been suggested but neither were open, so I decided to just head to Urgent Care at my local hospital. (Urgent Care is a step down from an Emergency Room as they don’t tend to admit patients to hospital.) I spent an hour or so with the family opening gifts and having some breakfast, and then drove over to the hospital. There were very few people there, and I was able to see someone within an hour.
I was very quickly assessed and got a prescription, but they told met that my blood pressure was sky-high, “stroke-worthy” was the phrase the charming young nurse used. I have never had high blood pressure before…it’s sometimes been moderately elevated but never enough for medication or anything. So I sat around while they measured my blood pressure numerous times, was encouraged to relax, close my eyes, breathe deeply, etc etc. It never came down. So I was given a prescription for a basic low-dose diuretic and told that if I had any symptoms of a stroke etc to head straight to an ER. And to relax for the rest of the day. And to take my blood pressure
I headed home and my dear husband and mother-in-law took care of the entire Christmas dinner, and had the boys do some cleaning and tidying before my brother and his family arrived.
Christmas dinner was a bit of a blur as I was still stunned about the blood pressure thing. It was a lovely meal, but I had difficulty concentrating on much, to be honest. The next day, we had some relatives over for coffee, but I spent much of the day lying on the sofa reading the papers and trying to finish a book
Today, I sing at mass and then we’re heading to some friends for lunch. Tomorrow, I am taking my mom to see Fiddler on the Roof (her Christmas present). On Tuesday, there’s a luncheon for my Aunt Lillian’s birthday and I’m hoping to have my brother and his family over again after that.
Prayers are coveted. I got a Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board
Ten on Tuesday
1. When do you put up and take down your Christmas decorations?
I usually put them up around the third Sunday of Advent, so that’s typically a week or two before Christmas. I like to wait until Epiphay to take them down, as it’s the last day of the Christmas season for Catholics.
2. What do you do to simplify the holiday season?
We’ve vastly downsized the cooking part of the holiday. This year, we didn’t host a Christmas Open House as we’ve done in previous years so that’s felt nice. I try to get as much shopping done in advance as possible.
3. What do you do to remind yourself and your family what the Christmas season is all about?
My sons are teens, so they’ve pretty much figured it all out. I sing in my parish choir, so I enter into the season pretty early with Advent music and then sing at both Midnight Mass and Christmas Day. We have an Advent wreath. I usually read through a book of daily Advent Devotions.
4. How do you spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day?
Both days are with family. This year, we will spend Christmas Eve with my brother and his family who have just moved to Toronto. They have young children, so it will be a relatively early night. Then I’ll be at church at 11 pm to prep for Midnight Mass with the choir. Christmas Day will be spent at home. Stockings first thing in the morning, and then Mass at 11:30. My brother and his family and my mom will join us Christmas afternoon for gifts and dinner.
5. What is your favorite Christmas tradition?
It has to be the music, sacred and secular. On the latter side, I am particularly enjoying Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas
this year, as well as Holly Cole’s Christmas disc Baby It’s Cold Outside
.6. Did you do the whole Santa thing growing up? What do you like/not like about continuing the tradition?
We did it, and continued it with our children. We told our kids (when they asked) that it was up to them whether they believed in Santa, but that Santa would continue to visit. Now, we all buy Santa gifts for each other at Christmas.
7. What is your favorite Christmas cookie?
Snowballs – essentially a shortbread ball coated with coconut. Yumsters! But I’m all about shortbread of any kind. Butter and sugar. What else does one need?
8. How do you take your egg nog?
With rum and nutmeg. Everytime I say “nutmeg” I think of Stephen Colbert’s Christmas
and John Legend’s hilarious number!9. What is your favorite Christmas carol and why?
I don’t think I have one. But off the top, Lo, how a Rose e’er Blooming has to be near the top.
10. When was the last time you had a white Christmas?
Growing up in Ottawa, we had one every year, I think. Here in Toronto? Most years. I never got used to Christmas decorations in Atlanta with no snow.
Seven Quick Takes Friday
- My sister and her family are coming from Ottawa to meet our new niece. They’ll arrive this after noon and stay until Monday. While they’re here, we’ll have a party for new niece’s older brother who turns four in a couple of weeks. So today I’m cleaning and shopping and making beds!
- It’s been cool these past couple of weeks, just the way I like it. Hovering above freezing during the day, but lots of sun. It’s great weather for my stage of life and it makes me feel energized. My mom was a little concerned about me just wearing a light leather jacket out every day, but understood about the internal heat generation that’s been going on.
- I’m trying out some contact lenses; must be that mid-life crisis thing again. I went for a regular eye exam yesterday and came out sporting contacts and a new pair of over-the-counter reading glasses (bright red!). I wore them for about four hours yesterday and will try for five today. Dr. Tang, my wonderful optometrist, gave me two mono-vision lenses, left eye optimized for distance and right eye optimized for reading. The reading is not great yet, but maybe my brain has to be trained for that.
- Just got tickets for Fiddler on the Roof, another Mirvish production opening shortly in Toronto. I’m taking my mother there for Christmas and am really looking forward to it. She’ll be in town for the holidays and it will be a fun outing that I know she will enjoy.
- I can’t say enough about this Gary Taubes book I’m reading: Good Calories, Bad Calories: Fats, Carbs, and the Controversial Science of Diet and Health
. I got it from the library after watching him give a lecture (in a video) and now I’ve added it to my Christmas wish list
. I’ll post at length about it in the future, but it’s refuting a lot of conventional wisdom about diet, is compelling and thoughtful, not sensational at all. I will definitely be making some significant dietary changes, mainly cutting out refined carbohydrates. I highly recommend this as required reading for anyone concerned about their health and the nutritional foundations.
- I have most of my out-of-town shopping done and am caught up on all the birthday shopping from the past few months. I know what I’m getting for everyone remaining, and that’s the biggest hurdle. My mother-in-law is arriving for a month on Monday and I want to be able to have a peaceful and relaxing time while she’s here, and enjoy the Advent season.
- This Sunday after the main mass, the chapter of the Catholic Women’s League that has been newly re-established in our parish will be installed and blessed. I’m on the executive, and it’s great to see our efforts coming to fruition in this formal acknowledgement of our chapter status. We’re having a potluck lunch afterwards for members and their families, and I have signed up to bring bottled water, 6 dozen rolls, and butter. The busy woman’s offering!
More Seven Quick Takes over at Conversion Diary today!
Seven Quick Takes Friday
- My sister and her family are coming from Ottawa to meet our new niece. They’ll arrive this after noon and stay until Monday. While they’re here, we’ll have a party for new niece’s older brother who turns four in a couple of weeks. So today I’m cleaning and shopping and making beds!
- It’s been cool these past couple of weeks, just the way I like it. Hovering above freezing during the day, but lots of sun. It’s great weather for my stage of life and it makes me feel energized. My mom was a little concerned about me just wearing a light leather jacket out every day, but understood about the internal heat generation that’s been going on.
- I’m trying out some contact lenses; must be that mid-life crisis thing again. I went for a regular eye exam yesterday and came out sporting contacts and a new pair of over-the-counter reading glasses (bright red!). I wore them for about four hours yesterday and will try for five today. Dr. Tang, my wonderful optometrist, gave me two mono-vision lenses, left eye optimized for distance and right eye optimized for reading. The reading is not great yet, but maybe my brain has to be trained for that.
- Just got tickets for Fiddler on the Roof, another Mirvish production opening shortly in Toronto. I’m taking my mother there for Christmas and am really looking forward to it. She’ll be in town for the holidays and it will be a fun outing that I know she will enjoy.
- I can’t say enough about this Gary Taubes book I’m reading: Good Calories, Bad Calories: Fats, Carbs, and the Controversial Science of Diet and Health
. I got it from the library after watching him give a lecture (in a video) and now I’ve added it to my Christmas wish list
. I’ll post at length about it in the future, but it’s refuting a lot of conventional wisdom about diet, is compelling and thoughtful, not sensational at all. I will definitely be making some significant dietary changes, mainly cutting out refined carbohydrates. I highly recommend this as required reading for anyone concerned about their health and the nutritional foundations.
- I have most of my out-of-town shopping done and am caught up on all the birthday shopping from the past few months. I know what I’m getting for everyone remaining, and that’s the biggest hurdle. My mother-in-law is arriving for a month on Monday and I want to be able to have a peaceful and relaxing time while she’s here, and enjoy the Advent season.
- This Sunday after the main mass, the chapter of the Catholic Women’s League that has been newly re-established in our parish will be installed and blessed. I’m on the executive, and it’s great to see our efforts coming to fruition in this formal acknowledgement of our chapter status. We’re having a potluck lunch afterwards for members and their families, and I have signed up to bring bottled water, 6 dozen rolls, and butter. The busy woman’s offering!
More Seven Quick Takes over at Conversion Diary today!
Tuba conflict
What are the odds?
Michael and I were to head down to Nathan Philips Square to participate in the Holiday Tuba Festival at noon today. He’d been practicing some of the carols over the past few days and we were getting ready to decorate his instrument with garlands.
Yesterday, he brought home a letter from his music teacher saying that Chris Lee, Principal Tubist at the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra would be at the school today to work with the tubists: from 10 to Noon.
Michael decided to skip the festival to spend some time with Mr. Lee.
(Image courtesy of The Fluter Tutor!)
Tuba conflict
What are the odds?
Michael and I were to head down to Nathan Philips Square to participate in the Holiday Tuba Festival at noon today. He’d been practicing some of the carols over the past few days and we were getting ready to decorate his instrument with garlands. Yesterday, he brought home a letter from his music teacher saying that Chris Lee, Principal Tubist at the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra would be at the school today to work with the tubists: from 10 to Noon. Michael decided to skip the festival to spend some time with Mr. Lee. (Image courtesy of The Fluter Tutor!)
Domestic Bliss: The Empty Nest 