Mary and Joseph

Today in church we were introduced to Mary & Joseph at the start of their Advent(ure) as they set out on the long journey to Bethlehem.

We pray that they will find safe passage on their journey.

A few years ago I knitted some Nativity sets. They were quite small, but I liked them a lot. My sister in Northern Ireland bought one set, another went to Scotland and one remained with me.

Imagine my surprise and delight when I found they were on a journey. 

“What on earth does this do?”

Looking for transport for their journey, they come across something unusual.

Photos all courtesy of St Mark’s Church in Portadown, Northern Ireland. 

Christmas

I want to wish all of you a very happy Christmas and a very healthy and joyful 2022. 

These are the cards I sent out this year, both of which are photos taken by yours truly. 

Vrolijk Kerstfeest

From all of us

 

Tired

45 minutes for a 3 mile stretch!

Wow, this was a week and a half. At least that is what my body seems to think! The week started off fine, but got progressively longer and earlier. One day even saw the alarm clock go off at 3.15 am! AM folks! That is early. 

Christmas decs? Naaah, bed!

In general though, the week went fine. I tried to be on time, but didn't always manage thanks to heavy traffic and accidents (not mine). It was topped on Friday by another trip to another Christmas market. 

Ferris Wheel near the Rhine in Düsseldorf, Germany

It was dreary, it was cold, it was wet, it was yuck. I was nice and early and then had to wait until past seven to get everybody back. It was a long day (close to 15 hours) and by the time I got home, I was thoroughly fed up. Thank goodness for the weekend!

Birds belong in trees. Even the duck!

One thing that didn't work the way I wanted was the buying of the tickets for Eurovision. Apparently I had to start queuing at around 6 in the morning and I got there when all the tickets were sold out already! There will be two more chances, and I will be queuing. But, tonight...

The big Songfestival Party! Lots of old winners (Sandra Kim, Johnny Logan to name but two), but also this year's competitors from Norway (loved them) and San Marino (loved him), plus lots and lots more. I am really looking forward to it. 

Presents

Even though we are not a family who exchange Christmas gifts*, my sister and I usually give each other a present or two when we meet up over Christmas. This year there were several gifts under the Christmas tree however. Some for my sister, some for me and even one (from our landlord) for Miss O. Who was very appreciative of the ribbon, yet not so much of the present itself... Brom however thought it was perfect and has worn it every day so far.

My presents were great as well: a lovely necklace that I had bought for myself. I got two of them, this one with the pearls and another one with dark grey coloured stones that I gave to my sister. 

Then there was a pussycat. Not a real one, but a tea light holder. It was given to me by my friend here in Norway. I was supposed to make fudge for her, but I never found the time unfortunately. It will hold however and fudge tastes great after Christmas as well...

The next present was given to me by Yamini. I knew it was a book when I first got the present, but there is books and there is books. This was a brilliant 'knit Scotland' book. From Billy Connolly to Bagpipes and all other things Scottish in between. Plus there was some chocolate. Which is always appreciated.

Then I got a present from my sister. I already knew what it was really, since she had asked whether I would like to go, but still. It is a ticket to my favourite play: The Importance of Being Earnest. I remember reading it in English class while in high school. Everybody had to take a turn reading out loud, but I never got a turn. The teacher had seen me reading and chuckling and smiling and laughing and just skipped me. I have loved that play ever since and now I get to see it in real life. 

I think I was spoilt!

*When I grew up in the Netherlands most families celebrated St Nicholas on December 5th. That's when the presents arrived. Christmas was a purely Christian celebration in most families I knew. 

Christmas holiday part two

Christmas Eve started early for us. Several things needed to be made today: the oxtail soup, Yamini's pumpkin soup and a Queen Maud Pudding. So, we peeled and chopped, whipped and mixed and were quite busy all day. Of course no photos were taken during that period, but believe me: there was a fair bit of food at the end of it and the fridge was absolutely jam packed! We didn't have enough room in it to hold two large pans of soup, so those were put in the cellar. 

At the end of the day we decided to get ready for dinner the following day by rearranging the living room furniture. Normally the computer resides on the dinner table, so a solution had to be found. We wanted to put the table in the center of the room, but that is where the sofa stands. So, we had to push the sofa to the cupboard behind it (after first taking out all we might need: crockery, glassware and cutlery), clear the dining table and move that towards the center of the room. 

Then started the task of setting the table. First the table cloth I had made earlier this year. Then the plates, cutlery and glasses. Gera folded the napkins so it looked even better and finally the menus were placed on each plate as well. 

Christmas Day began even earlier than Christmas Eve had started. I was not nervous as such, but I was not relaxed either. We taped the list of things to do on one of the kitchen cabinets and off we went: the apple salad was made, the meatballs for the oxtail soup were rolled, the red wine sauce was boiled down. More peeling and chopping. We put sauces and creams in small jugs and pots. More rearranging of furniture.

And then the mishaps started. 

Since there was nowhere near enough room in the fridge for even a single bottle of wine, we had bought some ice cubes and were going to use a bucket. Fill the bucket with ice and bottles and a bit of cold water and hey presto. Until the bucket sprang a leak and the kitchen was nearly flooded! Fortunately I have a double sink, so one of them was used instead. 

Then I needed to put something in the dishwasher and accidentily touched a small knife. Which was sharp. I drew blood. Plasters were needed. By this time the ff-team started to arrive as well. They were plied with drink and sat down to solve a cryptic anagram bible quiz. In the mean time Gera and I continued in the kitchen. The main roast (reindeer) was put in the oven to cook and soon we needed to get the soups going. My mother helped with the oxtail though, so it tasted even better. 

Dinner was ready!

The soups were served and my father even liked the pumpkin soup (result thanks to Yamini). By this time the potatoes were boiling, the sprouts were on the go and the oven was on with the roast in. We took out the roast (to rest) and put in something else. The dirty plates went into the dishwasher and as we headed back into the living room to say it would take a few more minutes than originally planned...

The power went!

Oh no!! The cooker had been going all day and now the dishwasher as well. It was too much for the system and we had to have a forced break. Since I was the only one home, I had to solve it. With a flashlight I made my way upstairs, to find that it was indeed my kitchen that caused the problem. But the fuse box was on the warm side, so we needed to wait a bit for it to cool again before we were able to put the power back on. Fortunately the roast was done and so were the sauces and the apple salad. 

After about twenty minutes I turned the power back on (Gera had turned the dishwasher off) and we cooked the rest of our dinner. And even though it didn't come all at once, it wasn't too bad either. And there was certainly plenty of everything. But with six people around the table, most of it was gone by the time we were done eating. 

There was one pudding left over
Gera and I really enjoyed it on Boxing Day!

After clearing the table and waiting a while, we brought out dessert: Queen Maud Pudding*. Large portions, but very very very nice. By then however everybody was stuffed, so our final course never got its outing: the cheese platter. They did get to take it home with them though (with some left over roast, oxtail soup and several bottles of wine). It was a good day, despite the mishaps.

*Queen Maud was the wife of the first king of an independent Norway (back in 1906) and when she came on a visit to Haugesund she was served a dessert that she liked very much. It was then renamed Dronning (queen) Maud pudding in honour of her.

Christmas holiday part one

We needed raingear when she arrived, certainly not sunglasses

It started perfectly. Even though I finished late on Friday, I was still in time to pick up my sister from the airport. What neither of us knew however, was that two flights were arriving almost simultaneously. Both were of course choc-a-bloc full with people traveling to spend Christmas with their loved ones. But finally we spotted each other and after her luggage had been located we made our way home. 

We only spent a few minutes at home before heading off again. This time to see our parents and friends (the ff-team from now on) who had arrived earlier that afternoon and were staying in a holiday home about 20 minutes away. It was lovely to see them all again, but I was slowly starting to lag. Even though there had been no traveling for me that day, my alarm had been the earliest (4.15am) and I was done in. 

On Saturday we were going to hit the shops and the ff-team was coming over for lunch. I woke up bright and early and realised I had a migraine attack! Oh no!! So, I took a pill and when we headed to the shops, I was in the passenger seat beside my sister who was driving. Fortunately the head did respond to the meds, but I wasn't feeling the best. After we got in all the shopping, we went home again where I took a second pill. Normally I would sit on the couch and do hardly anything, this time I had been shopping and the day was still not over!

The ff-team arrived, exclaimed over the place and was pleasantly surprised by the (at least on the surface) tidiness. We had coffee, then lunch and it was a nice few hours. After they left, it was time to set up the tree. My sister Gera had taken it down earlier that morning and it needed decorating. Which proved quite difficult. I was tired beyond belief, I was dizzy and I realised why there is a big red triangle on the box with the meds in! But, after an hour on the couch, I did manage to get the rest of the lights in and Gera then helped me decorate. 

The evening was spent doing not much and we went to bed early(ish) again, since we would have to start preparing the first dishes on Christmas day.

Today!

I should not be writing this blogpost. Nor should I be reading others' blogposts. I should be vacuuming and cleaning windows. I should finally sort the last mess that still is in the living room. I have about 4 hours left to do all I need (at least) before I have to head back to work. 

And then, after work... I go pick up my sister!! We will drive home so I can get changed into people clothes and my sister can drop off her luggage and then we will head out again. To see my parents who will be arriving together with friends this afternoon. They have rented a holiday home for their stay. The only other possibility was kicking my landlord out of his own home and even though he is a very nice and kind landlord, I think that might be pushing it a bit...

Anyhoo, first laundry of the day is in, hoover is standing at attention, Christmas music is playing and my four hours start... NOW!

*PANIC* Less than a week to go!!

They are ready to go!

Well no, I am not panicking. Yet! Although my stomach has started fluttering a bit and it has nothing to do with some beau or other. It does have everything to do with Christmas dinner though. I have never done anything like it before in my life and I am a bit nervous. Well, not nervous exactly, but... well, you know. 

Mind you, just in case I burn Rudolf (oh yes) and the sprouts are cooked to a mush, I do have some chicken nuggets in the freezer and some ready made apple-sauce in the book case. And I do have plenty of booze, so maybe the guests won't even notice anything wrong. Still. A bit apprehensive.

Is it too much??

Other than: I got all the Christmas decorations down. The only thing still missing is the tree. Which I will hopefully take down tomorrow. Or the day after. The television area is looking festive when you first walk in. Then you turn around and there is crate upon crate upon crate with wool and yarn. Whoever said you can never have enough, didn't mean 'in any small place'. So, no more yarn for me for a while to come. Which is good for the purse strings as well.

Miss Oswin is not impressed

The other living area is slowly taking shape as well. The sort of sideboard is filled with decorations. There is still a way to go and I still have to figure out how and what we are going to do exactly with the dinner table. But I know my sister is a clever girl and probably has some great ideas of her own.

Right now though, I will continue clearing, cleaning, decorating and wondering why I have so much stuff. Not necessarily in that order...

One week to go

I thought my parents and friends would arrive on December 22nd and my sister would arrive a day later. Turns out, my sister will also be arriving that day. Which got me a bit in a whirl: what time will you arrive???? Well, she will arrive after I (should have) finish(ed) work. So, we should be good. Fingers crossed...

Yesterday I did my first bit of shopping for the holidays. Over the past year I had saved up money and when I went to the Norwegian state-run off-licence yesterday, that was the money I used. I got some rosé, two different types of white wine and one red. Multiple bottles of each! I can tell you, the trek back to the car was very long! Talking about alcohol though: I found out I had several bottles of spirits and other drinks. Including brandy! I never drink brandy, so I don't know where that came from.

Hungarian Forints. Not much use in Norwegian shops

Fortunately there was still some money left and today I did my second shop. This time it was the foodstuffs that can be kept a while. I will get the perishables next week. Even though I did have to dig into my account a bit, it wasn't as bad as I originally feared. 

Next week will be a busy week. I have split shifts on four of the five days. During the breaks I will have to do some work (read cleaning), so the house will look fine and dandy and ready for Christmas and visitors. On Friday though, I will have to go to the police for a new driving note, so I will be allowed to drive also in the new year. For said driving note I need a medical test, so on Thursday evening I will go to my GP. 

Right. I will just empty another Christmas crate (only six more to get down I think) and then slowly prepare myself for a good night in front of the telly!

Christmas preparations

I don't think I have ever been so slow with preparing and decorating for Christmas as this year. I have a good excuse of course: I had a massive cold recently and I do work on occasion as well. Another hindrance to getting to it, is the fact that everything is stored in the loft. Which is 'easily' accessible, yet not so easy at the same time. The stairs to the loft are actually a sort of glorified ladder!

Anyway, after having gotten down my Christmas clothes last week, yesterday I got two more crates down. One filled with knit wear (ie my wreath and my nativity scene) and the other filled with hangings of some sort or other. The first one (and largest one) was emptied out and then filled up again as well. With lots of dvd's. What with family coming over (although not staying, apart from my sister), I need room. For Christmas decorations, dining table and a tree. 

Which meant that I would need to clear out some other things. Dvd's do take up quite some room, so now I only have the Christmas Dvd's out and some other films I wouldn't mind seeing again. All other films and series (apart from Doctor Who of course) have been crated up. Not sure where they will end up though. Since that staircase really is more of a ladder...

Ah well, so far so good and I have the first decorations up. Two weeks to go!

Clearing Christmas

Even though I love Christmas with all its trimmings, after two weeks of decorations and stuff, I do get a bit tired of them. Which means time to clear them away for next year.

All my Christmas decorations had been in five cardboard boxes. But it was all higgledy-piggledy without any system at all. So, I decided to invest in some plastic lidded crates and get everything organised. 

And after two days of semi-hard work, I now have two cardboard boxes, albeit not full to the brim and extremely heavy; five larger crates and four smaller crates. Containing everything from rubber duckies to plates and tea towels to the little baby Jesus (the knitted version). 

Now I just have to lug them all upstairs...

Photo on Sunday on Monday 2016-46

We were spoiled rotten this year. Mara got a beautiful pillow case and dvd's and a cookbook (she has to write it herself), a cup and bowl from Moomin and a little fake ivory frog.

But that was not all: she also got a pair of Christmas pj's, a Simon's Cat cycle jersey and two plaques.

Miss Oswin got her mice. And lots of them as well. Mice with feathers (have those cloning people been playing around again?), mice with cat nip (the small glass tube) and 'normal' mice. No live mice though. Saint Nick was clever...

And Brom? Well, I think it's safe to say he was happy too! With his very own Passport of Blogville to fill with stamps and stickers from wherever he goes.

We hope you had an equally great Christmas!

Day 25: Merry Christmas

We just want to wish everyone a very merry Christmas. May Saint Nick bring you everything you asked for and be kind to each other. 

Mara, Brom and Miss Oswin

Day 24: Opening the presents

2013

Having lived in the Netherlands for most of my life (yes, still), Christmas as I mentioned before was celebrated for its religious reason only in our home. Yes, we did have a tree, but there were no gifts underneath. And all I knew about Christmas came from the very few Christmas films I had seen by then. Which all mention that Father Christmas or Santa Claus comes at night and delivers his presents in time for Christmas Day.

We of course got them three weeks early, thanks to Saint Nicholas, but other nations also have other customs. The German speaking nations of Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein (look it up) unwrap their presents on Christmas Eve. They too used to do so on Saint Nicholas, but the protestants didn't like saints, they moved it to after Christmas Mass on Christmas Eve, but that was found to be too late for the children and they now do it at an earlier time on Christmas Eve. 

In Norway Christmas Eve again is the most important day for gifts. The Norwegian Santa is a blend of Saint Nicholas, Santa Claus and the old 'farm man'*. He makes an appearance in a lot of households on Christmas Eve asking whether there are any nice children around, after which presents are given.

And us? When do we open our presents? Well, that depends on when Santa comes to us...

*The old farm man (closest I got to translating/explaining) is a figure in Norwegian folklore. He is different in different parts of the country, but basically he was the one who looked after the farm. Not literally though. At Christmas he wanted a bowl of porridge and there are still quite a few people who will put out a bowl of porridge on Christmas Eve for him (and his family). 

Day 23: Dear Saint Nick,

It's us! Brom and Miss Oswin. We didn't know whether we could write to you or not and then Mara said we could and then it was already today and Mara said the Norwegian postal service is not that fast and it would probably not arrive in time so why not post it online!

We think we have been really good this year. Miss Oswin has gotten used to the new house and did not do a naughty anywhere. She is missing her mice to chase though, so she would like some mice. Or birds she can catch. She can see them out of the window and they are always too far away to catch!

I think I have been really good this year as well. I behaved on our holidays and I think I was good when I stayed with Gera all on my own! So, please Saint Nick, I would love to go on more trips next year. 

Plus, we think that Mara has been good this year. She swam/ran/cycled a race and even though she came in last, we think she did amazingly well to finish. She made a new home for us that is really nice and cosy. Could you find her an Ed? Please??

That's it for us! Have a merry Christmas Saint Nick and please, say hi to Blitzen for us!

Brom and Miss Oswin💕

PS: we would all love some snow for Christmas...

Day 22: Nativity

Years ago, when I had just returned from England after two and a half years, I brought with me a lot of knitting yarn and several pattern books. In one of them was a nativity scene. So, I knitted Mary and Joseph. A shepherd and some sheep. Three kings bearing gifts. And of course baby Jesus. 

I moved, got two monsters and one of them had a particular fondness for anything home knitted. Socks. Scarfs. Baby Jesus! I couldn't put the nativity up, unless I wanted to go hunting for all its members every single day. So, it stayed boxed up for years. 

Then I moved again, this time to Norway and poor old Wuppie couldn't come. But I did get a new monster: Miss Oswin. But his love for knitwear is not matched by her love for it. In fact, she couldn't care less. As long as there are hair scrunchies...

I put my nativity up this year. It's nice to see them again. 

PS: if you recognise the sheep: they went on the trip to Northern Ireland with Brom. Very well traveled sheep!

Day 20: Will it be white?

A White Christmas in 2014

Christmas that is. A white Christmas like in the songs. Charlie from Down Under thought that it would be. Since it was Norway and all and isn't Norway a cold place to be? Well...

Yes. Norway is a cold country. Part of it is above the polar circle, which means it is very cold. But, when I moved to Norway, I moved to a part of the country where snow is rare. Rain is much more common. Don't get me wrong, there has been snow each winter I have been here (4 so far), but more often the temperatures are in the plus and we get rain. 

It was a White Christmas last year. In between the browns and such...

So, what about a white Christmas then? The first Christmas I spent in Norway (with my sister, who came over to support me and/or be nosy about the new place), it actually snowed on Christmas Eve. I kid you not! But by the time my sister arrived, the snow started melting. That night temperatures dropped and all that melting snow turned into ice. We were careful, otherwise we would have had a very different white Christmas (although I would have picked an orange or pink cast if possible). 

My second year was probably brown/grey/green and wet. But the last two Christmases were actually white. I had to look it up, but I wrote that there had been snow and even had some photos to prove it! This year? Not very likely. The forecast is for rain and temperatures close to double figures (in Celsius). 

So, Charlie was partly right. Unfortunately though, this year is not going to be white. 

Day 16: Not trimming just yet!

The not yet turned into a cushion thingy works a treat under the tree

The plan had been to wait with setting up the tree until next week. Cats, trees and baubles don't really mix after all. Besides, in order to get the tree in, I would need to do a bit of relocating of furniture.

I love swans in my tree. Unfortunately so does Miss Oswin, so better hang them high
On the left one of my own knitted hearts

Which meant that this morning after the first part of my shift, I moved a bookcase to where the cat toilet was, the cat toilet to where the (unused) scratch pole was and the scratch pole to hopelessly in the way. 

Several made their way into the tree this year. I couldn't say no to Brom

Then I found the tree, put it up and proceeded to put the lights in. That was all I was going to do! Honest!! I was going to sort the ornaments and hang them next week. And then all of a sudden they were in the tree.

A little memento from the Netherlands

Well, it does look good and after all, it is only a week until Christmas.