Hope

The following is shamelessly stolen from Yamini, who wrote it with such insight that I didn´t feel there was anything I could write that would even remotely be on the same par. She wrote it before last Sunday (first in Advent).

"This coming Sunday is the first in Advent, the period of recognition of the birth of Jesus Christ. The announcement of the imminent arrival of the Messiah to the Eastern Magi and the Shepherds (and by default, all followers of Christ through to the modern age) generated HOPE. This is signified in the first candle of the Advent crown many households will light this weekend."

"Hope is not merely wishful thinking. To say that one hopes for something, but with only a hankering in the heart rather than an anchored ideal, is to be wishing. Hope is strong. It is affirmative. It lifts the inner being of those who have found something to which they can attach some degree of trust and anticipation for an improvement upon whatever circumstance prevails currently. In times of great sorrow, those with hope in their hearts will suffer less. Those with hope will have a solid goal or ideal to which they can turn their eyes, hearts and minds in the times when they are not preoccupied with acting in life. Indeed, hope will inform their actions, for such actions will surely be for the furtherance of the hopeful one and will contain the hope in their completion."

"Hope heals. Hope is a prayer. Hope encourages. Hope motivates. Hope ensures one foot is put in front of another and urges us to keep on keeping on. If the goal is our anchor, hope is the chain which ties us to it. Hope presides where faith fails. When all is let loose in the world, hope remains."

"Take time this week to contemplate..."

Thank you to Ginny Marie over at Lemon Drop Pie for her prompt for the Spin Cycle. 

Shiver

And no, I didn´t make my bed this morning!

It has been a stormy night around here. Coming in from the North, which is where my bedroom is located. Great. The temperature in my room was a balmy 6 degrees above zero, so I decided it might be a good idea to put an extra (cotton) blanket on my bed. On top of the (cotton) one that is already there and on top of the winter duvet.

I went to bed, but after only a few minutes I realised: I was shivering. So, I got up again, found another (woollen this time) blanket and put it on. That was the ticket. 

Until I realised my feet weren´t getting warm at all. So, up it was again and this time I went in search of socks. I put them on shiveringly and then went to bed again. Toasty warm by now I fell asleep. 

Only to be dreaming of a house where the snow came in through the roof! Which despite the many faults this house has, it doesn´t have this one.

Photo on Sunday 2015-38

No inspiration and not that many photos to choose from. So, a photo of the MBC in the WWU will have to do.

Enjoy your Sunday (and I hope it´s a little less blustery where you live).

The evil-doer (or culprit if you want me to speak proper)

Yummy fresh mozzarella made from water buffalo milk

I think I can safely say that I have had my fair share of headaches over the years. I can actually remember from when I was quite young that I had a headache. I would come down late at night and my mother would be waiting for me with a glass of water and some children´s aspirin. 

Over the years the amount of headaches fluctuated. While in France and Italy I can´t remember many, but England was another story altogether. I later realised of course that the amount of coffee I was drinking was not good. I would drink extra strong coffee and then a few days later I would have a splitting headache. 

I cut out coffee from my diet, but still the headaches continued. I found out that too much chocolate was not good. So, I cut down on that as well, only occasionally falling off the wagon. But, as I have said before: nearly anything could/can give me a headache. Too much wind and sun combined? Tick. Getting/having my period? Tick. Not having a cold, but being blocked up anyway? Tick. 

Peccorino cheese made from sheep´s milk

Then I got operated on and the main thing of getting/having my period was gone from my life. And lo and behold: no headaches for about a month. And I had had chocolate! But during the summer I had some pretty bad ones, even having to call in sick for two days. So, what was the problem?

Well, I think I have finally figured it out. Pizza! Not necessarily the pizza itself, but one of its toppings. The cheese. I started cutting out cheese some time in August, but would on occasion still get headaches. I realised, it must be the cheese on the pizza. Which means, that from now on I will only make my own pizzas and I will not have cheese on it. 

It is a shame, but if not having any more cheese means I can finally get rid of my headaches... 

Knit and purl

As you know I like to knit. And when I was at my sister´s over a year and a half ago (high time to go again, I know), she asked me to knit something for her. Something she had started, but it hurt so much, she could only do one row and then had to take a long rest to get rid of the pain. Which meant that knitting a big chunky cardigan would take forever and a day. I promised her I would try. 

Fast forward a year and a half and I finally got started. It took a while to figure out what was what, since she had some pieces that seemed not to belong anywhere. When I did get knitting it did not get that much easier. She had followed the pattern, but of course she had altered it somewhat to fit her likes. Which meant I had to figure out what exactly she had done!

Fast forward another few weeks and I was well on my way. Until I realised I had done something wrong and had to unravel the whole thing again and start anew. *Sigh* I am very pleased to say though that as of today (well, yesterday really, when I wrote this post), I have finished the main part of the cardigan. Now the only thing left to do are the sleeves and the button border. And then of course I have to put it all together so it can actually be worn. It´s only a few more weeks until I am going to see her, so I have my work cut out!!

PS: don´t forget the give-aways, you still have time to enter if you have not done so already. And we don´t mind where you live. We are equal opportunity bloggers here!! Just go back a few posts and you will find a give-away from me and one from Brom.

Miss Oswin contemplates

Miaow

It has been waaaay too long since I last got the chance to write. But here I am again, the most beautiful cat in the wwu!

Perhaps you already know, but Mara can be very sneaky with the flashy thingy and the other day she did just that: sneak up on me and take a photo. Well, she was at the bottom of the stairs and I was in the bookcase at the top, but you get my meaning don´t you?

When she took the photo I was contemplating life. Like how cold it was outside (it has become a bit warmer again), like how I like cuddles from Mara, like how many mice I can catch. Or was I just contemplating the curtains and how much they hinder the view from the bookcase...

Oh, Brom told me to tell you to head on over to his desktop calendar give-away, which I think is a bit of a nerve, since the silly orange teddy never even included a photo of the most beautiful cat in the wwu. But he says he is sorry about that and if he gets the chance to make another one next year, he will put me in as well. It will have to do I guess, even though it is a pretty lame excuse! Anyway, head on over and leave a comment. And no, Brom doesn´t mind about where you live, the winner will get the calendar sent over anyway. 

Oh, Brom told me that Mara is having a give-away as well! Again without any photos of yours truly, but with a photo of herself, which is a first Brom says. Want to win one? Leave a message.

Snow

The tires in their bags. Good thing I have a small car with small tires!

In Norway it is usually a good idea to change your tires from summer to winter and back. The thing was though: it had been quite warm up until last week and I kept on forgetting about those round things at the bottom of my car. But on Saturday I decided I would get it done, because cold weather was forecast. 

So, after hauling all the tires from my basement to my car, I made my way to the tire-center. I had to wait about half an hour, but then it was my turn. He was finished putting the tires on in less than 10 minutes, so I was happy. And the cost was great as well. 

The best thing about it though? I had my spiked tires on right before the snow started. Don´t go thinking it was a 10 centimeter load, it wasn´t anything of the sort. But it was white and came from the sky and it was snow. Because it is quite cold at the moment, the snow is still visible and yes, that was the amount we got!

As to the spiked tires. I don´t really need spiked tires where I live. It mostly rains during the winter and I only go as far as work and back with my car. But they came with the car when I bought it and they were still good for at least two winters (this being the second). 

By the way, did you manage to have a look at my give-away? And what about Brom´s give-away? Why not head on over and enter your comment at either or both of those posts and have a chance of winning one of the desk-top calendars!

Photo on Sunday 2015-37

We had our annual Christmas dinner last night. We had one last week and we had one last night, to give as many people as possible the chance to come. Last week I was a guest, this time I had to work. And I worked that dishwasher! I got my hands dirty and wet over and over again, but after a few hours most of the work was done. The party wasn´t over yet though!

Oh no, the party went on until the wee hour (ie 1am) and it wasn´t until well after 3am that I finally got through my own front door. It was a good night though. Got some flowers in recognition of my good work and got lots of photos as well (it was a shared job: dishwasher and photographer). 

Today however? Watching strictly and the Doctor and possibly a Christmas film. Oh, and knit!

PS: still want to have a chance at winning a desk top calendar? Head on over to Brom or to me to have a chance!

Brom's give-away

Coocoo

Perhaps you know about Mara's calendars? The one she makes at the end of each year and shows the best photos of that year? Well, this year she said that I was allowed to make a desk top calendar as well! I was so excited. I had to pick and choose from all my favourites and then decide in which order they were going to be. 

When I was finished doing all that, Mara said I could give away 2 calendars. Isn't that absolutely beartastic? So, if you want to win one of those calendars with me and a dog and a monster and bears and birds and flowers, just leave a comment! That is all you have to do!!

So, leave a comment before December 5th, 12 noon, Central European Time and you are in with a chance of winning one of two calendars. 

Good luck to all...

Mara's give-away

Well, it's time for my annual desk top calendar. And this year it actually features a photo of yours truly on the cover. Never thought that would happen, but there you go. 

I am giving away 2 of them this year. If you want to have a shot at winning one of them, just leave me a comment on this post. No need for anything else! You will have until December 5th, 12 noon, Central European Time. 

Good luck everybody!!