Today is the 24th. The sky is grey, and the world is grey. It snowed a skiff last night. Not enough to cover but it is at least snow. Though it is only -1C, the wind is bitter cold. The dogs are warm in their jackets. The cats stick their noses outside, then turn around and sit on the window and just look. If they do go out they lie on the registers when they come in until they are thawed.
It will be a different Christmas for many people this year. Most can look forward to a normal next year but a few having lost loved ones will be pretty sad. If you know someone, call them to let them know they are loved. And so many people have lost jobs and income that it will be simply survival for them.
Our home has been decorated since late November. Tanya and I will have Christmas alone but she is preparing dinner for our family in town and will deliver it by taxi. We will Zoom with my kids sometime during the day. She has been cooking and baking all week. Sugar cookies, Haystacks aka Muskrat Houses aka Feedlot Specials, Banana bread, Chocolate cookies. Today she made Kholodetz which is like head cheese and is a tradition this time of year. I like it.The three turkey thighs will go in the oven tomorrow. They are cheap and whole turkeys are hard come by for some reason. We like the dark meat anyhow. I will miss cranberries and stuffing. I have not mastered stovetop stuffing from scratch but I may try tomorrow out of desperation.
Masha will be home from University tomorrow and we may risk a quick visit around New Years with Andrey's family and Lina, which is when we will exchange gifts. Masked and distanced, though perhaps a quick hug is safe enough?
I do wish all my readers Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. And a safe and healthy New Year.
Have a wonderful Christmas! Enjoy those turkey thighs!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Debra. You too.
ReplyDeleteIt is the 25th here. Early but it is definitely here.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful Christmas - and here's to a Healthy Happy New Year. For us all.
Thank you, EC. Have a great Christmas day. Someday I will play your blogs word game again.
ReplyDeleteHappy and safe New Year to you and yours
I think your Christmas Plans sound Safe and Intimate, it will be a very different Christmas this Year, for so many reasons. Perhaps it will give us reflection time, since it wasn't as hectic or commercialized this Year, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I recall Christmases of past where we didn't have much or do much but made a lot of Special Precious Memories.
ReplyDeleteDawn, I hope you are right, that people have time to make memories this year. Other than dinner tomorrow, I don't know what else we have planned. It started with rain showers this afternoon and will continue for the next couple days so the roads will be bad. No one will go anywhere, even if they could. I hope your Christmas in your new place is lovely, even if it is a 'hot mess'.
ReplyDeleteturkey legs..hot dang..and I think your Tanya is a miracle angel..
ReplyDeleteJackiesue, she is that, indeed.
ReplyDeleteWell, Christmas is over and we are heading towards New Years Eve. I wish you and everyone in your little corner of the world a happy, healthy and worry-free 2021, lets get that vaccine ASAP, so we can perhaps get back to some kind of normal life. And best wishes to the cats and the dogs and the plants in the garden.... I think that's everything.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Shammickite. Next Christmas holiday should be as close to normal as we are ever going to get. in the meantime, stay safe and healthy.
ReplyDelete