End of the Year Natterings and Christmas Recapping

I flew back to Spokane on Friday of last week after a hectic week of trying to get a ton of work done at the office. So far, every day has been filled to the brim with Things To Do - baking Christmas cookies (sprits, krumkake, rosettes, sandbakkels, kokosmakroner, and plain ol' sugar cookies), finishing a few last minute shopping things, wrapping presents since I couldn't wrap them before travelling as the tiresome airport security weasels would've had to unwrap them to make sure that my father's turtleneck work shirting wouldn't explode - I suppose this is a good thing, but it just means more work for me at the last minute.

Where was I? Oh, yes.

Saturday, I met up with Ian, Shannon, and Hannah (who, I might point out, is an awfully cute little kiddo - hopefully she liked her stuffed isbjørn that I got her! I know I sure did... hehe) for dinner at Moon Time with Sina which was a lot of fun since I hadn't seen them in donkey's years.

Sunday, we had a bit of a rest in preparation for the dizzying whirl that was Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We had the crabs that I brought home from Seattle on Monday and the traditional flatbrød and lutefisk, of course. There was a massive bowl of smoking bishop to be consumed (which was), bottles of akvavit (which were also drained), divers wines, etc. Much jollity. Tuesday started off with a bang as we woke up early to get the pastries made for breakfast down at my sister's house. I was distracted by something and ruined the custard I was working on, but we had plenty of marzipan for the other filling so we just ran with that. We loaded up the Jeep - presents, pastries, Mom, Dad, Sina, and me - and went down to Michelle's where the boys were sproinging about like a thirteen and an almost eight-year-old will. Eggs, properly toasted muffins, bacon, and sausage went down the hatch with plenty of hot coffee and pastries.

One of my presents was a set of scrapbooks that my mother made for me with pictures and other artefacts from my childhood. It was a very moving gift and I wanted to cry when I saw pictures of me in my early twenties and much, much thinner. So, I think this year I'll be hitting the gymnasium with Mr. Brad or someone to slim down. I miss being that thin (and I sort of wish I could be that young again... sigh).

I've been feeling very but at my back I always hear Time's wingéd chariot hurrying near over the last day or so.

At any rate, we returned to Casa Parents around noonish and promptly started preparing the Christmas Day Feast - Crown Roast of Pork, sauerkraut (surkål) with apples and caraway, rutabagas, turnips, and potatoes pureed, mashed potatoes with a hint of horseradish, brussels sprouts with balsamic vinegar, italian sausage dressing, brandied cranberries, cranberries and mandarin oranges in aspic, mince pie, and a yule log. Om beroofen.

My ancient grandmother thing was there. She looked rather frail and out of it. She kept asking me where I was going to high school - nevermind that I graduated eleven years ago. If we're lucky, she'll peg out this year and not linger on and be tiresome and expensive to maintain in her dotage.

Tonight, I'm going to try to get together with my friends Patrick and Brent. So, I must totter off and start ringing them.