Yeah, another Birthday

Many said, oh how bad for you, having a birthday on Christmas. But I always liked it. Second day of Christmas (or Boxing Day in England) are bank holidays in Germany and England. It was and is always a fun day for me.

But my first thought is always that it also would have been my father's special day. As I like to say: He got me and a block of chocolate for his birthday. Times were bad then. Still have fond memories though. I had the best parents anybody could have.

Bad not any more. James and I feel so blessed. We often say it. Even if things are not always perfect. You read the previous blog about "quirkie" times?

Well, James likes to spoil me. So he fixed lunch on THE DAY. Sarah's blue cooler bag had also something like breakfast casserole in it. The fluffiest I had ever had. Need to ask her how she had done it. Some leftover veggies. All brought to a perfect temp with a glass of bubblies. Enjoyed in our sunroom. What could be better?

The blue bag from Sarah came also with their birthday present for me. 

I asked James to take the VIDEO (1:01 minutes) for the kids to see. The box with the butterflies was "packing". The present was in the middle.

Tuesday Dec. 27

James felt he had not done enough for my birthday. Every year I have to talk him out of that. But I had an idea since he wanted to take me to a nice restaurant. I told him that I really would enjoy the German restaurant in Fredericksburg again. We had gone that several years ago. It is still in the Railroad Station but is now called "The Alpine Chef". I called to make sure it was not closed by chance and the owner spoke German with me right away.

Surprise, surprise, when we arrived our table was ready with this sign on it. 

We studied the menu and I told James with a smile that his date was not going to be cheap. Since I was not driving I started with this flight of hot drinks. From left: Winter Sangria, Rüdersheimer Coffee, Schokoladen Kuss, Glühwein. Lovely!

I had venison with lots of gravy for the Kartoffelklöße (potato dumplings). Yes, so very German!

Birthday treat on the house. Anything and even the choice to take home. But we decided we might as well... and James had one too and wasn't charged either. 

Everybody had been very nice. On the next table too. But it was time to go walking. We left the car were it was and walked towards the river. We walked through a park. Also with Happy Hanukkah and Happy Kwanzaa.

We walked over a bridge to the other side but soon turned around. It was a bit cold. And we didn't know the way. 

The old town was nicely decorated. I forgot to take more photos. 

Don't know what made me but James humored me. I went into a 2 story antique store. There were lots of different stalls. In the very back corner of the basement was the Mechanical Toys and Music Place. I spent 3 quarters and 1 dime to play some of them. It was fun.

Of course I had to stick some coins in and use my camera.

VIDEO A     (21 seconds)

VIDEO B     (43 seconds)

VIDEOS C    1:01 minutes)

It's an hour each way so we decided we better get back. This is the train station with the restaurant. There is ample parking and we had left the car for our walk.

The weather was getting slowly better and it wasn't quite so bitterly cold during the day. We could go on our walks again, at least in our community.

But Thursday evening we had more enjoyment. Sarah and Wade had given us tickets for the Hanover Tavern Theater. The show was called "A Broadway Christmas Cabaret". 

We had never been. It takes about 30 minutes to drive there and we almost got lost there. It doesn't help when you put the wrong address in. But we were still early. 

The four singers this evening had been Katrinah Carol Lewis, Kelsey Cordrey, Keydron Dunn and Lily Gast. Unfortunately I can't find anywhere the name of the pianist who was very good accompanian a tremendous variaty of music. And also playing the guitar inbetween. 

It was a very very enjoyable evening. Thank you, Sarah and Wade, for our Christmas presents.

When we were home 10:30 or 11 pm it was not bedtime yet. The monthly newsletter for January was finished and I had promised to mail it out. Of course the computer had a hik-up about something again but I could solve it and it went. It is always a great feeling when it is accomplished. I had worked on it every day somewhat since the 20th. This time I had even written an article myself: Christmas thoughts from a visit to Israel. We had gone there 2017 (which you can find under the Travel Report tab). We had criss-crossed the country and learned so much. When I heard the Christmas story once again this year I felt strongly to do what I wanted to do ever since the trip: Sort my thoughts in the right time line. 

If you are interested to read it ... page 16 and 17. Here is the link:

The Cloak January 2023   

I would love to know what you think about it. Feel free to leave a comment even if it is critic 

And now lets hope for a very blessed New Year. James and my wishes for all of you!

Quirkie second half of December

I don't know how else to say it. When people say "I hope you had a nice Christmas" I am not sure what to say. Yes, James and I had a nice Christmas ... but not what we had expected.

Before things had got quirky I had taken photos to show the progress of Advent decorations. The first thing usually to go up is our Hartensteiner Advent star. This is probably 47 years old. It is made in my father's hometown Hartenstein. My parents always had one and they saw to it that I wasn't without one when I had moved to the USA. Well, you probably have seen it in every December blog.

December can't start without Advent calendars. On the 1st of December James and I start taking turns turning that day's lace Chrismons. So much fun every year. It does not get old.

Advent time doesn't mean you have to have all the decorations up on the first day. It means you have all this time to prepare for Christmas. So, trees went up one after the other. 

1 of 3: this is my Chrismon tree. It's place is usually in the sunroom. All the Chrismons I have ever designed are on it in both sizes. So sorry you can't really see what it looks like. Day and Night!

Oh yes, my Christmas cactus tries to steal the show very early.

The second tree is so very German. Ha-ha, I totally forgot the German (looking) lights this year but it is ok. All the ornaments are straw ornaments. I have so many memories as a child using real straw to make our own ornaments. And they were so very pretty. 

The one I call the family memory tree is smaller this year. Downsizing. The tree is smaller and not all fit on any longer. But the most important still do. And it takes a while to think of all of it and put them on. This decorating is not work, it is fun.

On the end of the table I left some ornaments the boys could put on. They were supposed to be with us two days with one night in-between in the week before Christmas when they were out of school and their parents had to work. They are still laying on the end of that table.

Covid happened. Wade tested positive Monday the 19th. Family of 5 quarantined. Sarah was worried about us and told us we could not have the children. Parents worked at home. 

James and I kept making it Christmassy for us. 

Christmas greetings were arriving and filling up the "over the door card display". 

Ah, my favorite: all the many nativities from all over the world from our travels. So interesting how people in different countries see the Holy Family.

Another workshop on a Saturday. Every year all who want to learn to make this year's Chrismon can come and join us. We learn by using the larger beads to make the ornament which is designed for church trees. When we are done we all march into church and hang what we made onto the tree in the sanctuary. It is always so much fun. Every year the tree gets a little fuller. 

One of our great neighbors had shared information with us about a Chrismon walk at the catholic church. Of course we were interested. On Tuesday 20th we went to check it out. It was a bitterly cold day. It took us a while to find it. 

We found the path which lead around the lake.

There were 5 of these signs posted. Three of them had Q signs on them to scan and watch a video.

It was a very short path but at the end was the grotto with two trees decorated with Chrismons obviously made by children. Really cute ... if it had not been so very cold.

Heilig Abend, Christmas Eve, Sarah thought they were pretty much out of quarantine. The weather was not as bad as the forecast had sounded earlier. We decided to go to the 5 pm service. We asked Sarah whether we could pick up the boys but she said that she would come with them. James and I were delighted. Just to make everybody comfortable all 6 of us wore masks. 

It was a family service with the children's sermon on the steps. We are happy that the boys always seem to enjoy coming to church. Owen has always something to say to Fr. Lee.

Sunday morning early (December 25) very early I received a text from Sarah that she was positive. She sounded so disappointed. Oh, that covid!

Since I was scheduled to be teller and we could not be with the boys to see what Santa had brought to them,we decided to go to the service at 10 am and do what I was scheduled for. It is never a very much attended service but it was good for us.

We went straight from the service to the children to drop off our gifts. We stayed in front of the door which felt odd. Sarah insisted of giving us a large cooling bag with some of the food she had bought and prepared for the Christmas meal. Gosh, what strange times.

So, we had a late Christmas lunch with food from Sarah's bag. I had made the mistake to put Wade's cheesestraws on the table too. Those are so good and they really could be my downfall.

Voids were filled with calls with Helen in Nashville and family in England and Germany. No matter what, life is good. And as my mother used to say: it could be so much worse. 

Oh Oh

A friend reminded me that my last blog was a while ago. She could not find a new one. Puhhh, time runs away fast.

Back from our little trip to celebrate Thanksgiving it was time to think of Christmas. 

The Saturday right before the first Advent Sunday is usually the day when we have an Advent wreath making workshop. I was sure they could have done it without me but I was asked whether we could do it a week later. I had my questions whether anybody would be still interested but the suggestion was made to also offer it as centerpiece making. I thought that was a good idea. 

In my family for years we have an Advent candle. The candle is numbered 1 to 24 and every day you burn it down appropriately. My sister in Germany gets the candles for me and our two daughters often. But postage is so incredible. This year she gave them to me when we met for James' birthday in October. Thank you, Ute!!! (Btw ours are sold for charity)

But that doesn't help my American friends. When I googled I found that something similar can be bought now here too but I also found out how to make one yourself. It took me a while to find the material and to figure out what works best but I was quite excited about it. They would work really nicely for daily devotion in Advent time.

We were only three at the workshop and no candle making but we had fun anyway. I think making the devotional Advent candle would be a great workshop next November. 

And here is my Advent wreath:

Next day was a very important day in the life of our church. Finally a bishop came and several youth and adults were confirmed. Bishop Phoebe from West Tennessee came as a favor to help the new Bishop of our Diocese and she was very inspiring. 

I gave her one of my Chrismons for this year (the Wheat). I hope she likes it.

We are not often breaking things but end of November and beginning of December three things broke. The first was a really large and nice glass vase. I had bought it initially to bring an amaryllis to bloom just in stones with a little water. Very successful. It shattered into a thousand pieces because the breakfast table tipped over. Few days later with broken a cherry. Don't these happenings come in threes?

Now, because it is so cold, we spend our evenings upstairs in the loft. Yes, heat rises. We have two very nice and comfy chairs there. Suddenly my chair got wobbly and tipped me out. The metal broke. Incredible. I found the original purchase invoice which gave the maker. I took pictures and mailed them to the company. And yes, they answered. My email was forwarded to the parts department but so far I have heard no more. 

I am still sitting in it but it is not quite as comfy any more, especially the getting in and out. 

I have a card table set up in the loft so quite often I am sitting on a chair while watching TV or so. At that time I have made this year's Chrismons. I feel that I am comfortably done now. Yeah! Date for the giving had been set. Cards had been mailed to the children of our church. Date for the annual workshop has been set too. 

Tuesday December 6: I felt so good about my efforts that I thought I could take my friend Nancye up on the offer to go with her to another quilting friend so see her quilt being quilted. Patty lives about 45 minutes away but it was a very nice day. The quilt turned out really nice too. 

We still like to play cards. This hand (the way it had been dealt) I just had to take a photo of to show James later. 3 jokers and 3 wild card = 6 jokers. You can't loose with that.

But it is cold outside. Definitely close to winter. We still try to walk as much as we can. 

This day I didn't feel like cooking. Didn't feel like just walking without purpose. I suggested we walk to the Mexican restaurant outside our community and James thought that it was a splendid idea. One has to have fun. And when you walk instead to drive you even can have the happy hour margarita, ha-ha.

It seems every weekend there is something on the church agenda. Last Sunday we had a baptism. One of my favorite services. 

This seems a very unusual Advent season this year. Lots of happenings out of routine this year, really. But it is ok. I see a lot of kindness and love around me.