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.