I have always known that what doesn't kill ya makes you stronger; I heard it my entire life. I do know also that what we perceive as being the worst situation never really is.
This year, I was as you may just have read, in a very good position for a seamless Christmas. I had gotten so much of my strength back and had planned my shopping, baking and organizing of Christmas in such a way that I wasn't depleted. I was in fact so looking forward to decorating and have family and friends close. We had a wonderful dinner party on Saturday night and I cooked a pork roast to perfection(which you will see is relevant).
On Sunday we drove to the airport to pick up Meghan and the bus station to get her boyfriend Travis. Off the four of us went to the party that always helps kick of our holiday season.
On Monday they pulled out the snowshoes and enjoyed the freshly fallen snow then came back to the house to decorate cookies and enjoy hot chocolate. Tuesday we finished baking and prepared for friends for dinner. That afternoon I noticed the dyer was not working, an inconvenience this time of the year for sure, but I wasn't going to let it bother me.
Our friends arrived and with eight of us gathered we finished the last minute touches on our pizzas and preheated the oven. Within minutes I knew we had a problem. The oven wouldn't heat up past 160degrees. With eight hungry souls we fussed and fooled with it until someone suggested the BBQ. So on December 23rd we barbecued our pizzas. Challenging, and a little stressful but it worked.
I called our appliance repair guy the first thing the next morning only to be told he wasn't likely to get out to look at it before Christmas; and even if he did we wouldn't have the parts. It's a three year old stove. My dryer is about five. Frustrating at the best of times but with a turkey and a birthday cake to bake for Christmas Day, this was not welcome news.
I felt disappointment but I wouldn't allow myself to be stressed about it. There wasn't a thing I could do. We talked about the turkey and what we should do, and thought perhaps we could use the BBQ once again. Of course we assumed every oven around would have a turkey in it. The cake was another concern. Not being a lover of sweets Jerri had requested a German apple cake I had made for her in the past. For that, I needed an oven. I asked our dear neighbours if they would mind if we used theirs. When they heard our story they offered the oven for Christmas Day as they would be at his Dad's. The cake got baked there and we were getting set for Jerri's arrival.
I came down with a very heavy cold. I have not had a cold in years and was feeling miserable.
I was more determined than ever to not let the various things get to me but I was being beaten down. With a constant headache and blocked sinus I continued. On Christmas Eve we prepared for our most special evening of fondue with friends. Barry went out to get me sinus medication and I had a nap to help get me though. I woke feeling better and throughly enjoyed the night.
Christmas morning our two grown twenty somethings were in our bed at 6.45am!
I was so stuffed up and congested that my enthusiasm did not anywhere match theirs, but we got up and grabbed a coffee to carry on. We did have a wonderful morning with our traditional sticky buns, coffee and presents.
Then onto the challenge of the turkey. Once prepared and stuffed we took the short walk next door to roast it, while I once again napped. Meghan and Barry prepared the table and I got up to finish the veggies and jiggs dinner. Jerri arrived back from Shayns and we started the second half of our day. As we were preparing the last of the trimmings a burner got accidentally turned on under a casserole of stuffing. Just as I realized what had happened the whole thing exploded into a million pieces. Both Jerri and I got hit with some of the glass and I wasn't injured at all Jerri's feet had small fine cuts but all in all it could have been a lot worse.
It was a beautiful dinner and Shayn joined us for the evening. We were finished the birthday celebrations and playing a game. I felt we had definitely had made the most of some challenging situations when I got some sad news.
Earlier on Christmas Day a family friend in Newfoundland had died of a heart attack. It was shocking and so very sad, I can't imagine how his wife and family feels.
This year, I was as you may just have read, in a very good position for a seamless Christmas. I had gotten so much of my strength back and had planned my shopping, baking and organizing of Christmas in such a way that I wasn't depleted. I was in fact so looking forward to decorating and have family and friends close. We had a wonderful dinner party on Saturday night and I cooked a pork roast to perfection(which you will see is relevant).
On Sunday we drove to the airport to pick up Meghan and the bus station to get her boyfriend Travis. Off the four of us went to the party that always helps kick of our holiday season.
On Monday they pulled out the snowshoes and enjoyed the freshly fallen snow then came back to the house to decorate cookies and enjoy hot chocolate. Tuesday we finished baking and prepared for friends for dinner. That afternoon I noticed the dyer was not working, an inconvenience this time of the year for sure, but I wasn't going to let it bother me.
Our friends arrived and with eight of us gathered we finished the last minute touches on our pizzas and preheated the oven. Within minutes I knew we had a problem. The oven wouldn't heat up past 160degrees. With eight hungry souls we fussed and fooled with it until someone suggested the BBQ. So on December 23rd we barbecued our pizzas. Challenging, and a little stressful but it worked.
I called our appliance repair guy the first thing the next morning only to be told he wasn't likely to get out to look at it before Christmas; and even if he did we wouldn't have the parts. It's a three year old stove. My dryer is about five. Frustrating at the best of times but with a turkey and a birthday cake to bake for Christmas Day, this was not welcome news.
I felt disappointment but I wouldn't allow myself to be stressed about it. There wasn't a thing I could do. We talked about the turkey and what we should do, and thought perhaps we could use the BBQ once again. Of course we assumed every oven around would have a turkey in it. The cake was another concern. Not being a lover of sweets Jerri had requested a German apple cake I had made for her in the past. For that, I needed an oven. I asked our dear neighbours if they would mind if we used theirs. When they heard our story they offered the oven for Christmas Day as they would be at his Dad's. The cake got baked there and we were getting set for Jerri's arrival.
I came down with a very heavy cold. I have not had a cold in years and was feeling miserable.
I was more determined than ever to not let the various things get to me but I was being beaten down. With a constant headache and blocked sinus I continued. On Christmas Eve we prepared for our most special evening of fondue with friends. Barry went out to get me sinus medication and I had a nap to help get me though. I woke feeling better and throughly enjoyed the night.
Christmas morning our two grown twenty somethings were in our bed at 6.45am!
I was so stuffed up and congested that my enthusiasm did not anywhere match theirs, but we got up and grabbed a coffee to carry on. We did have a wonderful morning with our traditional sticky buns, coffee and presents.
Then onto the challenge of the turkey. Once prepared and stuffed we took the short walk next door to roast it, while I once again napped. Meghan and Barry prepared the table and I got up to finish the veggies and jiggs dinner. Jerri arrived back from Shayns and we started the second half of our day. As we were preparing the last of the trimmings a burner got accidentally turned on under a casserole of stuffing. Just as I realized what had happened the whole thing exploded into a million pieces. Both Jerri and I got hit with some of the glass and I wasn't injured at all Jerri's feet had small fine cuts but all in all it could have been a lot worse.
It was a beautiful dinner and Shayn joined us for the evening. We were finished the birthday celebrations and playing a game. I felt we had definitely had made the most of some challenging situations when I got some sad news.
Earlier on Christmas Day a family friend in Newfoundland had died of a heart attack. It was shocking and so very sad, I can't imagine how his wife and family feels.
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