vailian

I envy all those people who can put out blog entries on a regular basis-- I have permanent Bloggers Block which makes me agonize over what I can or should put up here... I constantly find myself thinking, "Oh, it would be great to put those pictures up" but then (because most of my pictures are of people) I resist because I don't want to do it without their permissions.
That said, because it is Christmas Eve Eve, I am reporting in here because I don't want you all to think I have died or lost interest.
There have been... things... happening here, most notably I am now half a thyroid lighter. This was a real scare but thankfully unfounded, and I now have the uncommon luxury of being able to draw a salary and not having to work for it, until the end of December! I love the German health system!
My Christmas tree is now in place and decorated, much to the horror of the Germans, who traditionally don't put up the tree until Christmas Eve.
I baked my first Christmas cookies, under the stern supervision of the Ossie, for whom there is no deviation from recipes.

We will be going to her sister's family for Christmas Eve (as I have for the last few years), I alternately anticipate and dread it-- the Christmas Cult (as even she calls it) is rigidly adhered to; it involves meticulous rituals of the unwrapping of presents and takes hours. But on the other hand the food is excellent and it is the closest thing I have to family here in Europe.
There will be lots of loud arguments (mostly about differing interpretations of the proper Christmas Eve rituals) and --for Americans-- rather strange presents: there will be (if the past Christmases are any indication) nothing made of plastic, nothing made in China, nothing that takes batteries. Books. There will be books. And homemade things. Odd little sculptures.
I will try to give a resume when it is all over, but now I have to go out shopping, try desperately to find something that is neither plastic nor made in China.
Wish me luck.