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| Pre-Christmas-shopping fortification, exquisite French breakfast pastries and coffee at Thierrry, a precious quiet moment with Pater… |
If my blog stats are any indication, the busy-ness of the season is already taking readers from the screen just as it’s dampening my energy and ability and enthusiasm to write about anything other than gift-shopping and family gatherings….which, I suspect, can take on the smug tone of those insufferable Christmas newsletters.
Still, I somehow feel anxious when I’m not checking in with you regularly. I could take one of those one-week blogging breaks other bloggers do regularly to refresh their blogging spirits, but honestly? I suppose that, for me, I value the discipline of the regularity. Or my OCD tendencies are more pronounced than I recognize….
All of which is to say that here I am, with not so much to say except that I’m busy shopping for (a very few) gifts and spending time with loved ones. Yesterday, we hosted a small crowd (all family, immediate and extended) to shower my son and daughter-in-law with baby gifts and love and best wishes for an upcoming move.
Pater had made our tiny apartment sparkle with coloured mini lights and a wee artificial tree, and while I was home on the island marking last week, he’d put together an array of easy cheeses, fruit, olives, hummus, crackers along with wine and beer. Entertaining Made Easy 101. It felt good to host a fewtive event again–we haven’t for years, in deference to work schedule, but keeping it simple made it possible. Yes, some crowds would demand a more sophisticated menu (at least a few hot hors d’oeuvres, gleaned from the latest cookbooks), but our emphasis was on relaxed, convivial fun, watching little girls get comfortable again with aunts and uncles and great-aunts and great-uncle.
I did get a few photos of the event — my favourite is probably of a soon-to-be papa playing under the buffet table with a certain 6-year-old. I may share it once I get back to my regular computer with its camera hook-up.
Meanwhile, having spent a glorious afternoon shopping with one daughter on Friday afternoon (she booked off work just so we could lunch and shop together!), I’m meeting another today for a similar gig. (I’ll have to be careful…I ended up doing the “one for you, one for me” gift routine the other day…the sales are so good and the shopping enabler so….able at enabling!). Honestly, if you don’t mind surrendering the element of surprise, this is a lovely way to Christmas shop!
So I’m off…. before I go, I’ll just point you to the top of the right-hand column here, where I’ve posted some links to Christmas posts that meant a lot to me when I wrote and posted them over the past years. . . As always, if anything I’ve written resonates at all, I’d love your comments. A bit slower than usual responding lately, I’m nonetheless reading every one. . .
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Trying again to post a comment through the miracle (if a reluctant one) of wifi off the coast of Venezuela. Youths is the blog I check when I have these rare minutes – looking to see what you're reading or wearing or pondering. After an Amazonian adventure I hope that the muse will be encouraged and that I'll be able to blog again!
You're cruising in South America — wonderful! I, too, hope you get your blogging mojo back — it would be great to hear about your adventure, but even just getting a comment from you is a pleasure. I think sometimes the blogging break might be a good way to give the creative spirit some time to reboot. . .
The blogosphere is quiet. I am one who takes time off – in fact after next week I'll be silent for 2 weeks. But I'm always still reading, even if I don't actually comment. I hope your holidays are lovely.
I think it would be good for me to take a break as well, but I've never yet got it organized in a way that feels right. Hope you have a wonderful holiday as well — family and sunshine and sand with your Christmas lights? xo
Oh these awkward thumbs! Of course I meant 'yours' is the blog…..etc.
I knew that! 😉
Sounds like a lovely, easy gathering, which is as it should be. I've debated taking some time off from the blog, but my MIL, who is 84 and suffers from severe macular degeneration, enjoys reading my posts and the comments so much that I keep on.
Oh Lorrie, that's one of the sweetest reasons I can imagine for continuing to blog!
So special to have your daughter book time off just to spend shopping with you. Those treasured times mean more to me than any "gift". And as it happens, I've not bought 1 gift yet and getting slightly queasy over it.
I may have to brave the stores today. Blog land is slow everywhere…which may be a good sign? Not sure. Enjoy more shopping with your other daughter.
Refuse the gift queasiness! There are so many ways you give throughout the year, we oughtn't to be getting so much guilt over not buying — I've been really irked by the mailbox full of inducements to online sales, repeated warnings that I only have x number of days left. . . . Ugh!
But the slow-paced shopping with one daughter at a time? That was lovely! Hope you keep any shopping you do Joy-ful! xo
I don't think my kids read your blog so I will say the gifts are certificates to a local restaurant run by friends of theirs, colourful sheepskin skippers from a local cobbler, and cashmere wristwarmers for the lone female. All of these were locally made, partly my intent (though I am not insisting on that) and partly luck.
Those are wonderful gifts! I love that they honour the local!
Love the sharing the shopping with your daughter. I have mostly shopped online and while it is easy (and I am not a good shopper when there are crowds) I wouldn't mind a little civilised shop with someone I love. And yes to the blogging breaks – it is a tricky idea. I have reduced to one every couple of weeks and in many ways that is not enough for me to keep my mojo but I am pretty sure that if I simply stop I won't start again.
I'm not good at shopping with others, much, finding it too much work to contend with other's tastes and urgings. But I do enjoy the clear focus of a Christmas shop, especially with my daughters.
I'm glad that you manage to keep your blog going despite the disrupted routines you've experienced over the last year or so — I've noticed a few bloggers who post less and less frequently and then there seems to be silence. . . . the habit seems important to me, for now, at least. I think I'd at least like to preserve it until retirement when I'll see what else I might want to do with it . . . .I do love yours and hope you keep at it, even if just at the reduced rate. . .