All Prepared…

Advent Calendar / 21 December

I posted a picture of this wall hanging last year, too, but I thought I’d show it to you again, in more detail.

The artist who made it was my mother. (Although she would never have called herself an artist.) I think she must have made it back in 60’s or early 70’s, although I cannot recall where it used to hang. (The house where my parents lived during the last two decades is not the house where I grew up.) Anyway… looking closely at it now, she put quite a lot of work into details:

… like candles, Christmas tree, and hyacinths in the windows!

Quoting myself from last year’s post:

“The landscape reminds me of another Christmas decoration from my early childhood which I think was found not worth saving when my parents moved in the early 90s. It was a little village of home made cardboard houses, church included, and little people made of home made play dough (flour, water and salt), dried in the oven and then painted with water colours. Each Christmas, my mum cleared the top shelf of my bookcase, rolled out a layer of white cotton wool over it, and then we placed the houses on top and built the village. There was also a little dam made by a mirror, on which people were “ice-skating”. When we'd built the landscape, we finished off by sprinkling some boric acid crystals on top to make it glitter like snow does when it's really cold outside.”

Today is that kind of day. When I got up around 8 in the morning, the thermometer outside my window showed -17°C (1,4 F). All the weather forecasts now seem to agree that Tuesday (today) and Wednesday will be very cold; and after that there’s another heavy snowfall coming in, lasting all through Christmas Eve…

Personally I’m all prepared now to let myself get snowbound over Christmas. I hadn’t got plans to go anywhere anyway. Not expecting visitors either. And after some initial bewilderment about how to feel about that, I think I’m now totally okay with it. Actually more than okay: Looking forward to it as a time of relaxation, with no obligations to fulfill.

I was able to pay a short visit to dad last week, together with two cousins of his. I could tell from details I noticed when I was there that he is being well looked after where he is living now, and that he has not been forgotten by old friends and acquaintances in the village either. (Several poinsettias and other Christmas flowers on the windowsills and table.) It’s a relief to know that he’s in a “safe” place this winter rather than living alone in the old house depending on home care staff making their way there through the snow. And in this kind of weather, I really also feel better knowing my brother won’t have to spend half the weekend out on the roads!

I’m pretty well stocked up with food and other necessities. I’ll be able to get out for some “extras” this afternoon. After that, I could stay snowbound for a week or more, if need be.

My indoors temperature is also back to normal lately. I think I mentioned here that a few weeks ago, it was so cold in the flat that I went out and bought myself an electric blanket to keep myself warm. But shortly after that, the indoors temperature went up again to a comfortable 22-23°. I hope it stays that way. (If it doesn’t, I still have the electric blanket!)

My Christmas decorations are up. I have plenty to eat. If I don’t like what’s on TV I have lots of favourites on DVD. I have unread books, lots of music, computer games and the internet...

All I really wish for is that all of my friends will be safe and comfortable as well; not finding themselves stuck in traffic or waiting endlessly at some train station or airport.

~ ♥ ♥ ♥ ~