joy to the world

After a visit with the in-laws yesterday afternoon to exchange a few little presents we headed home for a Swiss Raclette and some serious lying around on the couch and watching the snowflakes fall. Best winter ever.

Today was equally laid back. Just the four of us for dinner. The wee turkey is in the oven and we'll be having this for dessert. A mandarin orange trifle that I've been making for years and years. So easy and everyone seems to like it.

Check out my awesome trifle bowl. Talk about weird things to bring back in a suitcase - I got it at the thrift store for $4.00 when we were on vacation in Vancouver this summer. It survived the trip in one piece and will come in handy for future celebrations.

That's all I got for ya this year. Still feeling a bit cheesy. More doctors, more suggested treatments to come in the new year. Oh joy. I AM hopeful, though, that 2011 will find me with a bit more engergy than 2010 did.

Wishing you and yours all the best and for those who are celebrating this weekend...


Merry★* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★Christmas!★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚｜ 田田 ｜門｜ ˚

jolly old st. nick

Yesterday was St. Nicholas Day in Germany. Nikolaustag, they call it here. You put your shined shoes or boots outside the door on December 5th and St. Nick fills them with all sorts of goodies.


We use stockings instead of shoes because you can fit in way more of the good stuff. The kids now have enough treats to last until January.





















Nick actually manage to squeeze this cutie into my stocking. I'd been coveting him for a while.





















(Mr. M got ten back issues of Volks World magazine. You don't really want to see those, do you?)



St. Nicholas Day is just as much about giving as it is about receiving, sooo...

Our neighbour and several other friends got their very own  fruitcake




















And the Thunderbird Diner is now open for business.





















Here's the old guy checking out his naughty and nice list


























And the dining room chairs getting in on the act.

Today, the day after Nikolaus, was not so jolly. Remember in my last post when I said I was done with being sick? I guess I'm not. Symptoms came back over the weekend and when I visited the doctor this morning at the university clinic, he ordered yet another colonoscopy and new, immunosuppresive drugs. Arghhhh!

Ho ho ho? Not so much. But at least I have chocolate! (and the world's softest sea turtle)

it's beginning to look a lot a bit like christmas

OK, I am SO done with being sick. A three-day hospital stay in August with four different septuagenarian roomates, endless time spent in various doctors' waiting rooms during September and October, and a 12-week course of prednisone that ended mid-November, complete with side-effects (chipmunk cheeks and tree trunk legs, anyone?) and withdrawal symptoms. Enough is enough. I'm feeling much better now, thanks, and it's time to get into the holiday spirit.


The Christmas season in German got off to a chilly start on November 28, the first Advent Sunday. Our Advent 'wreath' looks like this this year. Less is more, eh?






Obligatory poinsettia







A new addition to our collection of Lichterbogen






And one of the old faithfuls that has been lighting up our window every Christmas for at least a decade






Today is December 1st and you know what that means. Advent calendars all around. I got a chocolate-y one this year, as did my better half, and the kids are making do with one of these each. You're never, ever too old to snuggle with a moose!






I also ventured into a spot of cookie baking this morning but have not yet reached my full potential.






Most of Germany has had record breaking freezing temperatures and quite a bit of snow this week. Now it's our city's turn. Snowing like crazy out there, not expected to stop until Friday. Whoo! Or maybe not, depending on how you look at it.

So how's your winter been so far?