Christmas 2013 I said “not everything went wrong”. This festive season was no different. The relief that it’s all over is great. If ‘festive’ is companionably sitting and moaning, feeling ill, picking at dried flakes of snot and flicking them off to join dog hair and dust bunnies in the corners of the room and generally stewing in your own phlegm, watching bad TV and reading arse-clenchingly dull books, I can do without it. If ‘festive' means feeling obliged to cook ’special’ meals, all of them elaborate and large, all of them costing the earth and requiring hours of labour and then nobody eats them and the whole lot bar a few forkfuls wanders into the freezers, then I beg to be excused from joining in.
Give me humdrum any day. For a good two weeks we stayed under self-imposed quarantine, neither going out nor letting anyone in. Whenever one of our wonderful neighbours called to walk the dog for us we took Millie to the back door, handed her and her lead over and retreated to a sofa. Actually, once we felt and sounded not completely at death’s door it wasn’t so bad. When others were obliged to attend parties, entertain families and generally pretend to joyously embrace the festive spirit and knacker themselves in the process, we put our feet up. It’s true to say that we lacked the energy to do otherwise but being allowed to recover in peace was wonderful.
Christmas and New Year were wash-outs, which surely means it can only get better from now on? Just look at those snowdrops.
Kelly came to clean up dust bunnies and snot flakes and kind friends came to eat left-overs with us. I’ve started to make inroads into festive letters and emails - why do people who never write at any other time insist on telling you about their whole boring year at Christmas? I’ve made arrangements to bring our Wills up to date, sort through tax receipts, cleared my desk of clutter, reconciled bank statements and may even get round to renewing my passport. Millie is taking me out again although I’m not nearly as keen to walk for miles as her temporary minders were.
Let the good times roll!
je zou haast zeggen dat het voorjaar was
ReplyDeleteEvery year I swear to not do it again next year. And every year I fail to heed what I swore to -- We both fell ill after Christmas and before New Year. Fortunately guests we had invited, perhaps I should not use the word 'fortunately', called off because they were ill! So at least there was no party, but there was still a houseful of sons and even a grandson and also a sister-in-law ... Epiphany is an important day in my calendar -- needless to say!
ReplyDeleteWe kept to ourselves. Bad weather was as good excuse as any. And the weather helped: it was bad.
ReplyDeleteI have pneumonia and feel about the same as you do. Husband is fit as a fiddle. He is 79 has purchased an Iphone and is having trouble setting it up. He's hard of hearing and is now trying out ring tones. He has been playing them most of the day. He now picked out a trumpet blowing. Need I say more?
ReplyDeleteWe wrapped up the old year, pleased to see the back of it but so far the new one has not managed to better it.
ReplyDeleteHaha, love the last sentence.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more, F! Fortunately I'm married to someone who also enjoy cocooning and enjoying the enforced jollity from afar. Now I'm marinating in lovely hum drum and preparing my taxes. . . . . . Best Wishes for a good year to YOU
ReplyDeleteALOHA from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral
<3
Boring and humdrum suit my personality quite well. I would count it a blessing of sorts to have been excluded from all the obligatory gaiety. I'm pleased you're feeling better now. I don't understand Christmas letters either. They always seem excessively self-congratulatory. They never tell you about the sink stopping up, do they!
ReplyDeleteQuiet time in our house as well - thankfully not due to ill health - unlike your home. Sons and daughters are now big boys and girls and have their own families and traditions to adhere to so we can rest peacefully on the back deck and enjoy all the festivities from afare
ReplyDeleteDo hope things buck up for you soon Friko.. Valentines Day is coming up - maybe you and your beloved will be well enough to celebrate then
Christmas and New Year's were fine festive events. Then reality hit - aches and colds and noses that ran and ran and ran. I think I've caught up to my nose now and the sun is shining a little bit today so things are looking brighter.
ReplyDeleteSorry that your holiday was filled with illness but it looks like that was a good alternative for you. As I write this I am watching BBC cover the snowstorm in Syria, and it gives me perspective.
ReplyDeleteHumdrum is a beat I happily amble to. So glad you are feeling better. Finally.
ReplyDeleteYou need good times to roll after this miserable session.
ReplyDeleteha. sorting tax receipts and will updates...is getting better? smiles....ha
ReplyDeleteit will all be over soon enough...and the sun will return...
Friko, glad to hear that you are on the mend as January gets underway. I do share many of your thoughts about what some might call the festive season. More of my thoughts will now be added to the pile of topics that we might discuss when we next meet.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile...I was also greatly cheered by seeing very early snowdrop blooms over in Central Park on my last walk there. Today was a day off for me, and I stayed warm indoors, very grateful not to have to venture out into the very sub-freezing temperatures.
I now wonder how many layers of clothing I might stylishly combine tomorrow, when I do have to venture out to go downtown to work.
xo
It is difficult to enjoy anything or the season when you feel like crap. How good it was that you have good and kind friends who helped you out with your dog and checked in on you.
ReplyDeleteI hope that 2015 will treat you well.
It sounds as though you are back on your feet again and off and running -- or at least walking with purpose. I had the flu in early December. It doesn't sound quite so bad as yours (it was only a week with some after effects) but still, it's enough to know how annoying it is -- and yet, in some ways it forces the downtime we often feel a little guilty to take for ourselves, especially at this time of year.
ReplyDeleteOur Christmas was green and relatively warm. But your snowdrop wouldn't survive, I think, in today's sub-zero (F) temperatures, all the more with the wind chill. I went out twice today and was glad to return, though it seemed to take forever to warm up. I was very glad Lizzie didn't require walks! Just the toss of a mouse now an then to get her into her exercise mode!
It's lovely to have you back, to visit again! Keep getting well!
Not a snowdrop to be seen here yet, but I know they'll pop up soon. I'm glad to hear that you're feeling better - sounds like it was a perfectly miserable Christmas - until you were slightly on the mend and could put feet up and just enjoy recovery. I do hope you've found something good to read!
ReplyDeleteWhat a horrible two weeks for you both. I'm glad to hear you are improving. Fingers crossed no serious colds here yet, and it feels positively spring-like, though I have been caught that way before. More snow to come yet for us, that's for sure. No signs of snowdrops here yet. Your photos through the beech leaves and stones is beautiful. I do hope that up is now the only way for you: sounds like your spring cleaning is well underway.
ReplyDeleteSnowdrops!! I've not seen any here yet, but as we're in for a very mild weekend (14 Celsius tomorrow!), there could be some very soon. I swear I've already heard the spring song of a blackbird the other morning when I opened my bedroom window.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you were both unwell, but how good of people to leave you alone so that you could recover at your own pace. Hmm... you say "When others were obliged to attend parties, entertain families and generally pretend to joyously embrace the festive spirit...". Maybe not everybody pretends to embrace the festive spirit. There are, I am sure, some out there who, like me, really do love the whole Christmas-and-New-Year-thing. Actually, I am always a bit sorry when it is over.
Here I am -- see me waving? I do love the season. My celebrations can be idiosyncratic at times, and I am spared by circumstance a good bit of forced jollity like office parties, but still -- what's not to like about candles and old music and pretty lights on houses? Oh -- and Santa and his elves. They helped me out this year after I laundered my cell phone on Christmas eve.
DeleteNot long till Spring .
ReplyDeleteOr so I keep on telling myself .
Meanwhile it's good to hear that you're recovering and that Millie has your recovery regime in hand .
The only way to recover! Hope things thaw out and good days beckon you outdoors and into new crevices...
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, friend ... loved your , Friko... so much ... hope this isn't your first year to do what you really want to do ... but if it is: Welcome to the club ... smiles ... happy many returns ... Love, cat.
ReplyDeleteChristmas Letters - BAH, HUMBUG - preparing ones self to go out in well below freezing temperatures, all that visiting and sitting politely and listening to hum drum and going home in the cold. Naw, I avoid it like the plague. Quiet, pleasant evening at home with cooking turkey, resting on comfy couch, watching Christmas show or well into a great book or divulging in good conversation - that's our style. WE visit all year, but on Christmas we do not. I hear all the complaining about dragging kids and family out on Christmas Eve, Day and the rest of it. Enjoy the holiday spirit and bring in the New Year but relax eh; its the only break most people get all year.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I have known a Christmas break where there were so many people (myself included) struck down with viral and subsequent bacterial infections. It seems it was a low key, even miserable Christmas for many. It feels as if everyone else is having so much better a time as we, disgruntled and isolated, sit wrapped up at home watching what was the most awful TV of recent years. Yes, I concur, being back to routine seems to offer far better hope of interesting and uplifting experiences.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you have been sick for so long. The quarantine sounds like it was a good plan, though. Glad you are finally feeling better. Can only be uphill from here. I hope you guys are not sick another day in 2015! :)
ReplyDeleteGosh, it seems I got here late, with all the other commenters already having visited the sick family. I'm glad to hear you are beginning to improve. I love the picture of the snowdrops! You are definitely on the mend, judging by the recovery of your quick wit. :-)
ReplyDeleteSo glad to know you're feeling better, and how lovely the snowdrops are out! We had a holiday season a couple years back like this, and while it was miserable, particularly cancelling out all our plans and having to come back from NYC and sit and wait, once we did start to feel better, it was nice to be "off the hook" a bit on the frenzy of holiday-making. Here's to a happy and healthy new year!
ReplyDeleteThere is something to that hunkering down and keeping one's own company, isn't there? One of my nicest holidays was after I had major abdominal surgery shortly before Christmas. All I could do was enjoy each day - and that I did, quite pleasantly (though I must admit, it didn't involve snot flakes". Enjoy the good times a rolling'.
ReplyDeleteyay for recovery and better health but your holiday quarantine sounded perfect. I stopped participating in the festive season years ago and I'm much happier for it. It's a quiet respite for me while everyone else is making themselves crazy with the decorating and food and shopping.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to see you back, Friko, and glad to hear that good health is being restored. I could do without the nasty weather that's keeping me from work, but I do have plans to roast some squash for soup this afternoon, and make a pot of vegetable soup.
ReplyDeleteAs I noted above, I do love Christmas, but since my season involves more Renaissance carols and candlelight than shopping malls and too much food, I tend not be exhausted by it. I am ready to move on, though. The decorations all were down on New Year's Day, and I'm entering this new year (already nine days old?!) with some gentle anticipation. There are books to be read, and a kitty to be petted. I'll figure out the rest later.
I am happy too that all these (forced) festivities are over and I am back to normal life again !
ReplyDeletePleased to see you back
ReplyDeleteStay well
I stay home
for many days.
So much sickness out there
and taking no chances.
Spring - you will be so welcome...
Hi Friko - glad to know you're both feeling better and slowly facing 2015. So pleased friends helped with Millie ... and those snowdrops look amazing .. I haven't seen any down here .. but they must be out. Cheers and take care to get completely better as you can .. and some letters can be forgotten about! Cheers again Hilary
ReplyDeleteI had the same holiday season. Glad to hear that you are feeling better.
ReplyDeletePassports...you are ambitious. I feel a trip coming on. Love the snowdrops. Mine are buried under snow and ice.
ReplyDeleteI've been wanting to tell you for future reference if ever needed that my stepfather had his ablation surgery and it wa 100% successful. He is no longer in a fib.
ReplyDeleteAmazing what they can do, and he never even felt very bad, though it took a couple of months to regain all his energy.
There's that W word again, I should probably do something about mine. Making one would be a start.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to hear you are getting better, at least enough to walk Millie a bit.
I agree about all the Christmas feasting fuss, far too much food is always cooked.
So sorry you weren't feeling well. That's always unfortunate at any time of the year. But it festivities don't appeal, then perhaps it's best that you got it all behind you at that time. Here's to a much healthier and happy new year.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you back and blogging. Hope your year continues to improve!
ReplyDeleteWelcome back! :-) I also came out of hibernation myself.
ReplyDeleteGreetings from London.
I've really scaled back on what I'm willing to do at Christmas. I just don't want to come though it exhausted.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love the snowdrops! We missed a big New Years Eve party due to my husband' s bad cold and drank a bit of bubbly with our supper then toddled off to bad around 8:30. My kind of celebration. All best to you in this coming year, Friko!
ReplyDeleteI am also sooooo relieved that these year's end festivities are over ! Christmas was awful, New Year OK, but now we are back to normal life and that's great ! Only the weather is so bad, storm and rain !
ReplyDeleteYour snowdrops are glorious. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, seeing snowdrops must be the most inspiring thing for this time of year. They don't grow here. When we need something growing the most, it must be so wonderful to see these little delights.
ReplyDeleteNormal life lived in a body that is no longer ailing is the best thing about the holidays being over.
I left a comment -- but where did it go?
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear you got the bug. It's been such a nasty one this winter. I'm just grateful not to have had it on top of the broken wrist. Your snowdrops are harbingers of better things to come, so enjoy them.
ReplyDelete