Sexy

I got my Christmas present today. Away we went to have a photo shoot with a pro. My idea of heaven. He even had remote-controlled strobe lights!!!! A seamless white background, a funky chair, props galore. I had a blast. So worth it. Such a moment in time. Before we left, Ethan said that he wanted to look sexy. What he actually said was "I like sex," but without knowing what he was saying. He wanted to ask if he looked all right in the red shirt he was wearing, but it sorta came out funny. I had to laugh..and ask what he meant, of course! Gotta love him.

Shopiitis and the look of scorn

I may have an incurable illness. All this Christmas shopping and post-Christmas shopping has put me in shopping mode. Really, it's a disease. I have no need for anything else, and no room for anything else in my tiny house; and yet, I'm compelled to go looking for something else. Not really sure what either. I do have a need for appliances with a leaking washer, but appliance shopping is not so much fun. And expensive.

So, this illness comes and goes in waves for me. This week is particularly bad - just ask my sister. Hope it's over soon.

The other part of this post is somewhat unrelated to the shopiitis part. Ms. L. was an altar server for the first time today. Proud moment for me as a mom. She looked so tiny up there with the priest and the two other altar servers who were probably Grade 5 or 6 boys. But she did her thing and she looked all solemn. The look of scorn came from the lady who does that altar service training for the kids and who arranged for Leah to be there today. All because we were a 'tad' late for mass...i.e. walked in when the procession was starting. Sheesh. It all ended well, tho!

So this is Christmas

Someone woke at 4 a.m. this morning to see if Santa was here. It was Ms. L, who is on the cusp of not believing any more. I think that she was reassured by the visible dents made in the banana bread and egg nog left for Santa. Oh yes, she also wrote a note to him, asking whether banana bread was OK, rather than cookies. Santa did write back. Thank goodness the handwriting was not recognized.

We have had a very enjoyable Christmas morning, I must tell you. The kids waited, albeit, impatiently, for the coffee pot to brew before the gifts were started. Santa brought just the right amount of things. Last year, he went WAAY overboard in the kids gift department. We had to have a little chat about that.

I got a tripod! And yesterday came a gift card to my favourite camera store...not to mention a flickr 'pro' account. My family knows how nutty I am about this photography hobby of mine.

So, all in all, when I inhale the turkey aroma that is making its way downstairs, I am reminded of how nice it is to have your family at your side and how special it is to share Christmas with the ones you love.

Dragon Breath

Ever notice how small things can make a difference?
I was in line at Winners today. The lady behind me asked a question, but I could not concentrate on what she was saying. Halitosis city. Holy crow batman, I could not stand it. So I started inching away, trapped behind the person in front of me and dragon breath lady. And she kept talking. OK, it's small and insignificant and I'm sure my breath is no daisy, but my patience was very thin. Hm, maybe it's to do with the craziness of the season?

Visions of sugarplums

I am grateful.

I am grateful for Brian, because he is out there with the snowblower for hours and never complains.

I am grateful for my sister who shopped with me for the afternoon and then wrapped for the evening.

I am grateful for the fact that my children are home, are safe and are not brats.

I am grateful for how much joy I get out of giving to others.

Have you got your flea shot?

I got swallowed by life when I got back.

It was Christmas full-tilt here. I resisted. For a few days after Poland I had the dreamy, "I am rested" look on my face. People commented. I invariably said the same banal things like the holiday was good and I'm glad to be home. Then I jumped into two huge files and voila, the look went away.

But I did get my flea shot, as Ethan puts it. Gotta keep the priorities in life straight!

Onto the Christmas extravaganza we go...

Time flies when you are having fun

Whew, what a whirlwind the last week has been!

In the space of the last seven days, we have been to three different cities - Kazimierz Dolny, Sandomierz and Krakow. Each has imprinted its memories.

Kazimierz Dolny is a bit like coming home. It is a lovely little city situated on the banks of the Vistula River. It has some castle ruins, a town square with a famous well, and is the place where my parents got married. It's like coming home because it is the place to take family that is visiting from out of town, or in this case out of country. We laugh everytime we get taken there, because it is the standard tourist stop.

Nonetheless, it was dear to see it again, and this time, we toured a 16th century convent, where my mother bought herbs for everything from hemorrhoids to hypertension. We also met this monk who was desperately lonely and a lovely old man. I wanted to buy a rosary for E and L there and he would not take any money for it, and he blessed both of them. It was heartwarming. He told us a bit of the story of the convent, and we got the impression that if we stayed longer, he would have gladly spent more time with us.

The day we went to Kazimierz Dolny, it was a national holiday. Apparently, it's the place to be to show off your vehicle and your family. To walk the town square and to have a beer. Everybody and their uncle was there. I did not mind so much, as it was a sunny day. The throngs of people were not really interested in the same spots that we were going to, so that made things all right.


Onto the next city. On the 12th, we set out for Krakow, by way of Sandomierz. The highlight of Sandomierz was a 13th century church. But first we got stalked by a guide who popped out of her car when she spotted us and offered to take us through another church. This one was from the 16th century. A young'un. She had crazy hair and spoke with the speed of a machine gun. Lovely lady. Don't remember a word she said. She steered us toward the 13th century church, where, as it happened, my camera battery decided to bid adieu. Hence, so few pictures of St. Jakub's church were captured. We did find a statue of St. Czeslaw there - my father's namesake.

We arrived in Krakow in the late afternoon and set out for the city centre. This is a square again, with a famous basilica and stores in the middle of the square, called sukiennice. In medieval times, cloth was traded there, hence the name. The buildings were beautifully lit up at night, and I'm glad that I started snapping. Some of the shots worked out nicely.

Let me tell you, I wish I was in Krakow with my sister. It has such a spirit, so much life. It's a city for young people. So many hostels, so many clubs, so many things to do and see. I have a photo of a bar advertising 'dancing on tables' on Thursdays. You had to be there. I think they were dead serious.

We toured the castle and churches that would make you cry. We were bone tired at the end of the next day, full of walking and touring. At one point my eyes hurt from looking at things. So much history, so much tradition and such richness of spirit. It was wonderful. I am very grateful that I got to experience this at this point in my life, when I can appreciate it.

At the end of the day of touring, we wandered into the old Jewish quarter of town. We were hungry and hurting. None of the restaurants seemed to fit. How can you eat Italian or Portuguese food in the old Jewish quarter? I didn't think so either. We finally wandered into a little bar called 'alchemia' or 'alchemy.' This is funny because I was older than the crowd in the bar by about ten years. It was dark and smoky and oozing with coolness. You can imagine how well my mother, aunt and uncle fit in. The best part was that the bar did not serve food! Yes, liquor and beer only. And I thought you had to serve food to prevent people from getting sloshed! We had a beer on an empty stomach, and then stumbled out to find food. We found a little place that did not serve kosher food, but the food was yummy. Borsch with uszka, or mushroom pierogies.

So, the week was jam-packed with memories and feasts for the eyes. A good week indeed.