FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

Today is Christmas day and for us a a very new version of all Christmas celebrations in our life !

We will be alone only the two of us due to the lockdown. I had got the Father Christmas wish list via a link from grandson Toby, therefore I had no gifts to wrap in ! I had only to pay. 

We will have Sushi because we love them and not a sophisticated Christmas meal. Late afternoon we will get the link from ZOOM and celebrate with the Amsterdam family on the screen !

Even in my wildest dreams, I would never have believed that I would celebrate Christmas like this! Seems like "Back to the Futur" or better "Forward to the Futur"

 

 

 

 

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

I have to look at my calender to know which day we are ! With Monday being already a Sunday or nearly, everybody is a little disturbed.

In the last minute my son had asked me if on Christmas day his friend and family could come to us and of course I agreed ! It is his best friend and now his little son also 8 years old became best friend with Toby.



Now I  had to run to buy some cake, and fortunately I thought about the English shop very close to us, where I could buy very good English cakes, except a Christmas Pudding which was sold out. The shelves were empty all Christmas things had been sold. But I found a Fudge cake and Apple cake etc and it was enough.

The friend's wife is English, so I thought it brings a bit of home to her.

We celebrate the German way (and also the Royals in the UK) on Christmas Eve.



Listening to Christmas music, looking at all the parcels and boxes under the tree and the open fire, while we had a glass of Champagne. Toby too had Champagne for kids, called "Kiddie bubbles" which he liked so much that he almost emptied the whole bottle before we even started !



Toby checks if there is no gift left ! and then the gifts were distributed. The one who got a gift, had to pick up another one to give it to this person and so on. Of course Toby started.



I think what he liked the most was the scarf of his beloved Football (soccer) team which I had found here with some difficulties and from his parents he had got the matching T-Shirt. That was perfect. Of course the other gifts he liked too, but there is always one which is a favorite.



He had put all his gifts on the sofa and stated that Father Christmas had brought him much more then to the other once. We comforted him, saying that Father Christmas job is for the children and not that much for adults.



The rest of the evening we spent playing a very funny game, you wore a card with an object written on it and you had to find out what it was. It was so much fun that my belly hurt so much I laughed.

The next day son and family came earlier, he had bought a lot of different things for a buffet. He put everything on the table and I added my cakes, the coffee and the cutlery and dishes.



The drinks were standing outside, as it was probably colder outside then in my fridge !



And then they all arrived and we started eating, drinking chatting and at the end another funny game which we played together. The "United colors of  Benetton" as I call Toby and Benji played and had a lot of fun and we too. Before they went away, everything was cleaned up, little Benji just put a broom away when I came back from my room. It was as if nobody had ever been there. I was really touched, I had nothing to do anymore, then going to bed !

On Wednesday they arrived late morning for a cup of coffee before returning to Amsterdam.



And my DIL took a photo of the three of us and Toby said good bye to Arthur and we waved when they went away.

I was hanging on my sofa almost the whole day to recover from I don't know what, because I can't say that I was overworked ! But a movie cure on TV was nice too. I also had some phone calls to do !

The next day I had invited my friends for a coffee and cake, so that we could could chat to our heart contents about our Christmas celebration.



Everybody had a nice family celebration without catastrophes, not even a few broken plates or glasses. It had been a nice afternoon.



Of course Sir Arthur didn't leave us girls alone, he went from leg to leg and was so happy about the company ! But he didn't play with the angels one had offered him to play ! Anyway he was a good entertainer, because he played with a garland hanging from my plant !

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

WEEKEND REVIEW Dec 24

Our young friend Jean, who is only 3 years older than our son, came to wish us a merry Christmas. He also needed badly to talk, because he had finally found a job and 3 months later they told him that he is overqualified (!!!) and out he was. At the same time he also had private worries, so it came all together and he said it does him good to talk to a woman (that's me). He stayed the whole afternoon and finally left at 5 pm.



Arthur  loves him, or rather his shoes, he always wears very expensive leather shoes and apparently they smell so good. As soon as he sat in the chair Arthur run over to sniff the shoes, but when he wanted to sharpen his claws in the precious leather, Jean protested and throw his legs in the air, but Arthur is stubborn and tried again each time Jean put his feet down. Finally he took off the shoes and we laughed our heads off.




For Christmas Eve we dressed !



Monique a friend also came and Nicole and Charlie too, of course Charlie has discovered very quickly that Mr. G. can't resist his huge brown eyes who look as if he hasn't eaten for at least a week !



I promise they are not boxing but only discussing !



Our meal was very good, we had scallops in a white sauce, and then Sushis ! As desert we had a Tiramisu but with fruits and not chocolate.



Then we were all full, Charlie included, he should pose with the little angel, but instead he nearly ate it ! Just could save it in the last minute !

We spend a nice evening chatting, and talking and at 11 pm they left.

2. I hadn't slept very good this night which usually doesn't happen to me, so on Christmas day, we were both very lazy. The weather was also awful grey, humid and depressing !

We got a few phone calls from Italy and Germany and also from friends here, when I had to think already to take out the food for tonight. Duck confit, broad bean à la provençale, and vegetable potato cakes.



Our Christmas supper



and how it looked like cooked ! It really was delicious



Pookie already on the sofa can't wait to get a piece of duck, while Arthur for once waited under the table. And herewith ended our Christmas 2016, which was the first one we celebrated without family.

We both were very tired although we hadn't done nothing the whole day and at 9 pm we went to bed.

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

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1. As usual I take care of the neighbor's cat when they are gone on holidays. Unfortunately this time the cat was sick and had to take medication. That is normally no problem only that the cat didn't eat !

In the middle of my Christmas preparations came the worries about the cat.

2. After three days he hadn't eaten, I decided to call his vet and he asked me to come over.



What I did. The cat was very good, didn't protest when I put her in the carrier and then she got two antibiotic shots. The afternoon I had some last shopping to do and at the exit there were 21 people before me and two cashiers open ! On top of that the whole bank card system in Belgium had broken down and people had to leave their shopping because they didn't have enough cash ! A real mess which we could see in the evening in the News. I had a lucky hand when I payed with my card it suddenly worked, somebody told me that I had a fairy hand and was applauded because now they all could pay with their cards. To my knowledge I am not a fairy godmother, so it must have been pure coincidence.

3. Unfortunately my DIL had to work on the 24th so that they arrived quiet late from Amsterdam for the Christmas Eve supper.



Grandson Toby discovered immediately his toys which I keep for him and started to play. Then we had our Christmas Eve meal, a Pierrade



A very easy plate to prepare because everybody does the cooking himself, on the top you roast different kinds of meat and underneath you can melt cheese. It's served with baked potatoes and vegetables.

4.


When Toby was in bed we put all the gifts under the Christmas tree and the next morning at 8 am we gathered half asleep around the tree, we even had to wake up Mr. G. He didn't like to celebrate on Christmas day early morning, he was always used to open the gifts on Christmas Eve when we are a little more fresh. It didn't bother me, but honestly I agreed with him. Toby didn't seem to be very interested in all the packages either but then he started to look and was in charge to give the gifts to everybody. I had put little photos of us on the packets so it was easy for him but he also could read his name !



Once everything unpacked he was happy and played with his new gifts, our cat Arthur helped him. He is the only cat who loves little children. The others were hiding !





As the weather was quiet nice we did a little walk through the Waterloo park and Toby had a lot of fun on the children's playground.

5.


After a brunch the men looked very "fresh", except Toby who refused his afternoon nap and played !



Late afternoon a friend of our son came with his wife and the two kids and they played while we were chatting. That was a real nice afternoon.

The Christmas meal, as starter scallops, was less cozy. Toby was very tired and was not hungry. So between the starter and the meal a roasted Guinea hen with vegetables he had his bath from which he didn't want to get out and got very angry.

We ate the main meal, when he was finally in bed. Then we too were quiet tired and we finished the evening talking a bit and then went to bed too.



The next morning before they returned to Amsterdam my son made this picture of us while Toby was watching "The smurfs", and Arthur played with a mouse.

Late afternoon I went over to Dominique who was happy to see me and report what a wonderful Christmas she had for he first time since her divorce and then the death of ex-husband, her 93 old mother, the youngest son with girlfriend and her eldest son with the three little once (5,2 and 1 1/2) came on Christmas Eve. And while they had a glass of champagne the little once stormed on the gifts. She said  it was the best Christmas she ever had since a very long time. I reported her mine, and she knew how hardly I had tried to make out the best of this for both of us new way of Christmas celebrations and she laughed when she saw the pictures of us hanging around the tree so early in the morning, fresh like roses ! Toby with his old age of three didn't anyway understand a single thing and was happy, and finally that was the most important. Mr. G. was completely "out of work" and collapsed on the sofa when they were gone. Ilona had no problem with her children, they are more Flemish then Waloons and had more celebrated St. Nicolas. Christmas they don't celebrate although she had brought them up celebrating Christmas. She went to her sister with her mother and rest of the Waloon family. I remembered my childhood Christmas and also the Christmases with my little son, and was a little nostalgic.

OUR WORLD

In my world as probably in "Our World" too, we are all surrounded by Christmas ornaments, decorations and markets, at least in the Western world. I am no exception !

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

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WHEN CHRISTMAS BECOMES A DUTY

more participants at Jenny Matlock's Alphabet Thursday
 

The definition of the word "Duty is a term that conveys a sense of moral commitment or obligation to someone or something. It's also something that one is expected or required to do by moral or legal obligation.

That's what often happens on Christmas. Children think it's their duty to celebrate Christmas with the parents and that becomes complicated when they are married or have a partner because of course you have to go to both parents ! I was lucky, in some way, because my Italian husband's family didn't celebrate Christmas as it is celebrated in France, part of Belgium (the Wallons, the Flemish copy the Dutchs) France, the UK, Austria, the Eastern countries and Switzerland. Nobody ever asked us to visit them in Italy it also was too far away.

Therefore I celebrated with my parents only , and nobody else. They never invited my Grandma for Christmas. My father didn't like her with his brother and sister he had broken all contact. As a child Christmas was very nice , but when I married it became different ! Christmas became a duty for me.

My parents arrived the car loaded with presents and my father unloaded very slowly so that the whole street could see how generous he was with his daughter. He had also told his collegues what things he would offer (my mother didn't count and was never mentioned) Often I knew already what he would offer, because some of the collegues' daughters were my friend. He was a man who lived for appearance and was convinced that he could buy everything. He always had to do more than his collegues or friends, he wanted to be the most generous father in the world. Love was not his thing.

My mother arrived, changed all decorations in the house and as I didn't agree, the fights started. She checked the house for eventual dust or dirt, and brought me cleaning stuff. This was the beginning of a very stressful "on duty" Christmas ! Mr. G. got long speaches of what he should do in his job, and my mother got angry because my father had told her that my cooking was better than hers. Everything was done to put things on the table and hurt each other. What did we do ? We escaped ! Once Mr. G. once me to my best friend who lived a few streets farer to rest and breath and then return to the "battle field". Our only concern was that our little son didn't realize the tension and had a nice and cheerful Christmas.

When I think back now of all these "on duty" Christmas celebrations, I regret that I didn't dare to tell my parents, that in our house we are the hosts and they the guests and not the other way around. If Christmas with us was so awful, why didn't they stay home ? Mr. G. and I once they were gone, were fully exhausted and he was hurt but never said anything. He could do what he wanted, it was never good enough for my parents and that, they showed especially on Christmas. Of course I was rather furious and hurt, that he never said a word, just to keep the balance and create some kind of peace !

Christmas celebrations became a nightmare for me for many years until they both died. I think this has marked me for life. I am always fearing Christmas, because I never know if I would be hurt again.



Appearances are deceptive

But I am not alone, many of my friends and lots of people live the same in this season.

IN AMSTERDAM FOR CHRISTMAS

While you are reading this I am sitting in our car, driving to Amsterdam to celebrate Christmas in the new house of our son in Amsterdam.



It will be the first time.



For little Toby too, because last year he was just one month old.

to all of you !