Time stretches and compresses and suddenly days have gone by without warning; this is how the year flies, how they all fly, until suddenly you’re aged and wondering where your youth and resiliance went.<\/p>\n
The house is full of Christmas glitter if not yet Christmas cheer: the windows are full of advent candelabra and golden Christmas stars, we’ve put up the snowman card holder made from felt by my great-aunt, the garlands of red and gold beading, the hand-knit personalized stockings, the cinnamon candles and santa figurines. Years worth of little tomtes made by the children are crowded into a red and white pile in the playroom windows. All that’s missing is the tree and we’ll be out for that next weekend. I pray it doesn’t rain as tramping through the knee-high grassy swells and dips in the nursery lots is hard enough when it’s dry.<\/p>\n
The annual Christmas letter still isn’t written and I’ve only made a stab of a start at Christmas cards. I’m not in the mood, somehow, for them this year. Maybe because they seem to be an obsolete and fading relic. Though it’s the one time of year when people actually DO send snail mail, it’s starting to feel like an archaic tradition; and like the phone books<\/a>, another huge waste of paper. Much as I have always loved Christmas cards, both giving and receiving, it feels more and more like a practice that is on the way out.<\/p>\n Karin and I were out yesterday and bought Martin’s birthday present, as well as a present for a birthday party she’s attending next weekend and a few stocking stuffers. I’m not done with my shopping, though I’m a good bit along the way. It’s mostly the little things left now and one or two more people still on the list.<\/p>\n This week is full up\u2014book group tomorrow evening, picking up Lizardmom from the airport on Tuesday morning, doctor’s appointment Wednesday morning and choir practice that same night. Then our work Christmas party on Thursday and Martin’s birthday on Friday. To round it off I’ll be singing in 2 concerts on Sunday, both at elderly care homes in Malm\u00f6. Though our choir is much diminished, we’re still determined to get out there and do our annual rounds. The following week is busy, too, but then it starts to taper off until the holidays actually hit. I’m taking Fridays off all month (and all of Christmas week), which feels good. I think I really need the break.<\/p>\n It’s beginning…only beginning, but that is fine with me, to look a lot like Christmas.<\/p>\n