helwen

Last Thursday/Friday: PT, picking up orders for Ma and E.Ward from Hatfield Beef, picking out presents for Ma to give to grandkids (A2Z!) and a couple of adults, plus one gift we needed to get for

sorcieredeneige's mom J, and something for Pa. Concentus practice went well -- we concentrated on the Sicut Cervus piece. Needleworkers' was fun - some tasty treats, and much good conversation. We didn't participate in the gift exchange, which was fine because that meant more chat time with other folks who weren't involved with that. Instead, we brought down boxes of farm eggs to give to folks which, strange a gift as that probably sounds, was welcomed :)

Saturday: cleaning, cooking, wrapped one gift (easy -- used a cloth gift bag I had out). Family gathering in the afternoon/evening. Chatted for a while, then much good food was had -- roast beef, mashed turnips, mashed butternut squash, green bean casserole, green salad, mashed potatoes, gravy, various homemade breads (zucchini, carrot, and something dark), onions in cream sauce, with eggnog, cider and water for drinking. Then more chatting and playing social games (cards and other group activities, not the other kind of social games). Finally, the gifting part.... Grandkids liked their prezzies, everyone else seemed to enjoy theirs as well. Finally, dessert, with of course, more chatting and hanging out.

New this year -- a couple of the guys started clearing the table as dinner was winding down, and then a couple of us simultaneously suggested everyone grab a dish and take it to the kitchen. Usually it's mostly been the women, plus Ray (he and Marsha are our perennial hosts). Last few years William has pitched a bit and L too, but it was nice to see everyone helping, including some of the kids.

Sunday: more cleaning/preparing, then we had the Solstice ceremony, which went very well despite the way we did it being a first for most folks. Then most of the folks from the study group came over and we had a little celebratory feast and chatfest.

gwynt_y_storm had her Roman-era sling that she'd made with her, and we got a demonstration (indoors so without stones) of the basic method of using one. Doesn't look too difficult, so maybe I'll have a try at making one later.

Monday: PT, gave my PT folks a pint of syrup each, did a bit of shopping, indulged in eating at China Gourmet in Greenfield while we were out, then home again -- where I did a little puttering around and then crashed for an hour. Some naps really don't give one much notice....

Tonight is the Christmas Eve party over at

sorcieredeneige and her mom's house, in Holyoke. The gifts are wrapped and we're almost ready to go.

Tomorrow, we'll be hanging out at home. I'll be calling my mom's at around 6pm to talk to my brothers and niece -- we didn't do that at Thanksgiving since that was the day after my surgery and I wasn't up for it.

EDIT: No party tonight. Fortunately

ellid gave me a heads up to call first, and sure enough, T and J and one of the kitties are all not doing well :( T's on the mend at least. So, a quiet night tonight, and a quiet day tomorrow. Probably a good thing, with the running around we've been doing.