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Good Morning. We are now in the season of Advent, the waiting has begun.
Currently Reading: I've started my Christmas reading a little earlier than originally intended, mainly because the books I requested from the library arrived earlier than I expected. I started with book 1 of a 4 book series; Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand . It was a simple easy read & one I quite enjoyed after reading some topic heavy manuals earlier in the week. I have book two on order, Winter Storms. In the finishing the first book, I have started to be interested in the family the story centres around. I am not totally connected to them all yet, but maybe by book 4 I will be. I'm rooting for love that conquers past hurts & lost love . Also, for me, it's not too sweet as to make my back teeth ache.
I have also started to read a favourite discovery from last year, Christmas Days, 12 Stories and 12 Feasts for 12 days by Jeanette Winterson. What I liked about this book, was the sense of whimsy, a sense of possible magic & definitely some sense of miracles, along with a splash of reality. This is the perfect season to get a good helping of believing in the miracles & the magic. I am reading this one slowly, a chapter a night, hoping to make it linger in my run up to Christmas.
Currently Watching: On Sunday, being the first Sunday in Advent, I watched via uTube (thank you technology) the service from Canterbury Cathedral. What a choir!
Currently Enjoying: the ease & quiet of a new washer & dryer. And it only took 3 days to catch up on the accumulated laundry in the 10 days I was without washer/dryer. I call that a life win!
Currently Decorating: I've started the slow process of decorating. It is earlier than my normal start date of December 1st. I was feeling that trying to get everything done, including decorating both trees, was too much to expect of myself on the first of December. Starting on first Advent Sunday was, I thought, not too early & it keeps pressure of doing it all in 24 hours off my shoulders. Horse tree in the family is done.
And I will leave you with this thought ... " it is the beautiful task of Advent to awaken in all of us, memories of goodness and thus to open the doors of hope "... Pope Benedict XVI
I also put the wreaths on our front doors on Sunday ... first time I have actually put one on the main outside door, because my ribbon wreath is now on the inside front door, so I am hoping that no one will steal the outside one!
ReplyDeleteFun fact ... my friend's brother sings with the choir in Canterbury cathedral.
We are currently watching SAS: Rouge Heroes on the BBC.
Well please share with friend's brother, that the singing has made a big impact this side of the pond. Isn't technology wonderful to bring us together. OH I do hope no one takes your outdoor wreath - how wicked if someone does. I'll have to check if we get SAS this side of the pond.
DeleteHopeful wishes for Advent...love the quote.
ReplyDeleteThank you Barbara. This quote was a very happy find - it really speaks to me.
DeletePleased to hear that you soon got back up to date with all the laundry - now if only there was an automatic ironer!
ReplyDeleteI think that I may gradually introduce our decorations this year to save it becoming quite a bit task on the day before Paul's birthday, maybe I'll do everything else and leave the tree until then.
I am, so far, finding the slow decorating to be more effective in that I am getting things arranged rather than just placed in a hurry. Plus there's an element that I get to reflect on why I have kept "this item" after the great Christmas purge a couple years ago. I think personal birthdays & Christmas colliding during the season can be a bit of a challenge. I have several friends that celebrate birthdays either on Christmas Day or the run up to & they always felt their birthdays took 2nd focus. :(
DeleteI have a copy of Christmas Days, 12 Stories and 12 Feasts for 12 days as well. I haven't started reading it yet this year though.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you've caught up with your washing and that you are pleased with your new washer and dryer. I can only sympathise with the ironing though ... something I avoid whenever possible.
Will we see a photo of the horse tree, pretty please?
Once we get some sunnier days I do plan to take photos of both trees & the cats with Santa (staged at home). Ironing - I cannot remember the last time I ironed something. (col).
DeleteNot having a liturgical background, I hadn’t realized that Advent had begin for some.
ReplyDeleteI did not know that not all churches participate in Advent (church new year) in some format or other. Good to know.
DeleteWe finished our decorating this afternoon. Our tree almost always takes more than a day to get all the lights working properly. We've always started decorating the day after Thanksgiving since we leave for Wisconsin the day after Christmas. I love my house when it's all decorated. This year I kept some of it a bit simpler, and I'm happy with it. I'm reading two books for Advent this year--a daily devotional which I already love, and a book for my study group: Holy Disruption: Discovering Advent in the Gospel of Mark. One of our pastors is also leading a weekly discussion group around that book, and I hope to participate in that as well. Love the quote from Pope Benedict XVI. Happy Advent!
ReplyDeleteKaren I am sure your house looks divine with all the Christmas finery. I like simpler Christmas decorating & as I wrote about it, I stopped having my house look like Christmas threw up here. I'm participating in two online Advent studies - one features the role of women in the bible with the back drop of climate changes - it shall be interesting how the leader ties the two together!
DeleteA lovely sentiment, MaryLou. You are definitely ahead of the game so will be able to remain cool and collected during December. Thanks for the book suggestion.
ReplyDeleteHa Ha Chris, cool calm & collected during Christmas, I can only hope to inspire to that. Thankfully as I've said we have reduced the adult gift giving & we all agreed to an easy theme of food, that takes so much stress out of what, where to get gifts.
DeleteSounds like you are doing well on this Monday. I just took down and put away the Fall/Thanksgiving decorations and I think I will wait a week or two before I decorate for Christmas. :)
ReplyDeleteThere seems to be many camps of when the right time is to decorate for Christmas. Of course for us with Thanksgiving in October, it would be way too early to start then, or at least IMO (col). I say when YOU want to do it, is the right time. :)
DeleteI'd forgotten about Advent. Hubby wants to wait for Christmas decor until Dec. 1st. I sorta ignored him!
ReplyDeleteI'm lucky that Mr Man gets on board with what ever I'm doing to decorate for Christmas. It's the taking down that we often discuss; I want to start the New Year without Christmas lingering, he wants to go to Twelve Night.
DeleteI like your quote :) Seasonal music tends to focus on Christmas, and I like the reminder that there is Advent music to enjoy in these days of preparation.
ReplyDeleteThanks, that quote was a real happy find. The Canterbury service felt seasonal without being Christmas full on. I did not know there were so many "other" choices. Another happy find :)
DeleteGlad you enjoyed the service from Canterbury Cathedral. I missed it. We had an Advent meal at sister's (not a family fixture, but she is and has been away so much that it seemed like a good idea) and she tried to get another service (can't remember which) to play on her phone through her speakers and it wouldn't work. However my online Advent calendar has given me two doses of Christmas music to date, so that is something!
ReplyDeleteDuring the height of the 2020 lockdowns I started watching Canterbury's Wednesday morning chats with the bishop. Usually he was in the garden & it was like sitting with a friend chatting. Of course Kings College choir at Christmas is a must. The online Advent calendar certainly has IMO a better selection of music this year.
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