We had a lovely Christmas. Full but not too busy. I meant to post something here over the holidays but I liked that not being too busy feeling so much I decided not to worry about it. I set up the tree and decorated the living room over the course of a few days a week or so before Christmas. We got a new fake tree this year and it turns out it is harder for the cats to climb. Maisie likes to grab the branches and lights. I only put up ornaments I was okay with her grabbing and we've spent part of each day since the tree went up walking around the house with today's pickings in her little hands. Sometimes she tries to put them back on the tree but it doesn't often work.

I finished Maisie's striped jumper in time for our Christmas festivities. It's a bit roomy so we'll be able to get plenty of wear out of it this winter and spring. I think it will work as a top when it gets too short to be a dress. We also had some special pajamas for wearing when we drove around to view the lights on Christmas Eve and for after Christmas dinner when Maisie had a bit of melt down from all the excitement.

I always love the week after Christmas. It's a little slower and there is lots of eating of leftovers and that lovely day where we put the remains of the turkey in a pot with some celery and an onion and put it all on the stove for a few hours. Even if I had no possible use for turkey stock I would still make it. Just for the lovely warm smell it fills the house with. Christmas week was particularly cold this year, with several days in a row where we didn't go above -38. Maisie, Abby and I missed going for our daily walks but it was just too cold to be out, even well bundled. Inside was very nice though. Rob was at home with us and there was a little sewing and some knitting and lots of snuggling together to watch movies on the couch. We had a power outage one night for a couple of hours but even that was kind of fun, in a chilly sort of way; everything was so quiet and it got so dark outside without any street lights on.