A wonderful time of year
Sunday 23 Dec 2007
Taught a small class; half the students gone on their travels already, the other half not sure if the building would be open (nor was I until I arrived: it opens officially the minute our class officially begins). We did it semi-private style which I deeply love as I get to know the students more deeply. My classes have been so large lately I feel neglectful of a few despite efforts to interact in awareness with everyone each time. Fortunately they all wanted essentially the same things today! Very fun atypical class, using props and special asanas not appropriate/available for the general group.
Too much noise to talk and the men running though, so not much use talking to my friend on her drive north, but so lovely to listen and get caught up. And amazed how much more at ease I feel knowing she is in a great situation now… While listening I was too quiet a few times; I so miss our talks.
In the evening my other local current friend arrived with his daughter and a gift; amazing cookies he and his delightful daughter had made (cinnamon-oatmeal-chocolate chip protein cookies of his own recipe; he’d run a B&B/conference center for some years and as with all people I love to be with, everything he does he does very well indeed! And tickets to our favorite arts theatre. So good to see him so throughly content, anticipating his son’s arrival as well.
Monday Christmas Eve
Morning brought welcome emails from college friends. Later the postman delivered a packet from my dear friend; a note, photos and a belt for the silk sari she had given me during her last visit. Lovely distractions amid the flurry of preparing a meal and ambience for our afternoon/evening guests.
A small gathering again this year!
Despite my injunctions a week in advance and having the entire weekend to get ready, the men did not do any work on the house until this morning. But it looked great when our guests arrived. (My nerves remain frazzled- last minute is marginally acceptable! I ended not making my honey-flax whole-grain biscuits as it was too much distraction… the timing on rising, etc. As it was the guests all arrived just as the butter was hot for the roux!)
5 travelers actively interested in coming, only one could, my husband’s cousin, one of the sanest people I know (and his only female blood relative aside of the children, all girls. The rest of us women married into the family are on excellent terms so it was a merry gathering, 5 couples and our ungraduated children). All were my husband’s relatives. Surprisingly the one dish I invented went well; sweet potatoes and Japanese purple yams (which retain their sweetness and unique flavor but are not dry in this version) cut as for French fries (I love my food processor!) baked (covered loosely) on low in butter-olive oil combined, sautéed shallots, and powdered herbs de Province, turmeric, kosher salt, telicherry pepper. They thought the sweetened traditional sweet potatoes were stewed apples.
One guest did not arrive with her family; she had been at the emergency room this morning for (!) kidney stones and was so glad for the quiet even as we missed her and enjoyed having her girls here. As two are teens and the others rather younger I though there would be awkwardness at the “children’s table” but they chatted merrily the entire time, and I was amazed at the sophistication of their group’s conversation.
Even without her, all was well with the uncle and aunt. Sort of. Their dementia and Altzheimers, respectively, has progressed enough that they were eerily quiet for them, who usually dominate the conversation. The uncle only twice, weakly, exhibited his trademark humor (fully developed in my husband’s wonderful father; I’ll forever miss him and his sharp, amusing, accurate wit, his gentle kindness and insight. What a man).
I’d guessed right on the juggling scarves and the recipient knew how to use them just enough to need few pointers to get going again, and even half the adults gave it a shot when I showed them how (the things one learns in school- our teacher was unusually competent and gave us enough techniques we could move on on our own).
I’d made chain maille bracelets for the girls as one of their gifts: two were intrigued enough to ask how to do it, so after dessert we had an impromptu class. One did quite well at it, taking home chain maille fabric (European 4 in1) she had made herself. The two professional handcrafters in our group, surprisingly, did not give self-made gifts this year.
So nice to have such good company.