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| Christmas Greetings |
Happy Christmas, everyone. Hope your day has been filled with joy and peace.
My daughter and I had a relaxed morning. I called family and friends to wish them for Christmas.
Then, at noon, we made a couple of gift deliveries. First, to my daughter's friend P's parents' home to drop off their gifts and the baby blanket. I stayed in the car while daughter took the gifts to the doorstop, but when P's parents came out to greet me, I got out of the car. They invited me in, but, I declined the invitation and we stood outside, in the warm sunshine, fully masked, and chatted a bit. They had gone to one of the Sri Lankan restaurants, yesterday, to pick up lunch and they were telling me how much they enjoyed the food (they are not Sri Lankan).
After that, we went to my cousin V's house to drop off their gifts. We went before the rest of the extended family arrived for Christmas lunch and visited with them for about 30 minutes. My daughter and I had our masks on. I was able to wish my cousin V, her husband, my cousin R (who is V's sister), V's twin daughters, the husband of one of the daughters and their two sons and personally hand them their gifts. I left the gift for V's son and his wife there for them. Poor cousin R was planning to fly out to Scotland, yesterday, to spend Christmas with her husband and daughter who are in Scotland, but, there was something wrong with her son's passport and so, they couldn't go. R was very upset, but, didn't want to go without her son.
After we came home, daughter and I had leftover pizza for our Christmas lunch, followed by a slice of pie and some fresh pineapple. Then, we both took naps on the sofa!
By the way, the raccoons were back, last night, and daughter got to see them. This afternoon, I discovered that they had dug up around my apple seedling:
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| Raccoon Activity |
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| They almost dug up the apple seedling! |
I smoothed out the soil and put some small rocks on top to try and deter the raccoons from digging in there again:
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| Replanted Apple Seedling |
I kept the hand spade stuck in the pot hoping that the scent of my hand on the handle might help to keep the raccoons away. Not sure if that will work or not! I hope the little apple seedling will survive being almost dug up!
Today, I am grateful for:
- Having daughter home for Christmas
- Visiting with family and friends and exchanging gifts with them
- Another sunny and warm (82F) day
- A safe drive to cousin's house and back
- Christmas greetings and well wishes from family and friends
Today's joyful activity was celebrating the day with family and friends. Such a blessing to be able to do so.
Plans for tomorrow might or might not include a return visit to cousin V's depending on how we are all feeling and some tidying up around the house.
What are your plans for tomorrow?
I hope you can deter the raccoons from digging up your plant pot! Today I am in no hurry to get dressed, in fact I am going back to bed as my cough kept me awake most of the night. I was down on the couch so I wouldn't disturb DH. It is around 14°F here and I was wondering if it was cold where you are, as we heard of plummeting temperatures all over the US.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bushlady. I might need to cover the top of the pot with some chicken wire and find a way to tie down the chicken wire so that the raccoons can't pull it off!
DeleteOh, I'm so sorry your cough kept you awake last night. Hope you were able to take a nap and hope you are feeling better. Honey is supposed to soothe a throat and help with a cough. Lemon, too, is supposed to help.
We've had a couple of warm (80F) temperatures over the weekend and today we have a high of 78F. But, tomorrow is supposed to be rainy and cool (as in the mid 60s, that is. :D )
It sound like you had a lovely time visiting with friends and family, I glad you enjoyed yourselves.
ReplyDeleteI do hope the raccoons haven't damaged the apple seedling and that it recovers from their digging. It'll be interesting to see if they stay away from it now. I hope so!
I'm spending another day at home. I have tested negative but everyone I know has covid in the house or have been in close contact with it and are expecting to get it, so we've decided to stay apart and not meet up again until everyone has recovered. That's all my siblings, their children and grandchildren, plus all my close friends ... not a brilliant end to the year! I'm trying out some new piano music today so wish me luck 😉 xx
It was good to see family and friends. I decided not to go back to cousin V's today and spent most of the morning on the phone with my step-aunt (step-father's sister) who is 92 years old; she has several medical problems and has been in and out of the hospital, recently, but, mentally she is sharper than I am!
DeleteI'm glad you've tested negative for Covid, but, sorry all your family and friends are having or has been exposed to Covid. Glad everyone is taking precautions not to give it to others. Hope you can all get together in the new year.
Have fun trying out the new music! I have a new book I bought last year that I haven't even tried yet - I think I'll start playing it by myself for fun. I won't be taking formal lessons though as I found it too stressful!
So lovely taking gifts to others. I had a simple Christmas brunch at a daughter's home. Our larger family gathering was postponed due to some having covid. Hope you and your daughter have a safe and happy time over the rest of Christmas/New Year
ReplyDeleteI love the gift giving aspects of Christmas. I'm glad you were able to enjoy Christmas brunch with a daughter. I think a lot of people are postponing large family gatherings due to Covid, this year. Thank you for the well wishes, Ratnamurti. I hope you, too, have a safe and happy New Year.
DeleteIt's nice that you and your daughter were able to visit and drop off gifts to the people in your life.
ReplyDeleteWe did not end up having our traditional visit to our friend's house on New Year's Eve. She has been sick several more times since having Covid in July. My husband and I talked and we decided we weren't comfortable visiting this year. She is a close friend and understood completely when I told her. (I do sense that other friends do not understand why we are still so cautious but everyone is different.)
And then mid week she came down with another illness! The poor thing was so sick and was not able to be with her parents and siblings on Christmas for the first time in the 59 years of her life.
I took her a Christmas bag full of teas and NyQuil which is what she asked for when I asked if I could bring her anything. Yesterday my husband dropped off some ham for her from Christmas.
(All left on her steps - no in person exchanges!!! lol)
Talking to her yesterday she said she is starting to feel better so that is good.
Those raccoons better leave your baby apple seedling alone! I think you've devised a good barrier of defense and I like the scented handle of the trowel as a further line.
Maybe put some of your hair in the pot too :)
I'm so sorry to hear that your friend has been so ill and you were unable to have your traditional visit with her. But, I think it is wise of you not to risk getting infected. I wish more people were cautious! You and your husband were still good friends, dropping off soothing teas and some food for her. I hope she continues to feel better and recover soon.
DeleteGood idea to add some of my hair to the pot with the apple seedling!
Oh dear, the raccoons really went to town, didn't they? I hope no lasting damage was done. Sounds as if you spent a lovely day with a nice mix of activities. So nice to have the day as you want it, with daughter there too.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't very pleased with the raccoons, especially since they ate all the cat's food, too! So they didn't need to go digging in the garden! At least they haven't tried getting at my passionfruits!
DeleteIt was a good way to spend Christmas - a little socializing (masked to keep risks to a minimum) and a quiet relaxed rest of the day with my daughter, plus plenty of treats! :D
Sounds like a lovely day of gifting gifts and chatting with friends.
ReplyDeleteRaccoons can be so mischievous. They are cute, but can be not good for the garden.
It was a good day, Sharon, made better by the fact that my daughter was well and home with me!
DeleteRaccoons are definitely cute, but, they can do some damage to the garden! They seem to have chased away the possums, too!
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ReplyDeleteI had forgotten about your Merry Christmas blocks! Belated Christmas wishes, Bless. Better late than never :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jules; Christmas wishes are never too late! :D I know you were not well during Christmas, but, I hope you enjoyed a good Christmas, all the same. And I hope the New Year will bring you good health and much happiness.
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