Tea and Tissues

Green tea with honey & lemon

Our daughter and her family left this morning for a nine hour drive home. They've been here since Christmas and we've all had a wonderful time. Once I developed a head cold, I quarantined myself in the bedroom with tea and tissues and a book for amusement when I wasn't sleeping. The rest of the family went about the business of having a good time.

My brother and his family (thirteen altogether) drove up yesterday from the Denver area to celebrate our mom's 92nd birthday a couple of days early. I was the only one who didn't attend but they wouldn't have wanted me there accompanied by my cold germs. I glad they all had a good time.

There are lots of tasks waiting to be done getting the house back in post-Christmas order again but I'm not motivated to do any of that yet. I don't have much going on this next week, thank goodness, so I can concentrate on getting well.

Danish Paper Heart Baskets for Christmas

My friend Jane came over yesterday so I could teach her how to make Danish paper heart baskets. These have been a tradition in our family ever since we were married forty-nine years ago. All of Wayne's grandparents were from Denmark and the family retained many Danish Christmas customs here in the United States. My mother-in-law taught me to make these hearts in the early years of our marriage and they have been on our tree every year, each filled with sweet treats. This one is designated for one of our grandchildren who will be here on the 25th.

Christmas in the Rockies

We'll be at home this Christmas with family here to make it especially merry. I've been so busy sewing doll clothes, shopping, decorating, wrapping, sending cards and all those other pre-holiday tasks that I haven't taken time to update this blog.

Tomorrow I'll be hosting my Friday Afternoon Quilting group. For dessert I'll serve caramel apple cheesecake which I'll make this afternoon as soon as Wayne gets home from the market with the ingredients. I hope to get a few more Christmas letters sent today and I'll finish up the Christmas Crackers to enclose in our Christmas package to our Andersen grandchildren. I have holiday music playing and a pot of tea. The weather is cold, snowy and frequently windy so it's nice to stay inside.

Above is a photo of Estes Park at twilight, a beautiful sight.