Christmas 2020 is over, thank goodness. In retrospect, it really wasn't much worse or much better than past Christmases.
We put up the tree about a week before Christmas. Here it is, in all its glory:
This was a failed craft experiment from last year. I found it in my sewing room, buried under a stack of half-finished projects. It seemed perfectly representative of the year that 2020 has been. I pulled it out and plunked it down on a table in the living room with the comment, "Here's us a Christmas tree." It suited The Husband not to have to go up to the attic for our usual tree.
Because of the pandemic, we broke a couple of traditions this year. The Husband and I did not host our annual pre-Christmas gathering that we typically do the weekend before Christmas. It is generally never a big deal - just the kids, grandkids, and folks here on the hill. If the weather had been warm enough for us to hang out on the back porch, we might have gone through with it, but it wasn't warm, and we did not think an indoor gathering was advisable.
Nanny also did not do her big Christmas morning breakfast for the family. Same idea; not safe.
So, Christmas morning, The Husband and I exchanged presents and then went to visit our children and grandchildren. We wore our masks and didn't stay long at either of our sons' houses, but it was fine. I'd done most of my shopping online, and a few presents still haven't made it here, but the important stuff came in time.
I got The Husband a new ukulele for Christmas. This one is a tenor uke. He's got quite a collection now. He got me a new mandolin. Now I can't blame my terrible music skills on a cheap mandolin.
The Husband also got me a Richard Simmons chia pet. As soon as we came home from visiting the kids, I got Richard out and put the seeds on him. The instructions said to soak the chia seeds in a little bit of water for 10 minutes, then apply them to the head. Chia seeds, when wet, develop a gelatinous slime, and it's hard to get them to stick to the terra cotta. The seeds are supposed to sit, undisturbed, on the head to dry for a couple of days.
On Day 3, per the instructions, I filled the head with water. When I did, the seeds re-gelatinized, and Richard's chest hair slid off.
I tried to scoop it back where it belonged, but it wouldn't stay put.
Nanny came to see us after we got home from seeing the kids, and she brought us a quilt. Her mother had pieced the top 50 years ago, but never quilted it. Nanny hand-quilted it last year. I thought it was the sweetest gift, and especially timely, since the quilt on our bed is getting about as ragged as the above Christmas tree.
The hit gift among the grown-up kids was home-made hot honey mustard. The recipe came from my sister-in-law, who used to bring it to Thanksgiving and/or Christmas get-togethers. It is awesome with cheese or meat. The ingredients are mustard powder, sugar, vinegar, and eggs, and it is cooked to the consistency of custard. I made four batches, enough to give each of our sons (including our son from another mother) two jars. This stuff falls in the "nuclear" category; it's not a lingering, peppery hot, but it will take your breath away for a second, then it'll open your sinuses. My daughter-in-law said I should be selling it, but I'm not comfortable canning it since it has eggs in it. I called the county extension office and talked to the "home economist," and she wasn't comfortable with canning it, either. It supposedly stays good in the refrigerator for several months, but I imagine it'll be gone long before then,
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Today is the first day I've been home alone in weeks. The Husband was working from home the week I was exposed to covid. He decided to work from home the following week, too; in case in case I came down with the virus and exposed him, he didn't want to expose his office crew. Last week was his scheduled work-from-home week, so he was here all week again. I think he's happy to get out of the house, and I'm happy to be here by myself for a while. I need to be working on some new embroidery designs. I just wish it was warm enough to do the computer work on the porch.
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