Rainy Advent Days

FOR TODAY

Outside my window...
Cold, rainy, dreary, and dark.  While we were away for 5 days visiting family over Thanksgiving, all the beautiful autumn leaves fell from the trees and the grass finished turning brown for the winter.  We came home to a very dreary neighborhood brightened only by the Christmas lights that folks put up.  I never thought I'd say this, but thank goodness for those earlybirds!  And, while much of the rest of the country contends with snow and ice, we still have rain.

I am thinking...
about whether my slowness to celebrate Christmas, waiting until Dec. 25, that is, actually translates into a love of Jesus and joy for His coming in my children's eyes.

I am thankful...
That we got to see my dad and sister, and we had a pretty nice trip, ridiculously long drive notwithstanding.

From the school table...
Monday.  Monday.  Rainy.  Cold.  Monday.  Fire in the fireplace.  Does any of that spell P.r.o.d.u.c.t.i.v.i.t.y to you?  Me, neither.

In the kitchen...
Last night it was totally gluten-free white mac and cheese.  The pasta was rice, quinoa, and corn (I think), with white cheddar cheese.  The sauce was thickened with arrowroot powder instead of flour.  *I* thought it was great; no one else complained, so I think it was alright.  Normally, someone would say something, however mild.  But we ended the white dinner with chocolate (not white) fudge with crushed candycanes and hot chocolate for the Immaculate Conception of Mary.

I am wearing...
Jeans and long, grey cardigan.  It matches the weather.  Cushy, fur-lined Uggs which are cozy for putting my feet up and knitting, but are the worst for walking the dog in the rain.  Yes, the feet stay warm and dry, but the pace slows to a crawl since they're so hard to walk in.  How do young people wear these things????

What I’m doing with fiber...
Knitting a hat for Meg.  I'll show you Wednesday (I hope), but I can't wait to be finished with it.  It's bamboo yarn and I hate it!  My hands are so sore, especially my right wrist which is not capable of lifting anything moderately heavy because of the stupid yarn.  I have another ball of this yarn, and I think I'll post it for sale on Ravelry because I dread the thought of knitting with it.

Ha! Done with that.  The wrist is slowly healing; still requires ice on a daily basis.  I'm working on a lovely, merino wool sock now that does not hurt.

I am going...
To avoid running around in this weather, but my resolve is inversely proportionate to the things I need to do.

I am wondering...
When it will ever stop raining.

I am reading...
My new bedtime reading book is Les Miserables.  At 5 minutes per night....That's about 10 years worth of reading based on some guy's estimate that it took him 45 hours to read it.  I'm pretty sure there will be some skimming involved!

I am looking forward to...
A peaceful Advent season.  And Christmas, especially having my children all together for a few days.

Around the house...
Lots of laundry today.  Blankets crumpled up everywhere.

One of my favorite things...
Sunny skies.

A few plans for the rest of the week...
The usual.  School, carpools, AHG, a Christmas concert at school.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...
We cut off the end of the Christmas tree, so now we have Jesse's "stump" for the Advent wreath!  It even has a tiny sprout on the side.  lol.


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