Happenings

Christmas happened, as we knew it would, even without me doing anything particular to make it so, as also we knew. I did accomplish an assortment of things, but I am trying to learn how to relinquish the belief that my active agency is required at all times.

Anyway! Christmas.

It happened with snow:



This is, for what it's worth, possibly the first truly white Christmas I've ever seen in Maryland. Some years, when I was small, we'd get a dusting of snow and Maman would call that a white Christmas, but I never found that satisfactory. Now that I'm older I'm not sure I found all the digging out quite satisfactory, either, but I'm trying to focus on the prettiness rather than the drawbacks.

It happened with mince pies (and port):



These were made by cutting out rounds of pie crust and making little stuffed parcels out of them. Click through to Flickr for a triptych of photos showing how I did it. I made them this way because I didn't have sufficient numbers of tartlet pans. If you have dozens of 3-inch tartlet pans, go nuts. Or just eat the mincemeat straight out of the jar. Whatever makes you happy, really.

It happened with a sweater (finished on Christmas Eve even though I'd only been half a sleeve away for months):



Pattern and yarn details are on Flickr and Ravelry, for those who are curious. And now, I get to pick something to knit just for me. I was contemplating a scarf or shawl, but coming across the parking lot this morning, suddenly legwarmers sounded like a brilliant plan.

Christmas also brought a pile of lovely books to read (tagged as 'Christmas 2009' at Library Thing); a hobbling mate (the result of an unfortunate confluence of stairs, cats, and Vikings; everyone is fine, or will be, but it was more excitement than I wanted); and dueling cabbage salads (there was a miscommunication).

Next assignment: To find a recording of Strauss' Die Fledermaus in time for New Year's Eve.