I've had a whirlwind of cookie baking, gift wrapping, Polar Express rehearsals and shows (Annabelle's ballet), visiting and hosting, eating and eating and eating, and lots of love and friends and family. As usually happens on Christmas, we went to bed by eight last night, full and happy and ready to watch a movie with a wee dram of single malt. Last night's was PITCH PERFECT, a pitch perfect choice for tired middle aged elves. Annabelle was too busy reading HOW THINGS WORK to watch, and Sam had gone off to see DJANGO UNCHAINED. Elf Husband went to sleep straight away, and I stayed up until midnight reading. Then a dream-less sleep until this morning.
Today devoted to packing for our amazing trip to Norway (leaving tomorrow night). That means laundry and packing for two weeks, most of that on a ship to the Arctic Circle and beyond. Lots of books and games and a jigsaw puzzle, the travel coffee pot and two pounds of Pete's, peanut butter and Nutella for when smoked fish grows dull, long underwear and fleece everything. Two days in Bergen on the front end, two days in Oslo on the back end. I've been to Sweden and Denmark, both long ago, so I'm looking forward to adding this Scandinavian country to my travel experiences. I remember learning the word fjord in third grade and vowing to see one some day. Will see plenty next week! Also excited to visit the world's biggest gingerbread village in Bergen, and Munch and Ibsen museums in Oslo. Hopefully New Year's Eve will bring us a bright show of the Northern Lights as well as dog sledding!
Thank you all for the enormous response to last week's Washington Post essay. Below is a link to yesterday's New York Times editorial:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/25/opinion/a-prayer-at-christmas.html?_r=0
Happy 2013!
