I hope you all survived the holidays. If you're reading this, well done. I know for some of you it is not the easiest of times to get through. I struggle a fair bit myself during this time. For me, it's hard to pinpoint exactly why. I feel like a fraud. I paste on my happy smile and go through the motions but inside, I'm not really feeling it. I have moments of actual joy. Those are nice. I try to savour them. Most of the time I can hardly wait for the festive season to be over.
We did erect our Christmas tree.
Note the protective force around the tree.
Jackie was on a mission to take all the presents from around the bottom of the tree and redistribute them to more appropriate locations around the house, like in front of the patio doors to go out to the backyard and the in the shower. I'm sure she had her reasons.
Little Man is not so little anymore. He celebrated his 17th birthday!
Yes. He is counting all the candles. There were 17 on the cake!
I surprised both of us with his Cherry Chocolate Cheesecake.
That was quite the adventure in the kitchen.
Jo helped me out with some of the technical parts.
It's in situations like these, where the differences between us really shine.
I'm more of an, eyeball it, approximate to the best of my ability.
Jo is really, exact measurements, follow instructions to a T.
Either way, it works for us.
I found the recipe here on The First Year blog.
It was a bit tricky. That could just be my lack of experience.
This cake was worth the hardship.
I tried my best to follow the recipe. The only difference was I had frozen cherries on hand.
They did not seem to compromise the taste.
We visited with my parents for New Years. I can't believe I never attempted this before but, I made more of an effort to photograph the regions of Quebec and Ontario from the vehicle as we drove along.
I managed to capture some wonderful images.
While visiting with my parents, we did enjoy the squirrel antics.
This time they were joined by Doves and Blue Jays.
Back at home, we enjoy our feathery daily visitors.
They actually come pretty close to the back patio doors to let me know when their feed is empty.
To get over the winter blues, Jackie and I try to get out as often as possible. The last few weeks however, have been trying. We had a few ice storms and today, lots of snow. that did not stop Jackie from exploring our local nature trail.
It was just us and the ducks today. With all the snow, our walk was incredibly peaceful and calming. We both needed that.
We recently acquired a new family member!
This is Little Man's kitten, Luna!
With all the attention Napoleon pays her, you would think Luna was actually Napoleon's cat.
It always surprised me how maternal Napoleon can be. He was the same when we welcomed Rorschach into the fold. Constantly monitoring their every action. Making sure they go to the litter box. Ensuring they eat and drink properly. He really is quite the marvel in his old age.
Jackie is not really sure what to make of the little one. She is quite hesitant to approach Luna. She does regularly inspect her but, it's not at all how she was like with Rorschach when he was a kitten. We suspect it's because Luna is female.
Finally, I have been knitting.
I completed a pair of Basketwork Socks designed by Mone Drager.
The only modification I made was not to continue the basketwork at the back of the sock. I just found it too tight.
I also just started working on Rainbow Wave Socks, designed by Christina Danaee.
Oooh. That photo came out darker than I intended.
The only modification I am making on this pair is not having a contrasting colour. I just can't seem to locate that particular ball of yarn and I really do not want to tear up the house looking for it! I am actually okay with just the variant sock choice.
I think I covered everything.
If there is a photo that you would like to use as a reference, feel free. Just please, show me how it turns out. I would love to see your efforts!
I hope everything is going well with you.
Happy 2020!
