Christmas, New Years Eve and Other Things

Not much to report – life is busy, but not much of it is fun to read about. Christmas was good, I spent it with Tobias’ family. I admit I felt a bit homesick though. I didn’t spend last Christmas with my family either, since I was working then. The homesickness had passed by Christmas Day, though (for those of you who don’t know, Christmas Eve is the big celebration day here). Tobias and I had some very nice presents, witch clearly had our marriage in mind; covers, toolbox, drill/screwdriver etc. Very much appreciated.

I was more than a bit nervous about his gift to me – I knew he was sure I’d like it, which made me even more nervous, since he’d never made me a present before. Not a real, wrapped up one, anyway. When I opened it, it was a book I had seen last spring, and mentioned to him once (not that I have a memory about mentioning it to him), a book about chickens. Different kinds of chickens, their care, food, and housing, everything you’d like to know about them, filled with beautiful pictures. I want to live in the country eventually, and I’ve always wanted chickens, so this was a perfect gift, and proved he knows me very well. I got tears in my eyes when I saw it.

Unfortunately, my gift to him got stuck somewhere (stupid, snowy, coldest-in-a-century Scandinavian winter….), and still has not arrived, which had me greatly disappointed. Ah well, it’ll have to be a New Years gift instead, I suppose. I got him a little something for Christmas instead.

On Boxing Day we, Tobias, I, his parents and siblings all went up to visit my family. They all went home again after a couple of days, but I’m still here. We had more wonderful presents, again with our future lives in mind. I got a food processor (yay, I’ve wanted one for years!), and Tobias got John Seymors book on self-sufficiency. Being almost as interested as me in a life in the country, and likewise as big a bookworm as I am, he’s spent quite a bit of time reading in it, and building castles in the air. Some of them will hopefully be realized in future.

My family and I spent a quiet New Years Eve at home, with good food, snacks and movies. My brother A and I were up way too late, watching a movie, and yesterday I didn’t go up until it was almost 11 am. I missed Tobias a great deal, and even more so after he called me at midnight. Just a few more days though, and he’ll come to visit my family again.

In regards to the wedding, we’re spending a lot of time planning the open house. We have to work to a tight budget, but we’re sure it can still be nice. It just takes a bit more consideration. The plans for the wedding dress are progressing. I’ve bought a lot of cream cotton velvet for it, and the other day I bought the material for the veil. That was a special experience, even more so than buying the fabric for the dress. I’ve made so many dresses, so in a way this one doesn’t feel that much different – not yet anyway. The veil on the other hand is such a unique thing for brides. When my Mum and my brother J’s girlfriend helped me drape it over my head in the shop, to try out how it’d look, it was a very exciting moment. I had to try it again when we came back home. I pinned my hair up in the kind of style I want for the wedding, and quickly sewed the light tulle to a comb and tried it on. It looked almost exactly like I’ve pictured it in my mind. I’m beginning to be exited for this sewing project – and I haven’t been that about any sewing, knitting or embroidering for months, because of the wretched tiredness. Except for the giveaway pincushion some time ago, I haven’t done any sewing, knitting or embroidery at all for months…. It’s about time I return to my normal sewing routine.