Laowai

The sheep are back – in my view – where I can peek at them as I glance out the window throughout the day. I appreciate how small farms are scattered in amongst towns. The barns and animals are so close to where people live here. There is something so pleasing to seeing the sheep just quietly doing what sheep do. Yesterday we had a very stormy day and night and then this morning we woke up to sun. So as I puttered around the house I saw the sheep gradually settle down to bask in the sun. I had to go out for a walk and get a little sun myself.

Claire’s room is disappointingly brown. Part of the reason is that I bought her a rug that I though was white but actually it’s a horrible shade of dull beige. Oops.

A couple recent additions have brightened the room up a little – the Pajaki chandelier craft and a new dresser. The dresser that I brought with us from the US was a tall slim dresser. Unfortunately it wasn’t working because Claire couldn’t reach the top two drawers. So I found a new dresser at a Brocki. It’s a sturdy and fancy little two drawer dresser that I fell in love with. It was a surprising purchase because it’s very different from the furniture style I usually gravitate to. But I keep imagining it in our French style house back in the US. In Claire’s room, which I think of as the most girly room in the house. I think it could be so lovely even alongside some modern furniture. It’s a compact feminine statement. I had to add four little pulls because it only had a key to open (and lock) the drawers. I found the most French-ornate pulls I could.

I also hung the Pajaki that I made for Christmas above the dresser. It’s pretty and fun. 

So Claire’s room still need some work but I love the new additions!

Oh and I think Claire E. like the additions too.

A what??? A pajaki – it’s a traditional Polish Christmas craft – a paper chandelier. The Design Sponge blog has a nice explanation of the history of pajaki. I had been seeing them on Pinterest and I wanted to make one for Claire. They are all about more is more and I find them so beautiful in a young, exuberant kind of way. I thought it would be perfect hanging in Claire’s room. I used some fly-tying stuff like bright fluffy yarns and shiny lures from my dad’s stash. So it has a little sentimental value too.

Here it is as I made it. I don’t remember when I’ve had so much fun making a craft (and I have fun making crafts!).

I started with two big metal rings that I wrapped in fabric. Then the process of adding and adding layer upon layer was so fun.

Here it is finished. I’ll take some photos with a plain wall behind after we hang it in Claire’s room.

Anyone want to make one with me when I come to the US? Did I mention it’s super fun?

This season is filled with treats! Sweet treats! It was Bea’s turn to take a treat to her student council meeting this week. We tried a new chocolate buttercream recipe that is definitely going to be a keeper. These days she can make a cake (or cupcakes) all by herself with me sitting on the sidelines giving her some tips and reminding her not to make a gigantic mess. So different from a few years ago.

Also this week we had a little gingerbread man party. About eight of the girls’ friends were able to come over and decorate gingerbread men with us. It turned out to be really fun. Along with hoarding some molasses, I’ll be re-stocking our stash of sprinkles and sugar decorations when we go back to the US. 

Here’s what my dustpan looked like after the party- it makes me happy.

I bought a string of Christmas lights (since our US ones won’t work here). The girls wanted to do the thing where you set the camera’s shutter speed to really slow and then dance around in the dark draped with the Christmas the lights. Fun!

I had a lot of fun planning and making our Thanksgiving meal. And the lovely group of friends that gathered around our table made it a wonderful day.

Bea rolled her eyes at me (which she seems to do that all the time) when I was setting the table early in the morning. She said I was over-planning, but she doesn’t understand that setting the table is my favorite part. My second favorite thing must be the smell of the house on Thanksgiving day.

Right as the turkey was coming out of the oven it started snowing! 

It kept snowing while we ate our meal.

Then, after we ate, we went outside for a magical walk with huge snowflakes that got stuck in our eyelashes. 

I had a nice quiet morning the next day with a cup of hot cider. I had to review my list of all the important things coming up – all the shopping and decorating and planning and baking.

And today I’m elbow deep in gingerbread dough – we’re having some friends over to decorate gingerbread men on Wednesday. I’ve been using my precious brown sugar and molasses. Stay tuned for pictures of gingerbread men.

I am surprised that Black Friday is a big thing over here – at least in the UK and a few places around Switzerland. It’s another example of a sad export from America. So I did some Black Friday shopping. Well, really I was just doing some normal grocery shopping and I didn’t get any deals. I stocked up for the Thanksgiving that we will host on Sunday. As usual I paid a comparatively ridiculous amount of money for a turkey. Then I got a free candy bar when I checked out – clever – from the Frey chocolate company. 

I did NOT buy any candy canes – because they cost over two francs ($2.14) each!!! 

UPDATE: Jennifer informed me that she got a dozen for $1.00. Good grief – these Swissies don’t even know what a dozen is.

This year I am feeling especially thankful for all the special loved ones I have in Michigan. The people who gave me big long hugs and showed their support to mom and Jennifer and I after my dad died. These people are family – family that I don’t see very often but that I still feel close to because there is just something about family. Thank you for commenting on my silly blog, thank you for embracing me and looking out for my mom, thank you for being there when I need you.

Now go eat some turkey and enjoy your Thanksgiving!

Gobble gobble! (Claire made that turkey out of some things she found – my clever girl)