the eve of a new year

A new year is fast approaching and I am thinking about my list of resolutions. I have made a list for many years now, and I try to keep it within realistic terms, nothing too wild or fanciful. The top of my list usually is health and fitness related, trying some new exercise regime or renewing an old one. I think last year my list included getting back into yoga, which sadly did not become a reality. I have'nt done any yoga for a few years and I can't seem to get back into for reasons unexplainable.

Lately, in the past few months, I have been using my handweights while watching tv and taking power walks 2 or 3 times per week. It seems like I have to really force myself to do both, instead of just naturally incorporating the habits into my daily routine. Why do I hate to exercise? In the past, I have had several gym memberships and I can't remember if I dutifully went or otherwise. My body is slowly losing tonality and it scares me a little. I hate to look at myself dressing in the mirror now and you would think those two things would send me running back to the exercise mat. But no, I guess I have sort of resigned myself to this feeling of 'Oh well .......ce sera sera'. Maybe as we age we give in and resign and say 'that's okay'. It's not the end of the world if we have a rounded tummy or cellulite on our thighs. It's okay if we don't look like a celebrity or supermodel.

On the other side of the coin, being physically fit is more about health and wellness and respect for the body. If we treat our bodies well, through eating and exercise, we can live longer, be healthier and hopefully ward off disease and disorder. That should be the real goal of exercise. Now if only I could follow this good advice, and stick to some mode of exercise in the next year. My list also includes giving up or decreasing some bad habits: less junk food, pepsi, coffee, chips, cookies. My delicious bad habits, of which I indulge much too frequently, should be occasional treats and not a part of my daily diet. That will be goal no. 2.

For the past 5 years the first two resolutions have always been the same.

I hope someday that I will not have to write them down on the list any longer and that they will become a part of my life, and not have to be enforced.

Yeah....right!

Christmas lights

photos of houses in our neighbourhood. The first one is fuzzy but I like it anyway. The last one is our house.

One of my favorite things about the Christmas season is looking at all the pretty lights on houses and trees. Steve wanted to use the new blue LED lights and we got two different shades of blue. It's a nice effect I think. I saw greenish turquoise lights that I would like to get to put around the windows for next year.

Christmas photos

Here are a few photos of Christmas at our house:


Even though we have a real fireplace we like to play this fireplace DVD cos it has a nice soundtrack.


Me and Mama - Christmas dinner. I look exhausted from cooking and from very little sleep on Christmas Eve.

Unwrapping the gifts

Happy Holidays

vintage card


mixing the dough for fruitcake hermit cookies

ready for the oven


the finished product ready to eat!

our festive diningroom window

Yes, it was happy indeed at our house. We made merry, we ate much, and shared gifts. I managed to make 4 kinds of cookies-gingerbread, brandy molasses roll ups, fruitcake hermits and chocolate shortbread(almost recovered from the accident) and made my napkin rings, sewed up the placemats although I did'nt finish Eddies' stocking or make my chocolate cherry morsels. Maybe I'll make them in a few days or try a new recipe so I can use my new shiny red beautiful Kitchen Aid processor. That was my best present this Christmas, and I thank Steve for indulging me so. I also received the flatiron for my bad hair days, about 6 books on cooking, fabric, interior design and the new Audrey Hepburn book (thanks Joe!). Santa was good to me as always and I loved all my gifts. I am also thankful for the company of family and even though not everyone could make it this year, it was very pleasant being surrounded by loved ones and seeing how much everyone enjoyed the holiday.

God bless us everyone

This santa is very old and has been hung on the Roberts Christmas tree for many years

I do hope everyone has a lovely Christmas and lots of good food, nice presents and holiday cheer. I'm going to make gluuheim tonight - a german mulled spice wine and we'll have a nice selection of cheeses and dips. It will just be Steve and me for Christmas eve, since our guests won't be arriving until Christmas Day.
Looking forward to watching The Christmas Story - the boy who wants the Red Rider bb gun, and my favorite movie A Christmas Carol with Alistar Sim.

It's NOT looking a little bit like Christmas!

my antique tray from Goodwill, all cleaned up

our tree
my beaded napkin rings

Rain today! Yuk! Drat! Ick!
I want some snow in southern ontario, now, please!!
I wish they could send all the excess snow from Colarado here so we can have a white Christmas. (I do hope all the Christmas travellers make it to their destinations.)
We had to go to the dreaded mall yesterday to snag a few more gifts. Unfortunately Whitby does'nt have much in the way of small cute shops like Toronto does. So we found parking, 2 miles from the mall it seemed, and went in like brave soldiers to join the swarm of people in a mall that never ends, trying to find the music store, Old Navy and a few others. Man, what chaos.
It's no fun trying to weave your way through a sea of people who don't really look where they're going. GRR!
It's not enjoyable to line up with 8 people already ahead of you, each holding 3-4 items, and then have the check out clerk ask for a price check. ARG!
It's certainly not entertaining to have to search for your car for 15 minutes, then line up for another 15 minutes just to exit the mall parking lot. AHH!
My sister was smart. She used her head and bought everything online, and had everything waiting on her doorstop. Stress-free, hassle-free, and easy peasy.
I've learned my lesson, and how! Next year will be the beginning of a new shopping tradition. Thanks sis!
This will likely be my last blog until the 27th or so.
I wish everyone the merriest, happiest Christmas!


the decoration at the park near us