Greetings and welcome to another of my Friday-flavored bits of fluff. A few photos and thoughts to follow below the fold and perhaps in the comments below that you'd be so kind as to share your own thoughts, photos if you've got ‘em.
Speaking of photos, our own Ojibwa should be recovering from knee surgery by now— and hopefully not too zonked on the anesthesia. In case he's not able to hop into the comments as he usually does and promote his Airplane Friday diary, I told him last week that I'd be posting a link for him:
Fly on over and rub a little rec-ointment on Ojibwa’s knee, if you would be so kind. Then I hope you’ll be joining me in the comments back here.
I'm thinking that next week I'd like to post a diary looking back on what I've contributed to Daily Kos over the last year. As I sit here in my cozy chalupa (special link for RiveroftheWest) pondering 2023 and weighing the good and the bad of it, I'm struck with the feeling that I probably shouldn't be weighing anything. It may be the Christmas cookies talking, or at least what of them I'll be carrying over the next few months.
That’s not to say that there haven't been other treats responsible for my surplus fluff.
We enjoyed our little tradition of visiting friends on the 24th. It begins with four of our friends from the neighborhood coming over to our apartment to sample our cookies and braided Christmas cake, and perhaps indulge in a few shot-glasses worth of interesting liquors that we might have sitting around. We get things off to an early start with the drinking.
Before we pack up and move on to their apartment, we always go for a walk together.
At our second stop, we are treated to our friend's family specialties. I looked forward to their dish of millet with wild mushrooms, topped with cheese. And more cookies of course.
I mostly behaved myself, in terms of alcohol consumption, but they had just returned from a family vacation in Central America and there was an interesting Mescal to sample.
And then our two families continued on to visit another friend.
Now she had Aronia, Black Elderberry and Walnut liquors to sample— all home-made, so how dould one refuse?
Eventually we made our way back to our respective homes. I'd done my part in preparing Christmas dinner the day before by gutting, skinning and portioning the carp and making the carp soup from the head and tail. Mrs the Werelynx had made the potato salad, but now she and #1 Son took on the frying of the breaded pork cutlets and the breading and frying of the fish.
After dinner, we were all called in to see the tree and the presents.
We've had a fairly busy week since then. More visits with family and a nice walk in the woods with Fabulous Mother-In-Law.
While out and about I saw something I’d never seen before: a flock of Magpies.
For some reason they were gathered together in a couple trees. There must have been around three dozen of them.
Now I'm nestled myself, in cozy comfort. Mrs the Werelynx and I are looking forward to spending New Year's Eve together out here in the country.
There’s a bit of a melancholy air about the place. The lads have other plans this year, so it's just the two of us. We plan to have Amazing Sister-In-Law and her boyfriend joining us, but normally we'd also be looking forward to another friend of ours joining us. Although I wasn’t personally affected by the recent mass shooting at the Philosophy Faculty of Charles University— our dear friend was. She didn't feel that she'd be in any mood to be around other people. Our friend works very closely with the hearing impaired community in Prague and many of the victims were friends of hers.
There are still black flags flying from the dormitories and other buildings associated with the university. Some towns have declared that they will be cancelling their New Year's fireworks displays as the survivors and the families and friends of the victims probably could do without all the noise.
I'm thinking I've had just about enough of 2023.
For another friend of ours that we'd also hoped to see this weekend, this year has brought some light into her life. She became a widow a few years ago and just three weeks ago she became a grandmother.
Here’s hoping the new year brings light into all of our lives. Um, no, doesn’t have to be a baby-- just light in general— I'm in no hurry to be a grandfather, you understand. No pressure on the lads. I mean, light, like just positive stuff. Could be somebody buys you a nice ice cream …
Thanks for stopping by.
This is an open thread.