When you have the privilege of living in a very large, very lovely but very *old* house, it comes with a fair amount of upkeep. I really have no idea how my parents (especially my mother) do it on a day to day basis.
But this time of year it takes on a bit of a different kilt, because the house has to be prepped for the holidays and then has to be *transformed* for the holidays.
Some of you have been fortunate enough to see my house at Christmas, many of you never will – but trust me, it’s worth a visit. Back in the day, we used to throw huge Holiday Open Houses, which my mum would start cooking and baking for in January of the previous year, only to have people ask her who catered it (“no one” “no seriously who?” “no I mean it, no one, I do it myself”). Eventually it got to be too big and too expensive and we suspended the tradition for the foreseeable future, but I still have those nutmeg and eggnog memories…lingering just around the corner of my imagination.
But as I say, it takes work to make that magic. The house is never messy, but three people do live here and no one lives in Better Homes and Gardens magazine. So we’ve been gradually tidying things up and moving things around. Yesterday the garlands on the stairs went up, today the pictures came down and the Christmas puzzles went up or at least started to go up.
Also today….I got to bake.
I have so dearly missed baking. It’s one of those things that simply can’t be done ship-side. When I was in theatre college I would always bake when I was stressed or overtired, my fellow classmates could all tell when I’d had a restless night or afternoon because I’d walk into class the next day with a platter full of chocolate chip cookies. So today found me in the kitchen, trying not to get flour in my hair. And yes, I am one of those annoying girls who sort of …dances around the kitchen when she’s baking. I can’t help it I get it from my mother! Anyway the result was two dozen fresh double chocolate chip cookies…which I now have no desire to eat.
No worries, I’m sure there will be someone in the house that’ll want to eat them 🙂
So in the same camp hon! Tonight we’re charging down to Costco to get in the amounts we need for Christmas I well remember you home at Christmas it’s a holiday the place was made for ! Endless mince pies,oh and recipes that have only been tried once and turn out picture perfect Your Mom is an amazing cook looks like you’re following in her footsteps enjoy the dance 😀 x