Christmas @ Home

Mr. Husband and I stayed home for Christmas because

of having the flu... 

so we watched the Christmas liturgy online,

Cleo often being with Mr Husband watching ;)

in two parts with a nap in-between,

had special takeout delivery,

got a surprise early morning gift of tea and 

Pate de Campagne,

had pots and pots of tea, noodles and Chicken broth,

triskets with the Pate, OJ and more tea...

We opened a few gifts,

my final installment of white gold rimmed plates came 

(for my DV delayed until after Theophany 40th birthday party),

and had a quiet day together...

***

I managed not to cry today, after doing so for the 2 days before,

I was so disappointed at missing Christmas liturgy and tomorrow,

the Church Christmas party...

***

I did not have a fever today though,

and Advil Cold and Sinus is worked wonders...

***

I hope I can get to sleep soon,

and feel OK tomorrow...

We plan on staying in tomorrow as well...

lots of rest and recovery needed...

***

I am thankful for all the love and prayers

that my family and friends have shown us...

***

Christ is born!

Glorify Him!

Christmas Ginger & Lemon Chicken

A special extra virgin olive oil from France,

a Christmas gift to Mr. Husband and I.

The chicken...will repeat what I wrote here:

"Did a roast chicken this way:

butter under skin with garlic cloves,

one small onion in quarters, fresh organic sage and half a zested lemon in the cavity,

French Lemon & Ginger infused extra virgin olive oil over the skin,

with salt, pepper, dried ginger and lemon on top...

450F for about 2 hours... I think next time I will take the chicken out a bit 

before 2 hours.... it was great though and I trussed the chicken 

for the first time (did not want the cavity onion and lemon falling out!)"

The skin was very crispy and the chicken very flavourful!

12th day of Christmas....{Sunday}

Theophany Eve.

It's so beautiful in church at night, for vigil...

The Christmas Poinsettias still beautiful...

There is something in the beauty alone that speaks to us spiritually...

Mr. Husband and I spent Sunday near or at our

'far away church' on Theophany Eve,

the 12th day of Christmas.

*

I still had a bit of money from my birthday and it went towards

this very beautiful Holy Water bottle...

With the Mother of God and Christ

beautifully adorning it.

And so the 12th day of Christmas quietly and lovingly

went to a close, opening to the 

Feast Day of Theophany... 

11th day of Christmas {Saturday}...

Mr. Husband and I finished up the mini cheesecakes 

that we were given for Christmas this day!

Mr. Husband being funny, photobombing the picture ;)

We had a few teas mixed together...

ginger, echinacea and such... 

We both have been so busy and have 

some sort of sinus something going on,

so lots of tea drinking was done!

Of course you can see that it did not change our dessert habit too much ;)

We had a simple meal of left overs and used our

dish-washer safe blue and white dishes for a simple

Saturday that was still festive!

It was a really nice day,

ending with vespers and a story about

Saint Athanasius the Great.

10th day of Christmas...

The Christmas candles lit, a nice meal made

on the last Friday of the 12 days of Christmas...

I made a chicken strata casserole that 

I will try to write on making later on.

It was tasty and as promised in the cookbook,

light and airy.

Oreo, hot cocoa and original mini cheesecakes for tea!

We tried an apple cinnamon tea to go with;

it was heavy on the hibiscus but I had used two

tea bags and will try one next time, and perhaps 

add another tea along side to cover the overly hibiscus nature of the tea...

My beloved gave me this book on CS Lewis;

it is one that I found at the Strand bookstore months ago!

I found this first American edition of 

Lewis's Of Other Worlds: Essays & Stories...

Mr. Husband loves this one! 

I got this cookbook on pastries! :))) 

I found this second printing first American edition of

JRR Tolkien's Smith of Wooten Major for a 

really decent price

and I saved it for last and as I thought,

it was one of Mr. Husband's favourite gifts

from me this year!

I was so excited about it! 

*

It was a beautiful 10th day of Christmas!