That's quite exciting when the whole house, in the course of saving energy here in Europe, goes down to 16 DegC room temperature at night with -6 DegC outside temperature and you make your way to the toilet. But it must have been even more exciting for us comfort-addled people when we had to go out to the outhouse in earlier times. Not a W.C., no lights, only old newspapers and lousy cold. 😄

Didn't they just bring the outhouse inside? Of course the maids had to go out to empty the chamber pots.

Rikkitic:

 

Didn't they just bring the outhouse inside? Of course the maids had to go out to empty the chamber pots.

 

Well that‘s already the luxury version of those times in noble houses. 😄

Tinkerisk:

But it must have been even more exciting for us comfort-addled people when we had to go out to the outhouse in earlier times.

neb:

Tinkerisk:

 

But it must have been even more exciting for us comfort-addled people when we had to go out to the outhouse in earlier times.

 

Or stayed somewhere that lacked such comforts, trying to find your way there by moonlight at some freezing temperature while keeping an eye out for wolpertinger.

Wolpertingers are mean and vile fellows and whoever had one only went out with a shotgun. But was quickly quite tight with the thing in the cabin at a Wolpertinger attack from below. 🤣

Got a bottle of Tanquerai - Rangpur Lime for tasting. On New Year's Eve, a gin and tonic to the old year, and on New Year's Day, a gin and tonic to the new year. At Christmas we have mulled wine (or Norwegian Glögg). 😇

I deeply regret to inform you that at the Christmas meeting of active and former NATO officers last Sunday in Berlin, I lost my rank as Major and Commanding Officer of the Black Watch of the Wine Barrels due to Brexit. I was thankfully allowed to keep my position as a Freeman.😌

However, I am even more pleased about this, not 10 minutes later, as a former Air Force officer and aviator with a passed Army Individual Combat Training Course 2 (aka aardvark training), to have been appointed Honorary Commander in Chief of the mounted Swiss Mountain Navy!

I am happy now to be able to climb from the North German lowlands to the highest mountains in Switzerland and Europe (although I prefer the cable car).😉

(Man have they been drinking properly)

Extra Old Gouda from the Kaiwaka Cheese shop. Super crumbly, super sharp.

i am amazed and grateful that the item Amazon Australia sent on Monday arrived today , no idea how.

Seeing this on the kitchen bench made me smile! (And reminisce the Pacman days!)

eracode:

 

Finding out on Christmas Day that we’re going to be grandparents for this first time.

 

I posted that on Christmas Day last year - it was our son’s (only child, age 35) and his partner’s second round of private IVF. Sadly, a few weeks later it all went wrong.

In Sept this year they had a round of IVF in the public system. This time everything is completely normal - they’re well past the first trimester and all tests passed. We have lived and breathed this with them for the past four months. Overall it has been three years now. Has been kept very quiet this time after what happened last time.

Our first grandchild - granddaughter - is now due in June. They’ll be telling the rest of our family at the family Christmas gathering today. Exciting for several obvious reasons but not the least is because, on my side of the family, there have been only two girls born in this family since my paternal grandmother was born in 1888.

(I have one sibling - a brother - and our father, born in 1927, was an only child. My brother has two sons and we have one son).

Merry Christmas to all.

eracode:

 

In Sept this year they had a round of IVF in the public system. This time everything is completely normal - they’re well past the first trimester and all tests passed.

Congrats - great news after the sadness of the last time!

My sister's neighborhood was here and after 1x Talisker, 1x Dalwhinnie and 2 mulled wine, I think it was also 2-3 Santas that were here. But I'm not sure.

Anyway, my young son is coming soon also from Switzerland and will bring everything for a Swiss cheese fondue in the coming days. The Finnish Flame Salmon for tonight is also making good progress. That everyone has come and will come is worth more to me than gifts and that makes me feel grateful and smile. 😇