Xmas tree goes home

Good morning...
Up bright and early, I like my new 2010 self. I used to always get up with the sun, but the past few years (since with Prince) I preferred a long sleep, till 9-ish.
But getting up around 7 is wonderful and gives me much more day. More time to clean, scrub, scoop bathtubs, juice veggies, kill ants and chase Puppy.
It is OFFICIAL!!!
Today is the last day of Christmas, snufff...,
Not that I want to take the sparkle away, but Prince had enough and so...
I feel especially sad for our tree. Not one needle lost he stands fresh and noble, just like the very first day. Oh, why can't you just grow some roots little tree, so I could plant you and give you a short eternity?


First important thing of the day (and probably every day from now on) - SINKING RAINCHECK.
The bathtub is looking good.
Half empty. Because I am in god spirits.
On a bad day it will be half full.
No scooping job yet. GOOD. One problem less.
Time to brew some black gold for the boss (now I am the secretary), refill his liquids (water and that funny multivitamin bubble up) and serve his TOTAL (Greek) yogurt with fresh fruit.
So far, no ants on his office table in sight. Can it be true?
Of course, there are a few handfuls marching around the kitchen. In the dish-wash cleaner, behind the stove and some exploded bodies all over the kitchen counters. At least the bio kill works. But it does not stop them from coming.


A look into the truth-frame reveals: 3 huge!!! spots. DEPRESSING! Since I finished those antibiotics, my skin just went ballistic again. I will do some real studies on my Canyon Ranch papers and get everything that seems to be missing from my body. Maybe then my breakouts will go to sleep? I am determined to fix this problem and if possible with the least amount of chemicals!!!


At 10 Anna arrives, ready to help me to 'de-christmas'.
I feel very melancholic, with every IKEA ball that comes of the green needle arms.
I would like to say something joyful, to make the tree's departure a bit happier, but what is there to say.

This was my first real tree in ages and it will be the last. Unless, I get a tree with the roots and all, inside the house (maybe we can buy a crane?), there will be time for plastic once again. Me, the ultimate ANTI-PLASTIC Girl, admits to liking a plastic tree. If I say plastic, it does not mean bad though. The imitation tree we used to have in our old home, in our past life, was THE PERFECT FAKE. Like an unnoticeable copy of a masterpiece or a flawless counterfeit designer bag, it was a pristine Xmas tree. To the point, that guests went close-up to smell the lovely scent of pine. (we did stuff a few real branches around, to fool them)
For such perfection, made from plastic or not, I will revise my dislike and say YES to synthetic. Yes, to saving real Xmas trees, that live such a short time, only to give us pleasure and joy, to make the children's eyes shine and then, and then, end up discarded and mistreated in stinky garbage dumps.
No more!
it is just not fair.
2010, plastic or crane, here we come.


By noon the house is naked. 
Barren. 
Cold. 
Empty.
I guess I will get used to it.
Prince can tell my dislike and suggests, that soon I can do Easter decoration.
Very funny!
But yes, spring time is coming fast in Sintra. Cherry blossoms... that is a lovely vision and works well to chase away the Xmas blues.

Cherry blossom week in Tokyo... My mind is traveling back. If you ever make it to Japan- Tokyo in Spring, make sure you make it for the blossoming of the cherry trees. It literally rains pink peddles. There are ceremonies and celebrations everywhere, but the best are held in the cemeteries. 'Purple rain', Prince (THE Prince, not mine) Maybe that is the meaning? The blossom rain?

The afternoon passes fast. The sun is coming out and joyfully I hang all the garments, up on my old (real cotton) clothesline, which by the way goes with the old kind of wooden pegs. (presents from my mom-found and gathered at various antique shops) Just like I love it. Our gardener has cut some bamboo sticks to hold the line up, when too loaded and it is now just perfect. Like in the old days. I always dreamed of drying my cloth like this. Of course, it took me some time to learn everything there is to know.

Obvious things, now that I think of it, but first it was all new to me.

Like... don't put colors in the bright sun... or they will bleach (on the sunny side, the other side will be as it was)

Don't let them hang in the rain, or the wooden pegs will stain the cloth (and expand and break)
Please keep all remarks. I learned. And Prince never minded, when another shirt became history. He calls them his SKYPE shirts. They look good on screen, nobody sees the details. Thank goodness, that I have such easygoing Prince.
...
Now... did I say sunshine? Did I tell you the last and most important lesson of outdoor cloth drying?
As soon you hang up the heavy wet bunch, the clouds will come out of nowhere and soon enough the rain with it. ALWAYS. 
Then you run, collect, shout, scramble in the slippery grass and curse all old-fashioned romance of yours. Back to zero, back to guest-room curtain rod, praying, that it will hold one more time.


I must go now, Puppy is crying downstairs. Time for food.
Oh, the gardener brought a huge bag of dog food, for a quarter of the price, that I get it at the supermarket. Let's see if the four legged ones like it. I certainly do, as it means no more carrying this monster bags!


Dogs are very happy. They gulped it down in no time. Not that this means anything...
But I must admit, that the new food looks much more appetizing and even smells like food. 


And what are we gulping tonight?
Healthy is MUST, so here we go:


*Creamed buttermilk spinach (wilted spinach with some buttermilk stirred in at the end)
* sweet potato mash (boil peeled sweet potatoes in salted water, about 10 minutes or till soft, discard water, mash potatoes with a little milk-ready)
* Venison steaks - brush the steaks with whisky and marinate an hour, melt 2 teaspoons of lard and fry the steaks at medium high for 2 minutes on each side, wrap in foil and rest in the oven at 80 Celsius for 30 minutes - sprinkle with fat salt
It is also nice to serve venison with a fruity sauce, but not today. Venison (sorry... it was a deer...) is by the way one of the healthiest meat options.
 (by the way, an extremely healthy meat option)


While the venison is resting in the oven I call mom.
She has disappeared from skype and I am somewhat concerned. Either she somehow destroyed her username once again or she just feels like being quiet.


I finally find Pete online and now I know what happened to mama:
Her ancient (7 years old!) PC, has gone to pc-heaven and mom is left skypeless. 
No skype to talk to her boyfriend, autchhhhh, that sounds expensive! How did we cope before this virtual wonder program?
To remind us: Before skype... there was a home telephone. Yes... a funny looking machine with lots of numbers written all-over. We actually still have one, of course, but used it is only for emergencies. ( like missing moms, security check ups on midnight alarm bells and of course grannies without computers)
'Poooooor' phone companies must loose billions. Ohhhhhh... I am sooooo sorry...
Mom tells me, that it is still snowing in our village. That means, there has been snow nonstop for the past 4 weeks. Something totally unheard of in our area, since we don't live in the mountains or in a snow-frequented region. If I am right in my fortune telling powers, than those brilliant professors and scientist-thinkers got it wrong with the global warming thing. For me, it was always clear, that there will be a big freeze, not a big heat up.
Who knows?
ICE AGE? (great movies by the way...)
Food for thought:
http://2012connection.wordpress.com/2009/01/26/2012-ice-age-best-survival-guide/


Diringggggggggggg...
"There is something making sounds here", Prince's voice is calling from the kitchen.
Oppps, must be my oven timer!
"Coming"...byby mom...love you... Good luck with the pc-hospital


Time flies and it is 10pm by the time we sit down and eat. I am impressed that I am still up.
Prince looks ravishingly good tonight, with his new grey cashmere vest (xmas gift from me) and the hair slightly overgrown. He is talking about sailing and the adventures of the sea... Drifting into dreamland I follow his excited tales, while my eyes slowly get heavy and fall shut for the night...


I am sailing... I am sailing... Chistopher Cross is coming with us
xoxo