On Thursday morning, I woke up with a nasty scratchy feeling at the back of my throat, but as usual, I tried to ignore it, thinking it would go away. Well, it didn't. Instead, it developed into a full-blown cold that meant I was able to work on Friday only with the help of drugs (which I usually do not take, but I had to complete a job for a client by Friday evening). It also meant I was not fit for travelling, and certainly did not want to pass my cold to O.K., who has only just recovered from his own first cold of the season, while at the same time in the middle of rehearsing for the village band's annual concert.
So, home alone it was. But don't worry, I was not alone all the time. My sister did a spot of shopping for me on the Saturday and stayed to watch an episode of a series we both like, and my Mum came for a cup of coffee on Sunday. We lit the candles on the Advent wreath, and she kept me company until it was time for her to go home and administer the next round of medical care to my Dad.
And of course, O.K. and I talked on the phone both days. Hooray for flat rates!
You are all so kind, asking about my Dad. He is doing better but still needs a lot of help, and my Mum's life revolves around him right now. All the more important it is that she gets to be out and about every now and then on her own, and do nice things for herself.
The weekend before last (the 1st Advent weekend), I was at O.K.'s. Therefore, I did what cleaning and decorating I wanted to do on the Friday evening, so that I would find my flat nice and cosy on my return.
We had planned a day trip to Lake Constance with a group of friends for the Sunday, but it rained all day, so we cancelled that trip. This resulted in an unexpected quiet and relaxing Sunday at O.K.'s home - very nice for a change!
He cooked Shakshouka for us that evening - so delicious, and a "first" for us. A colleague of his had told him about this dish, and we'd been wanting to try it for ourselves for ages. Now was the time, and O.K.'s version was very nice, hot and spicy, and very filling. This dish has its own wikipedia entry right here.
Because of the day trip that had originally been planned for the Sunday, I had taken Monday off work and returned home that morning; O.K. dropped me off at the station on his way to work. I went to lunch at my parents', also to see my Dad of course, and last but not least to pick up "my" tin of Christmas cookies made by a close family friend who is like an older brother for me and who was trained as a proper baker when he was a young lad.
On the Monday night, I was scheduled to host the "Living Advent Calendar" (see my previous post). The weather was awful - that much needed rain was coming down in buckets, and not one single person showed up! Good job I had not needed to invest much time and effort into the preparations, and I made the most of it by enjoying another unexpected quiet time to myself.
The rest of the week was busy work-wise, and as I said above, I spent the weekend nursing my cold.
Today I am much better, although not yet 100 %. I used the time alone at home to write my Christmas cards (hand-writing takes me AGES) and wrap my gifts, and get the parcels ready for family and friends in England. When I finish writing this post, I'll take the parcels and cards to the post office - venturing out for the first time since Friday! It is sunny and cloudy, probably won't be raining, and not too cold at currently 4C.
Sorry - this was a bit long.
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