Here we Come a Wassailing

What exactly is Wassailing?  

I not only know but sing the familiar lyrics in the Christmas Carol, "Here we come a wassailing among the leaves so green" but my knowledge of wassailing stops there.  So I googled it and this is what I found......

Wassailing is the practice of people going door-to-door singing Christmas carols. Wassail is a traditional drink served during the winter holidays, including Christmas, New Year's Eve, and Twelfth Night. It is especially popular in northern European countries, where it originates. Wassail is a hot, spiced drink, often alcoholic, that most commonly resembles cider in the modern day. Originally, wassail is believed to have been closer to beer. The word wassail comes from traditional toasts wishing good health, including ves heill in Old Norse and wes hal in Old English.  So there you have it.  I am waiting for Michael to wake up from his nap so that we may join Mike and John at the School for the Christmas Play and Wassail.  I frosted the 4 dozen cookies we baked yesterday early this morning while the boys were at school taking care of the hamsters and helping with the set-up of today's event.  Needing a little help to get me in the spirit of Christmas, I quickly remembered that I had a few Christmas Carols loaded on my iPod, so thanks to Harry Connick Jr. and Glenn Miller, I sang at the top of my lungs, while draping the cookies in a sheen of red and green.  I saved some icing and some of the more 'overdone' cookies for the boys to frost when they arrived home....they enjoyed frosting, almost as much as eating.  Michael is probably coming off his sugar high...thus the mid-day nap!

I recall last year's cookie making event at home in Clarendon Hills and can attest that cooking and baking with the boys is getting easier!  I stumbled upon this photo which must have been taken a week or so before Christmas 2008, given the decorations adourning the little green house.  How things change in a year.  Instead of building igloos and snow forts, they are running around in shorts, honing their bicycle riding skills amidst 70 degree weather out on our front yard. Happy to report per my previous post "Have Bike, Will Pedal (Almost)", that I could now revise the title of that post to:  "Have Bike, new inner tubes, one new tire and riding Solo".  We took an epic walk into Cerro Plano with the kids and bike in toe the other day.  After 4,000 colones (about $7.00), the little red bike is fully-functional.  The boys quickly took to riding it and much to our amazement, both are riding 1/2 the length of our expansive front yard by themselves.  They are so proud of their accomplishment!

A baby squirrel deserves a mention here as Michael and I got 'up close and personal' with one a couple of days ago.  We missed the Christmas activity and party at one of the School Administrators house last Wed. (last day of school) as Michael had a fever.  Mike and John enjoyed it -- I stayed home with little Michael.  We nestled into my bed with my laptop and the Hermie DVD when we discovered a baby squirrel peeking up over the nighstand just a foot away.  I quickly scooped up Michael and the computer and went into the other part of the house, closing the door to the bedroom hastily.  Thinking to myself...'okay, baby squirrels are wild animals, so I need to respect this little one even if it is just an infant'.  I don't need to deal with a sick child and a squirrel bite!  We waited for Mike and John to return several hours later and began to relate our story. Michael could hardly contain himself -   John could not wait to open the door to the bedroom to see for himself...Mike pulled on his boots, grabbed a big pail and a broom stick to hopefully guide the creature into the pail.  Noting not a single sighting...Mike surmised it must have escaped through one of our many ripped screens, but I would not rest until we found the little critter and returned it to the out of doors.  We heard something that sounded like crinkling paper and there it was wedged behind our dresser.  Both boys were right in there, vying for a glimpse despite my attempts to keep all safe.   Into the pail, out the door and through the front yard it ran!  A huge sigh of relief from yours truly!  Looking back (and on the bright side), it could have been a coral snake :)

Another moment this past week which made me pause and gain perspective happened when Mike and I returned home from the Thursday Peace Pilgrim meeting.  We left the two boys with Gaudy, who had brought her 5 year old to play.  She had her hands full with the three boys and Stuart (Veronica's boy as well).  Mike and I arrived back home around noon to find the boys out in back under a tee pee that they had all constructed.  We stood silent at the back door and just watched as Michael and Gaudy shared a snack and the other boys were inside the tee pee enjoying some relief from the hot sun.  Again the rubbermaid tub was put to good use as a table and they enjoyed a mid-day snack of guavas, life savors and Cheetos that they had purchased at the little store at the end of our road.  Gaudy is so creative and artsy and up for anything - as you can see by the pic above.  I wish I had her energy (okay, she is half my age...but still), we are lucky to have such an energetic care giver.

Yesterday we made pizza dough and baked some egg plant that we took over to Veronica's house as we shared pizzas for dinner - the boys enjoyed Stuart's early Christmas present (a jungle gym under the overhang of the house). So, when it really rains and it is too muddy for climbing trees out in the pasture, the jungle gym is dry and ready for little feet and hands. What a great idea - one of our nearby neighbors has carpentry skills; so Veronica hired him and voila. We had great conversation with Veronica as the boys played; we shared our enjoyment of the movie Gandhi that we had watched the previous night which ignited a spirited talk on peace and humility.  

Just back from the Wassail and Christmas Play - it was a lot of fun and the music was inspiring.  The "Kitchen Sink" orchestra played several tunes and filled the meeting room with the Christmas spirit.  The orchestra is made up of students, teachers and members of the community - very impressive!  When Michael and I found our way into the meeting room to an empty seat, I found Mike sitting against the wall with John zonked on his lap.   So many cookies and the wassail drink was so yummy (just for the record, the wassail was non-alcoholic just in case you went back to reconcile with the definition above :)  Fellowship and visiting in abundance.

Tomorrow, the 'Prayer and Share' at noon and then off to Theo and Jude's for dinner without the boys...what a treat!  We also will begin to care for the Director's dog, Ellie, as he and his family head back to the states to share the holidays with their family.  Ellie is a good dog and the boys will enjoy the responsibilty of feeding, walking and picking up the dog poop (well, maybe?)

I will be running a 'basketball' mini-course when school starts back up in January.  Although I attended basketball camp for two summers as a teen and played on my high-school team - it has been a long time since I've had to play by the 'rules'.  Although I must say, Auntie Beth and I (and Choppy occasionally) can have a pretty competitive pick up a game, we tend to give ourselves a lot of leeway as we're three ole gals!  I will rely on the new 20-year old volunteer who arrives in a couple of weeks to help me recollect the difference between 'man vs. man' defense and 'zone' defense and coordinate the 8-week course.  Wish me luck!

Final Thought:

I am really enjoying having Mike home (really home, not thinking about tomorrow's lesson plan or cutting and pasting a math worksheet).  He is allowing me some 'alone' time which I am learning to really treasure.  I even napped yesterday believe it or not on the couch with two drooling 4-year olds on each side bookending me on the couch.  How Sweet it Is.

Signed: S