Wednesday, December 11, 2019

'Tis the Season to Be Busy

Do you make lists? I do. And then each day I get to check things off. 

Last week it was decorating. Check. Then we had a weekend away. Check.

This week it's cookie baking. I got one fussy kind done on Monday along with printing our Christmas letter and picking up the photo cards from Costco.

On Tuesday we had our annual Christmas field trip with some of the teacher friends we have breakfast with on Fridays. Our first stop was Larsen's Danish Bakery in Ballard. There we bought our Kringle to take home and a delicious goodie to have with coffee right there. My BIG almond croissant was delish!

Next stop, also in Ballard, was the Scandinavian Specialty Shop. Yah, Ballard is the berg in Seattle where all the Scandinavians settled to carry on their fishing lifestyle. The Viking blood is being diluted by yuppies these days, but there is still plenty of Nordic influence to charm us Norwegian/Swedish heritage folk. 

Anyway, Jan and Colleen are always members of the field trip team. 
 This was Dede's first tine to join us. She is Norwegian and traveled to Norway on a cruise for the first time last summer. She is 92.
We all enjoyed looking at everything, and we all bought things too. It was hard to get Dede out of the shop, but we had an agenda. 


Next stop, just north of Ballard, was Swanson's nursery. Tom and I were there recently and I posted about it then, so I only took a photo of the reindeer. Everyone else was busy filling their shopping baskets with Christmas treasures. 
We were now running way behind time according to my schedule, but it didn't matter. Dede was having so much fun shopping in places she had never been before. We did finally drag her out and we went to lunch at a new plane called Aurora Borealis, because it was on Aurora Avenue and near our final stop. 

Our final stop was Sky Nursery, which as a great Christmas shop.  "I've never seen anything like it!" Dede exclaimed.  I was just so tickled at how much she was enjoying everything. Assisting her when she needed it was a pleasure. 

We had a gift card, so we bought a few more ornaments. Yes, I know, we don't need anymore ornaments, but, you know.....
There was so much to choose from.










Because we took our time, we had to fight traffic getting back through Seattle at rush hour, but it was worth it. 

Back home, after a light supper, we sat down and got all our our cards addressed and ready to send out. Check.

Today, Wednesday, I baked all day. Tom went to the dentist first thing this morning, but when he got back her helped.  Two more fussy cookies done: Apricot Foldovers and Hazelnut Crescents. Check and check.

More baking tomorrow. And a haircut. Every day has a list. 



13 comments:

  1. Making a list is definitely the way to go. I don't have anywhere near as many things to do as you do but I still like the feeling at the end of the day that I accomplished what I wanted to do.
    That was an amazing field trip and Dede is an inspiration. Would that we would be as enthusiastic at 92.

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  2. Wonderful pictures. I can see why Dede was having so much fun. It would be hard to see eveything! :-)

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  3. That looks like a fun shopping spree, and I am so glad Dede enjoyed it.

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  4. It's always a pleasure to go out with friends. I'll say they have Christmas ornaments. An old guy like me would probably buy a few ornaments.

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  5. I make a grocery list every day but not a To Do list. I've never been to Sky or Swanson's at Christmastime, so I enjoyed getting to see Sky (a favorite nursery that I don't get to as often as I'd like) with lots of decorations for sale.

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  6. I would be too overwhelmed by that last shop! Wow.
    I too make lists but they are much simpler. I will make two kinds of cookies in limited quantity. I make cards and a few other gifts for friends. (These are all done now and presents are all ready wrapped and ready to go). No tree up this year. I have added a yoga class to every day in December. I like to take the holiday easy.

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  7. Watching Dede having so much fun had to make the trip even better. Loved the reindeer and if that store couldn't get someone in the spirit of things, nothing would.

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  8. How wonderful that Dede was still able to travel. You have so many amazing shops in Seattle. What fun!

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  9. you sound very organized. I got some things on my list done early like cards, we give family money so they can choose their own gifts. We've started decorating-tomorrow we put up our little fake tree and some of my family is arriving Christmas day for dinner and a few days stay...Will be good to see them again.

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  10. If I lived near these shops I would be perpetually broke. It looks like you had a wonderful time. I too make lists.

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  11. I came searching for your Whidbey Island post this morning and found this post too. I loved the parade and seeing the family. Oh I am a list maker too and love checking things off, but your list is so much nicer than mine. Such a beautiful shop. I would be like Dede, overwhelmed and taking my time. Such pretty things to choose from.

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  12. I went to Swansons Nursery in October, but not Sky Nursery. It is a must see the next time I visit my daughter. Very impressive!

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  13. That was a fun outing! I enjoyed seeing the photos!

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