The week after Christmas

We had four days of paid leave granted by my University for Christmas and post Christmas celebrations. It was a well needed break.

Our Christmas Tree at home

On the Sunday of Christmas, I managed to go to church after a long time here. I had been to church a couple of times in the Summer and once in Birmingham but not here for a long time- so it was an event worth the celebration. Being a working day, the people who attended were not as much as might have been expected on a regular Christmas that fell on the weekend. But my daughter who had insisted on going, was happy because she could sing carols along with the choir. The choir is seated on a terrace above the church so we cannot see them from the pews below. But every now and then, when the pianist played with a little more force than usual, we saw people turn up and look at the choir. At first, I wondered what was up there but I soon perceived  the variations in tone of the piano. But in keeping with the Christmas spirit, it made sense as when a particularly meaningful verse was sung, there was more emphasis given in tone.

My daughter had  her Physics mock exam on the 27th, so she needed to get back to her books at the earliest after the service, which ended at 12:30 pm. So after the regular Fellowship they had in the church hall, which was cake, chips and coffee for those who wanted it, we rushed home. I started up a vegetable fried rice and my husband popped over to learn how to make a chicken roast as he is leaving soon to live alone for about half a year and will need to cook food on his own. Our chicken roast is spicy and not at all like the English or American chicken or turkey roast. The chicken is cut in small pieces, marinated in a lot of spices, a gravy made with plenty of onions, garlic, ginger and tomato and the marinated chicken is allowed to cook in the juices from all the vegetables. It takes some time but is well worth the effort and goes well with a rice or roti or a naan bread, if you have some handy. For sweets, my daughter’s ginger bread men came up and they were made gluten free considering she is off wheat because of polycystic ovarian tendencies she might have. The flour was millet flour- unusual tasting  but edible.

The rest of the 25th and 26th, we spent studying physics together. I was glad I didn’t have to take leave from work and we could manage to study with the official time off from the university.  The Physics exam went well on the 27th- I went to school to collect her after the exam, which again is a privilege I don’t often get, as I am at work when her school finishes. So I am grateful for that mercy.

Her Study Table 

On the 29th was her English exam, and she planned to write the exam without preparing too much for it as she wanted to sleep off her tiredness after the Physics exam and also learn some Biology for her Biology exam which would be on January 3rd. The English exam went well- so that is ok.

For me, I worked on a crochet project during these days- a wrap made in multiple colors. Most of my work seems to end up in multi colored hues as I run out of one color of yarn after I have started the project and then need to make do with what I have.  I will post a picture soon. ( A Bob Wilson project)

Bob Wilson crochet wrap

Inspired by my crochet success, I went to the yarn shop yesterday and spent about 500 of our currency which would come up to about 100 $ to buy yarns of three different colors and hopefully in sufficient amounts. My daughter has asked for shawls which she could wear while she sits in classes where the AC is turned on high even in winter.

All my new yarn

I had to work yesterday but there were very few at work-most preferring to take a leave for the one remaining day of the week and then coming fresh to work on January 1, 2017