Chatting and Richarding on Lillejulaften
Fifth Day. Source.
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Lillejulaften is what Norwegians call the night before the night before Christmas …
I’ve really enjoying these funny “Twelve Days of Richard” graphics by mrpuddingston on Richard Armitaged. To think that a few years ago there were only a handful of Richard Armitage Christmas graphics every year and now there are dozens …
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This is probably my favorite. Day Three. Source.
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Synathroesmus on tumblr laughed about my comment last night that it’s been “a bit snowy” lately and pointed out that in Wisconsin, that means at least several inches. Just now I had my suspicion confirmed that it’s snowing a LOT. I can’t say that in my normal daily discourse because people will make fun of me. However, the newscasters said tonight that we’ve already had half the normal average snowfall for the season. So it is snowing quite a bit.
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Another favorite. I don’t know the source. Please let me know if you do.
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But in Wisconsin we don’t let snow keep us at home, so Obscura took me out for lunch and a much-appreciated general cheerup today. Thanks, Obs! We had a nice two-hour long chat about this, that and everything (and we didn’t spend the whole time talking about Richard Armitage). Also some excellent Chinese buffet — Wisconsin style, which means that in addition to the usual stuff on a Chinese buffet, there are a lot of stir-fry dishes with a substance curiously similar to Cheese Whiz on them. We skipped those and left sated nonetheless, regretting that we can’t eat as much as used to in situations where the food is so guiltily tasty. In addition to the pep talk and the space to grouse, she gave me a neat scarf, some home-made preserves and some general advice about where the cool kids shop these days.
Which I intended to follow but the traffic was so intense (for the Valley) that I decided to drive home in the other direction, which meant that I ended up doing my Christmas shopping for the nieces at the bookstore. I don’t think they will be offended. I still need to check out the other store, but maybe not until after Christmas. I still have to get a quilted flannel shirt for dad, which I will do at Fleet Farm tomorrow before I go grocery shopping.
At the bookstore, after shopping for the nieces, I gave in and two Richard things came home with me — the Funko vinyl Thorin doll, and the Esquire magazine with the dinner suit photo shoot in it. With a picture of someone else on the cover? What’s up with that? It was the last one. I looked at Empire and there was one Thorin Oakenshield cover left; everything else in the pile was Bilbo Baggins. Not that I was gloating or anything. There was only one “Hobbit” table in the store, but Richard Armitage was well represented on it. Hope you’re cleaning up from the merchandising, Armitage, but what I appreciate even more is walking into the store and seeing a picture / poster with your face on it. Don’t know why but that definitely fills me with pride.
So, yeah, Mr. Armitage, you wanted this for Christmas. Forgive me, but I got one for me rather than one for you. I figure your fans will be lining up to send you these and your agent will be drowning in them soon. It really is very cute and I think it will enjoy joining the other Thorins on my desk at work. Of course, Lego Mini-Thorin will feel insecure again for a while, and WETA Thorin will feel superior, but eventually I am sure you will all work it out.
So, then I came home. Dad had clearly been drinking but I’m hoping I made it home soon enough that he hasn’t had too much. I suppose I should be happy he made it ten days without alcohol. And it will be hard for him to find a possibility to drink tomorrow and Christmas Day. And then it’s less than a week until I go again.
I did some sorting this morning, for a few hours — tossing out papers from a lot of different volunteer activities and recycling a bunch of magazines and doing the last box of clothes I can find. I’m hoping that now that the clothes are done it will get a little easier. The associations with that stuff are so intense because it was really important to her, and because we spent so much time together when I was younger, sewing and crafting. A lot of the other stuff — I hope — won’t be quite that terrible.
Dad has started putting up a Christmas tree, but I think I will save that piece of the saga for another post, as I will the discussion over the nieces’ “big” Christmas present, which was supposed to be bicycles but since that’s a lame gift for December in Wisconsin, will now probably be rifles.
And now I have to decide what to make for the meals. Tomorrow we go out to the farm for the traditional Christmas Eve service, and I am bringing a bunch of appetizers, plus something without pork or shrimp in it that I can eat.
For Christmas Day itself I am thinking of making things my mother would never have made for Christmas — salmon, I think, as the main course, and a trifle for dessert. No turkey, no dressing, no cranberries, and above all no pie.
Off to make a shopping list.
Me + Richard Armitage 
It has been a snowy cold December, have not seen it like this in years. I am not sure how much snow we have gotten so far this year. Once again it is cold, and I guess it is to be that way for Christmas. I am always amazed that other parts of the country can’t cope with a few inches of snow. My aunt and uncle where on there way to New Mexico for Christmas to see there 3 younger children, they ended up staying home. Two inches of ice and then snow in Ok and they would have been on a two lane. But here again in Wisconsin two inches of ice with snow in sub below temps is normal this year. Has been so cold the salt has not even worked. Been driving like that for three weeks.
I hope the shopping when well and that you do have a good Christmas with your dad and the rest of your family.
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It always takes me about fifteen minutes to regain my winter driving skills, which people down South don’t have, but the other thing, too, is that we expect the roads to be salted … that’s usually part of our calculation. Which people in TX don’t expect (some cities don’t even buy salt).
Hope you had a good Christmas, too, Katie.
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Wishing you a peaceful and pleasant holiday, with plenty of comfort and joy to go round.
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Ditto. I hope your electricity stayed up!
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So glad to hear that Obscura is giving you a bit of relief in the otherwise very intense home stay. This Christmas is bound to be a difficult one. I’ll be thinking of you this evening when we move from the dinner table (no turkey, no gravy – *phew*) to the living room floor for the unwrapping of pressies under the Christmas tree, with the inevitable Christmas record (“Wiehnacht achtern Diek” by a German folk outfit called Godewind – bought ca. 1984) chiming with recorders and acoustic guitars in the background. LOL – an involuntarily funny Christmas. Sometimes the humour surprises us in the most unlikely places…
Lots of love to you – hugs and thoughts and general prodding of the universe into your general direction 🙂 xx
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I laughed out loud when I read “Godewind” — my exSO always used to make fun of them, but I actually like their stuff.
Lots of love to you, too.
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Dear Servetus, I hope that, despite everything, you will have a peaceful Holiday. *hugs*
As for snow, Germany is at 13°C (PLUS!) and rainstorms again. Not very Christmassy and decidely weird. But the tree is up – as per usual on Christmas Eve and not earlier. We will put ornaments on it later and watch the Muppets Christmas Carol. Hearing Richard go for the Muppets last year in the 60 seconds with Martin Freeman last year made my day. 🙂
But I digress: I wish you all the best and thank you for the blog.
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The Muppets are always a cheerup! I heard Gonza got an extension cord for Christmas this year 🙂
Much love to you, too, Brynichildis … may this year be one of lightening of burdens.
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