Longest night eve

We're fairly Christmas-y here: tree up, elf maurauding, gifts mostly found, some still in the hands of the good workers of the postal service… It's been a bit of a marathon getting things together and also moving work forward. I'm looking forward to a little break between the holidays! I know I need it, my body lets me know by popping my shoulder out :( In this case just stretching in bed. It's back in and a little achy. Elizabeth has her aches and pains too. With any luck, and with our to-do lists fairly short, we can be in good shape for Christmas. I hope to take some more days off from work over the winter once some major projects are handed off from my unit. Pacing myself will be important.

The kids are schooling from home on either side of the Christmas break. The first day was a bit plagued by technical difficulties in Teams but now it seems to be working well. The music teacher edited together songs from every class to form a Christmas concert, and the class teachers moved the pyjamas and stuffed animals in class up to the last in-person days.

Tomorrow night is the Longest Night. We'll welcome back lengthening days and conduct our first (video-linked) ritual after Judith. I think her send-off will be gradual, given the health situation of the world and her impact on lots of us, but we'll collectively recognize her and remember her tomorrow.