The week between Christmas and New Year’s is one of my favorites. It’s the time of year I embrace all the odd projects I haven’t had time for—and do everything or nothing without guilt!

This is the week photos will go into albums and the post cards I’ve bought from the places we’ve visited will finally be placed in a scrapbook. I’ve delved into the stamping supplies and idea books I got from Shirl Grrrl and have made notecards with little E. Today I’ll sit at the kitchen table with my kids and write thank you notes. I’ll take a long walk. I’ll update my Web page. I’ll start a good book. I won’t be thinking about what I should be doing instead.

This is the week we wile away with jigsaw puzzles and board games. E and A will work on the models A got for Christmas. We’ll forage in the refrigerator at meal times or rev up and cook something different. We’ll stay in pajamas without apology until lunch. We’ll take naps. We’ll watch movies. And yeah, we’ll bicker and scrap and get in each other’s way. Thank God this house has three floors, there’s always a place to hide.

If we get cabin fever, we’ll hop on a train and check out a nearby city. We'll visit the shops in Ghent or the ice sculpture display in Brugges. There's an ice rink set up in downtown Brussels. It's been more than 20 years since I ice skated. It’s a good week to try new restaurants and take that road we’ve never been down before.

Tomorrow they’re calling for snow.

Most of the Americans we know here are spending Christmas at ski resorts in Austria , but I’m loving the glorious stretch of nothingness stretched out before me. In a few days it may all be too much, but right now it’s like rolling over without even looking at the clock.

Life out of time, life in the moment. A great way to wind down the year.

© 2005 Veronica McCabe Deschambault. All rights reserved.

December 26, 2005