Have you ever noticed how it’s the small things in life that seem to bring us the most pleasure?  I mean, no matter how much we dream about the big stuff, it’s the unexpected little things that add a twinkling happiness to otherwise ordinary moments.

I have three proofs of that theory.

#1.  My mom was in town for a day last Monday, on her way from Holland to Canada, and we decided that a fondue would be a perfectly perfect way to spend our pre-Christmas party together (as she’ll be in Canada on the big day and I’ll be here).  So off we went to Basel to buy authentic Swiss fondue…and along the way we picked up this KILLER fondue pot!  All the other cows on it are face-forward, but you know me and my affection for rear-ends in general, and bovine rear-ends in particular!  That blurry shape in the background is my wonderful mom, a woman of astounding grace and beauty who brings me more joy than she probably will ever realize.

#2.  After a quick trip through Basel, we went on to Mulhouse, where the annual Christmas market enveloped us with its usual magical and festive atmosphere.  It’s probably my most beloved European Christmas tradition.  We soaked it up until our stomachs ordered a quick retreat to my apartment, where we feasted on Switzerland’s most popular meal.  The picture below hopefully does a little to help you understand the gorgeousness of the Christmas market!

But what’s a pre-Christmas weekend without a stunning sunset? 

#3.  I was picking up my mom in Holland last Saturday when the following view greeted me in the parking lot of the store where we’d been shopping.  And what’s better than a gorgeous sunset?  A gorgeous sunset with a lamp-post in it…another fetish–right up there with cow patooties. 

Here’s wishing you the same kind of pre-Christmas memorableness, hidden in the small things, last weekend held for me…

And by the way, with the nostagia of Christmas setting in, I’m missing many of you distant loved ones in a more intense way than usual.  So this is me saying I’m grateful for you and happy that you’ve shared months, years, and decades of my life.

Comments

Comments(11)

  1. woah…i’m in awe of the awesome lamppost/sunset-ness. it’s incredibly beautiful… breathtaking really…

    …i luv lampposts!

  2. Oooooooh, I am with ya sweetie pie!!  So fun to have time with your Mamuuu, as Tab calls me, seems a bit apropriate.  Love the pics, the fondue, the cow butts, and the lamp-post!  Now to get you hopefully excited, Tab and I have just been squeeling over dresses and invitations and other such fun stuff on her “knot” account, and we are really excited about some wedding dress shopping in France with YOU!  And we squeeled over going to Andrea and Ian’s big day as well as the shower!!  And we squeeled over you being with is for Christmas!!!  I think you get the point that there was a lot of squeeling and we are looking forward to surround you with squeels!!!  Love you and we need to squeeze in some libation and cardboard cookie time ASAP!!!!  Me

  3. Beautiful pictures Michele. Although, I can’t see the first one… Cow butts! You and butts… don’t know what’s up with you and butts but… haha. So, what DID the elephant say to the naked man?

  4. i’d agree with you about the small things, michele. sometimes life seems so big and overwhelming.. but if you just focus on those.. i don’t know, it seems better.

    thank you for your prayers.

  5. My small thing of the day is the image of the lamppost right up the cow’s butt! I know that’s not what you intended with that sentence, but it made me laugh! :o)

  6. ouch….that last comment hurt (the cow that is).

    I agree GREAT photo of the lamp post.

  7. Another one of the small things in life that bring joy is the brief but delightful encounter one can have in a library.

  8. ooh mich those pictures are so lovely. i really love the christmas market, i like the leaning guy… i remember that basel christmas market with such fond memories. how funny mich.. i’ve got this project i’m working on.. and its so weird not to be able to show you my watercolor skteches. 🙁 missing you alot right now…..

  9. oy vey, to mimic Liz and her oddly jewish sounding words. It is the little things. Like today, little things like: every traffic light being green, finding out places on campus with free cookies and coffee and internet, winning a water bottle, making a koala bear. But those pictures bring back the other littles in a rush. I love you my mich muffin. I miss brisk walks to school with my feet crunching in the leaves, and caroling in basel, and hot coffee in banguet dresses…

  10. I have an idea. Maybe we are all confused in nomenclature, and the “small things” are actually the big things, and the “big things” are just details…

  11. oh and the leaning guy reminded me of Kenny Reed. i thought it was him at first.

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