So here we are. After only 14 hours in tier 3, we were told that our part of the world will move into tier 4. That means quiet Christmas. Cancelled bookings. The tiny house is ready to receive her guests and they are not coming. The advent candle holder has been used once, during the first advent weekend. Since then it’s bereft of candles. What a year to start blogging about hosting people in our holiday cottage!

While I am running out of ideas to ‘keep my spirits up’ through improving and renovating like crazy (not easy as the tiny house has been open only for less than 3 years), I have looked elsewhere for sanity saving activities.

Dog walking

Easy, done anyway (if you have a dog, otherwise you might be accused of stalking other people and their dogs around the countryside), a touch lonely if you are in tier 4 and people are getting fidgety about meeting up.

Reading

I ordered my next batch and they arrived a few days ago.

Now I can’t concentrate because my attention is on Newfoundland and The Shipping News, the excellent book by Annie Proulx. All about cold seas and domestic affairs of the locals. Which brings me smoothly to…

Chill swimming

It’s invigorating, it’s daring. It’s becoming so popular that everybody and their dog are doing it now. Women especially seem to be obsessed. And for a good reason.

It gives me sense of freedom and living, it has got rid of my headaches and it can be done in any weather. Just watch out for the waves. Never turn your back on the sea. And when you start feeling even slightly shivery, get out, get dry and drink hot tea. And eat cake. Ooh, another link! This time to…

Baking

Since moving away from my parents’ place I have never baked the traditional Christmas biscuits and sweets that Czechs nibble, starting in November (‘stop stuffing your faces with those, kids! Leave something for Christmas!’) sometimes long into Easter (‘why don’t you take a plate or two of them to your friend’s?’). This year I decided to have proper Christmas with overload of sugar, chocolate and rum (basic recipe for all Czech festive biscuits) and we baked.

And we jammed. And we poured chocolate – well, it didn’t pour, so M painted the biscuits. It’s not even the 24th yet and we only have about seven of them left. There won’t be any for Easter for sure!

So what will Christmas in tier 4 look like? Full of the above sanity savers but also quiet; private; civilised even.

Merry Christmas