Monday, December 24, 2018

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Christmas at Cottage


I hope you've seen enough perfectly decorated Christmas home all over blogland by now. Because this is not what you're going to get here!

J'espère que vous avez vu assez de maisons parfaitement décorées pour Noël sur les autres blogs... Parce que ce n'est pas ce que j'ai pour vous aujourd'hui !

 
November and December have been incredibly busy both at work and at home. In French schools, at the end of November and in December, staff meetings collides with parents night... Each year, it's exhausting, each year we say that next year, we'll organise things better and each year it's the same problem. I counted six nights when I was back home after 8 pm in the last weeks... Of course, that doesn't allow us not to prepare lessons or grades papers... There is barely time for laundry or doing the dishes... So decorating for Christmas is out of the question!

Novembre et décembre ont été très occupés aussi bien au travail qu'à la maison. Ces deux mois sont les mois noirs dans les collèges français.  Les conseils de classe tombent au même moment que les rencontres parents-professeurs. Chaque année c'est la même chose, chaque année on dit que l'année prochaine on organisera mieux les réunions et chaque année, on s'y prend trop tard et il faut tout caser en même temps. Je suis rentrée six soirs à plus de huit heures du soir rien qu'au mois de décembre et cela ne dispense pas de préparer les cours ou de corriger les copies bien sûr... Je n'avais même plus le temps de faire des lessives ou de laver la vaisselle... Alors décorer pour Noël !

This left me very little time to work on my living-room project, but be sure that I used every spare second I had to make progress. So if you had happened to walk by Cottage the last week-ends, you might have been able to see me with my face covered by a scarf. No I wasn't getting ready to walk on the streets of Paris during the demonstration. I was protecting my lungs as I was sanding a huge piece.

Cela m'a laissé peu de temps pour avancer mon projet "décoration du salon", mais je peux vous assurer que chaque seconde de libre a été utilisée. Si vous aviez promené dans le quartier de Cottage ces derniers week-ends, vous m'auriez peut-être surprise avec une écharpe sur le visage. Non, je ne m'équipais pas pour arpenter les rues de Paris pendant les manifestations. Je protégeais mes poumons alors que je ponçais un immense meuble.

 
I can't show you the huge piece right now because it's very much a work in progress, but you can see one of the improvement I made over the mantel on the picture I took of  a well deserved Christmas-tea break.

Je n'ai pas encore avancé ce projet pour vous le montrer, mais vous pouvez déjà voir un des changements sur la cheminée dans la photo que j'ai prise d'une pause thé de Noël bien méritée.

Those pictures are not staged, there are school books on the chair, dishes on the sink and even a Christmas bread rising on the coffee table in front of the fireplace... Not pictured : laundry drying in each and every room as I'm trying to win over the two huge piles that formed while I was too busy working!

Ce ne sont pas de belles photos mises en scène. Il y a mes affaires d'école sur la chaise, de la vaisselle sur l'évier et même un pain de Noël en train de lever sur la table basse devant la cheminée... Et encore, j'ai essayé de cadrer pour que l'on ne voit pas le linge qui sèche de partout alors que je tente de venir à bout des deux piles de linge sale qui se sont formées quand j'étais débordée de travail.

 
But from this is very lived-in not-magazine-worthy Cottage, I wish you and yours a merry  and sweet Christmas.

Mais depuis mon Cottage rattrapé par la vraie vie et l'imperfection, je vous souhaite un joyeux et doux Noël.

Feliz Navidad Nelly. 

See you next time,

A la prochaine fois,

Hasta la proxima,




50 comments:

  1. Merry Christmas Magali!! Your place looks BEAUTIFUL!!

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  2. Lovely ...
    Merry Christmas for you too :o))

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  3. Have a very Merry Christmas Magali and your home is beautiful and shows your love for it

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    1. Thanks, Karen! I hope the living-room project will be completed in 2019!

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  4. Ton miroir est superbe et le bazar bien caché !!! Cette année nous passerons Noël tous les quatre et ce sera bien chaleureux. Bisous

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  5. Merry Christmas to you! I look forward to all your posts, and enjoying seeing your lovely cottage, and hearing about your beautiful area!!

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    1. Thanks, Cindy! December was very busy as a teacher, as always in French schools, but I hope to be posting more in 2019.

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  6. Merry Christmas Magali and hope you get some time to "shake out" as they say! Your home looks wonderful and I am so glad you have this retreat place to go home too as it is lovely!

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    1. Oh, I was so happy to come back to Cottage after the long evening meetings we had in December!

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  7. Cottage is beautiful and comfortable! Well-lived in and happy!! In reality, most of our homes are just that way--books and papers scattered, empty coffee mugs left on a table, a few dust bunnies hiding out, and even shoes and socks on the floor! Oh well!!! Merry Christmas to you, Magali!!!

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    1. Oh, empty mugs are to be found in nearly each room at Cottage! Happy new year!

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  8. I love your cottage,your little tree, it all looks wonderful, thanks for sharing and have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

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  9. Thank you for taking a few minutes out of your busy schedule to send us Merry Christmas wishes! I love hearing from you and seeing your pictures. Simple holiday decorations are definitely the way to go no matter what our schedule. I hope you have a merry Christmas and 2019 has wonderful things in store for you.

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    1. Thanks, Anne! I usually prefer simple for decoration, but this year, I had no other choice! My best wishes for the year to come!

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  10. Merry Christmas Magali. You cottage is always inviting even without a lot of Christmas decor. It is about Joy and peace and you need that more than you need decorations. I do love the little tree. Enjoy a little time to have peace and maybe a nap!!!!
    Hugs,
    Kris

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    1. I spent a very quite Christmas at my parents and it was just what I needed! Wishing you all the best for the year to come!

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  11. MERRY CHRISTMAS...I did early on look at some places in blogland, I like what I did...I hope you get a nice long holiday break...speaking of the protest, I wish I could have come over for it, Loved watching it on TV. I look forward to seeing this huge sanding project, stay warm by the fire, which I must say looks lovely, I bet the cats love it too.

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    1. I have a two week break for Christmas... And I really needed it! The cats and I spend most evening cuddled by the stove! Wishing you the best for the year to come!

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  12. Enjoy the holidays, get some rest! AriadnefromGreece!

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  13. And a very Merry Christmas to you!!! xoxoxo

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  14. Dang Magali! You deserve a much needed break from work! I think the star tree is cute and kitty loves it so too:). When the project is finished, we'll be waiting, life can be very busy.
    Merry Merry Christmas to you, Mr. Cottage and kitties:),
    Kathleen in Az

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    1. Thanks, Kathleen! The star tree is a simple tree I bought at a local nursery and I put a tree garland on it!
      Happy new year,
      Magali

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  15. Merry Christmas!!! I love your home. Hugs,

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  16. I hope you get a chance to relax over the holidays! Merry Christmas Magali!!!

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    1. I'm spending a few days at my parents to chill out a little. Happy new year to you!

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  17. I hope things calm down at work for you! Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year!

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    1. I do hope January will be less busy at work! Have a great new year!

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  18. I'd be very happy with your simple Christmas decor, Magali. I think they're perfect. I'd love to have that little tree dressed up just as you have it. I hope you can get some rest now. xo

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    1. Thanks! The little tree was bought at a nearby nursery and I just wrapped it in two star garlands I already had. Have a happy new year!

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  19. I love your very simple Christmas. Thanks for keeping it real. Merry Christmas to you!

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    1. Thanks, Jocelyn. There was no way I could do perfect pictures at this time of the year! Happy New Year!

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  20. Merry Christmas! I love your little tree with images of the sea. It's perfect with the kitty right beside it. xo Su

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    1. The kitty loves this shelf so he often sits next to the tree, but he hasn't touched it yet!

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  21. Merry Christmas Magali! Wishing you a wonderful new year! May 2019 be a year full of great things happening and above all good health.

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  22. Magali que alegria saber de ti para mi es un regalo ver tu Cottage del cual estoy enamorada y gracias por darte un tiempo para nosotros a pesar de estar tan ocupada gracias mi amiga y me siento muy privilegiada que me saludas en mi idioma Feliz Navidad para ti tambien y Hasta la Proxima :)




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  23. Your sweet cottage is always lovely, Magali, and I delight in seeing 'real' spaces that aren't staged to the nines!! Hope you had a very Merry Christmas and that 2019 is a wonderful year for you!

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  24. I hope you found time to relax and be joyous!

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  25. Shadow est bien sage auprès du "petit sapin"... cette année, chez nous, Noël s'est traduit par un copieux tea-time que nous avons préparé, en famille, dans la journée (le tartare d'algues fait maison a fait l'unanimité...) mais il nous manquait un joli et doux feu de bois comme celui de Cottage... monique59

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  26. So peaceful and calming, I hope you had a nice Xmas time! Happy New Year!

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