first day

12.25.12 ~ New York, New York
12.25.12 ~ New York, New York

…”The Little Drummer Boy” is Larisa’s favorite Christmas song…

12.25.12 ~ New York, New York
12.25.12 ~ New York, New York

This year Tim had a vacation for the week between Christmas and New Year, so we decided to travel to visit our kids, who did not have time off from work for holiday adventures. Tim spent Christmas Eve in the emergency department seeking treatment for another bout of diverticulitis… But a CAT-scan determined that it was caught early enough and was mild enough for him to be treated with oral antibiotics and sent on his way.

12.25.12 ~ New York, New York
Larisa and Compromise

Christmas morning we set out for New York to spend the day with Dima & Larisa, who cooked us a scrumptious feast for dinner. When darkness fell the twinkling tree lights came on and we admired all their decorations. Compromise, their pet albino rat was allowed out of his cage and spent the evening with us, cuddling with Larisa, while we were playing board games. It was a lovely, cozy and peaceful evening, our first Christmas in the city, with Christmas carols playing softly in the background.

12.25.12 ~ New York, New York
Compromise ~ 12.25.12 ~ New York, New York

Whenever Larisa needed to get up to attend to something she left Compromise on her chair, knowing he would not risk jumping off it. He would wait patiently for her to return and hold him again. We never knew a rat could be so affectionate. Sometimes he would sit on her shoulder while she was busy with things. So adorable!

The next morning Dima & Larisa were off to work and then Tim and I left for our next destination in Virginia!

21 thoughts on “first day”

  1. Never thought I’d see a rat and not shiver, but Compromise looks well-loved and happy. And I love the ornament quote in the beginning! Happy New Year. Peace, Health, Happiness to you and yours.

    1. Thank you, Pam! I think if a rat suddenly appeared in my home I’d probably be shivering, too, but being introduced to him properly made all the difference. 🙂 He had quite a personality, too. Wishing you a healthy, happy New Year, too!

  2. Too funny to think a rat called Compromise sat round the Christmas dinner table with you!
    I’m astonished to learn how tame and loving it is. I once in a fit of weakness bought my son a white rat but I would NEVER ever have allowed that darn rat to sit at my dinner table.

    Sorry to hear that Tim ended up in the ER. I send him many good health greetings.

    1. Compromise got his name because Larisa wanted a cat and Dima did not want a pet. A rat was the compromise. Larisa has a way with animals so I imagine there will always be a creature of one sort or another in her life. But, Rosie, Compromise did not sit with us while we were eating dinner! He joined us AFTER dinner while we were playing board games!

      Thank you for your well wishes for Tim – I’m working very hard to get him healthier – more on that in the coming months probably…

  3. Glad to hear that Tim is ok. Love that Compromise was allowed to participate in the festivities 🙂 When I was at college I “adopted” 2 rats from the lab – Izzie and Bert. They loved to cuddle.

    1. Thank you, Stephanie, for a while there the possibility of spending Christmas in the hospital was looming on the horizon. Larisa used to work with rats in a lab when she was in college, too – I remember she made friends with several of them that year. Izzie and Bert are great names for a cuddly pair of rats!

  4. I had never imagined that a rat would be an affectionate pet, yet the photo of Larisa and Compromise is just adorable! Such a lovely way to spend Christmas and the greatest gift of all must have been knowing that Tim was well enough to travel and spend the day with you all. Wishing you all good health, peace and happiness throughout 2013. 🙂

    1. Thank you, Joanne. Poor Tim was sick for Thanksgiving, too, but it was a relief that he could make this trip. We weren’t prepared for the crowds that travel over the holidays – I thought most people stayed home. Roles change over the years and it was a blessing to be able to spend Christmas at our daughter’s home with her loved ones for the first time. All good wishes for your New Year, too, Joanne! 🙂

  5. It sounds like such a lovely day! I found myself remembering the first times we travelled to spend Christmas in our children’s homes. How comforting it was, in some undefinable way, knowing they were moving into their adult lives and that all was well.

    I’m glad to hear that Tim is OK. Compromise is a very big fellow!

    1. You described the feeling so well, Colleen, knowing the comfort of seeing our children as competent and capable adults, embracing their own choices, joys and sorrows with strength and grace. Compromise is definitely a handful, or actually two hands-full! As we keep getting older each day I have Tim around is even more precious than the last!

  6. Hi,
    Lovely photos, and it sounds like you all had a wonderful Christmas. I would of never thought a pet rat could be trained like that, just unreal, there is a cuteness about Compromise though.

    1. Hello, Mags! I hope you and your loved ones had a wonderful Christmas, too – you must be grateful that your dad continues on in his recovery so well. Now you’ve got me wondering if people in Australia keep any sort of rodents as pets?

    1. How wonderful that you and your son love rats, too, Hanneke! I wonder if you ever draw or paint them – I’ll have to search your blog and see. 🙂

  7. Little drummer Boy is my favorite song too! Was listening to it all throughout the christmas time. Nice santa collection you have, very cute. Is that you with a white rat? so sweet 🙂

    1. Sonali, I will have to let Larisa know that you are a fan of the little drummer boy! The Santa collection belongs to my sister-in-law so I will have to let her know you liked them… The one in the photo with the sweet white rat is not me, she is my daughter, Larisa. 🙂 (I will go back and put a caption under the photo for clarity!)

        1. You’re welcome, Sonali! I love how much Compromise loves Larisa, and I think his tiny little toes are adorable, too! 🙂

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