Making Potica & Other Christmas Stuff

Not me in the picture, but this is what "making potica" looks like!

Try as I might, I cannot dismiss the younger daughter's "silence". I believe it is an underlying stress for me right now and I am clueless how to relieve it. I have recited the Serenity Prayer numberless times, but applying it is another matter, it seems. I get stuck on the "accept the things I cannot change". The logic is there, but the heart will have none of it. The latest report is that her best friend went to the house to see if she could talk to her and my daughter TEXTED HER ON HER CELL PHONE: "GET OFF MY PROPERTY. YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE.". This is just a further sign to me that she is mentally unstable. I also heard that Taylor, the stepdaughter who she had promised she would still come and pick up, etc...that "nothing would change with her dad's death," she is also ignoring and the poor little girl is in therapy as she is not coping at all well. Doesn't understand why my daughter has abandoned her. I am going to call her mother and ask if it will help or hinder things if I remember her on her birthday and if I were to keep in touch with her. I feel badly. I sent an email to my daughte appealing to her on Taylor's behalf; however, I'm not holding any hope.

Well, the porcelain spray came in the mail which means I can now finish the ceramic nativity set I am working on for my son for Christmas. I only have about five pieces left to chalk and then I need to put the little jewells on the wisemen and their camels.

Christmas shopping is almost completed and I have wrapped what needs to be mailed except the items I am waiting for in the mail. Today I am going to make potica. That is a Slovenian nut bread that is made on Christmas, New Years and Easter. It's an all-day project. Yeast dough rolled out on the table paper thin. Covered with melted butter, warmed cream, warmed honey, cinnamon, cloves and 2 pounds of chopped walnuts and golden raisins. Then roll up like a jelly roll. Put in pan and let rise and bake. I'm going to make two of them ... so that is probably two days work. That plus finishing the nativity and getting the boxes in the mail and packing for San Diego. And one more shopping trip out of the house to get ready for our exchange with close friends should keep me busy to the time I board a plane on the 20th. I won't have time to be in a down mood as I was last week....that's the good news. Now, if I could just get that daughter of mine to communicate!