Ready, steady, go....

...on to Christmas that is. The tree is trimmed. The presents, what there are of them, have been bought. Some need to be wrapped but that is an easy chore and one that I have fun doing. The flights were booked a few weeks ago. We leave for Sydney on Sunday and we will be there until Christmas Day. We have to fly back in the afternoon because hubby has to work Christmas night. We have a pre-Christmas BBQ to go to before we leave on Sunday and other than that we are ready for Christmas or as ready as we will ever be. Doesn't it sound funny to have a BBQ at Christmas? Then again when the temperatures are in the 70's why not have a BBQ?  Hubby has to work the next few nights and then as I said we'll be off to Sydney.

Anyway, if I don't post again before we head to Sydney, I probably will but just in case, I want to wish each and everyone one of you, along with your families and partners the best that the season can provide. I hope you are able to take a little time and spend that time with those that mean the most to you in your life. I hope and wish for each of you a phantasmagorical New Year! May you move forward and hopefully may some of the woes of the past year that have affected many of us start to ease. Take care, be safe and hugs all around. Enjoy...

Holiday madness....

Goodness gracious, I just did not think I was ever going to get over here and post something. I mean with all of the presents that had to be bought, putting up a tree, decorating the rest of the house including lights on the outside and to top it off baking a few dozen Christmas cookies, I just have not stopped. Hell who am I trying to kid? I'm lucky I got the tree up period the way I have been feeling. I knew you would never buy this lame ass excuse for not posting but I still had to try.

There's not much holiday madness going on around this house this year. I'm guessing that it could be the same in many houses. Times are tough. I know that the US has a new President (elect) and we have a new Prime Minister here in Australia and hopefully soon things will start to change but that will take time. The economy will take even longer probably, based on what I hear it will be at least two years before things start looking better in that department. It's just really hard to get all revved up into the holiday madness.

I know that some people unfortunately feel this way every year. The thing is, I'm not usually one of them. I love Christmas. I love the tree, the ornaments, the lights both inside and outside the house, the music and all of the baking that goes with Christmas not just the cookies. Did you notice I didn't add present to that list? You see presents aren't the key to this season. Now don't get me wrong I like getting gifts as much as the next person and I like giving them even more but to be honest it's the wrapping paper that excites me more than what is inside the box. I know I'm pathetic but it's true and that will be the way I'll always feel. That is if I can get the holiday spirit back.

I lost it a two years ago after my dad passed away but then I thought to myself "What would dad want you to do?" and sure enough I knew that he would want me to get on with Christmas like I had always done. That included the tree and decorating the house inside and out. The economy is/was still tight so not so much wrapping of presents but hey what's wrong with filling a few empty gift bags with paper and setting them under the tree and/or wrapping a few empty boxes to at least make it look festive. At least that one present I can afford doesn't look so lonely.

In the end I tried back then and that's what I have to do now. I won't be baking as there aren't enough people around here to eat it all and personally I need to lose some weight. There won't be any lights outside because it is summer here in Australia and because of that it stays light outside until nearly ten o'clock so by that time it will be almost time to go to bed and I can't afford to leave the lights on all night. So the best the outside will get is a nice wreath for the door, which it has. The tree has gone up but it only made it up a few days ago, none the less it is up. As for the presents, well as I said a few strategically placed bags and boxes and that one present looks right at home.

All in all it's going to be just fine. I always told/tell my mum that Christmas is not about all of the hype. It's about you and what's in your heart. To do all of the things I just talked about is great but you need to do it for the right reason and that is to do it first and foremost for yourself. You don't have to do it the way the world thinks you should with a tons of lights and presents etc. Just find the thing/s that make you smile inside, the rest will be a little easier. Don't beat yourself up if you can't bake any cookies or buy everyone a present. You'll stay thinner and save some money to pay the electric bill. So it's a winning proposition all the way around the way I see it. Like I said do what you need to do and the rest will just have to take care of itself or at least for this year.

(Just a note: Did I forget to mention that this will also be the 9th anniversary of my partners passing on the 21 December? That always plays a part in how I approach Christmas now a days)

Christmas wrap up...

Well. Christmas is officially done and over here in the land down under and we are now into the day after post season sales for the second day. We also celebrated Boxing Day while you were just celebrating Christmas so I guess you can say we also were are still celebrating Christmas but not the official big day as it had truly come and gone.

We had a nice Christmas. We spent Christmas Eve at a fiends house with about 10 other people have a lovely buffet type dinner. There were a few laughs, a few pictures and even a few presents exchanged. All in all a good time was had by all parties present. We left and got home around midnight and we would have opened presents then as we do on many occasions but we were tired and my feet were really hurting so we decided to put off presents until the morning.

We slept in a bit on Christmas morning or should I say James slept in as I'm never able to sleep in because my feet start acting up early like around 5:00 every morning so I get up and take my pain medicine. Once I'm up I stay up because I can't get back to sleep. Anyway, after James got up we opened presents. It was supposed to be a slim Christmas and rightfully so seeing that we are spending so much money on the renovations doing done to the house, not to mention the new iMac. I hadn't planned or expected that there would be any other gifts this year. I would have been and still am happy with just those things. At the same time I couldn't let Christmas morning go by with out any presents even if it was a small one. So, I couldn't help myself and got James two boxed sets of DVD's he wanted. They were nothing special but it was a little something.

James apparently thought like I did and presented me with what he called a little something. Well a little something turned out to be a big something (as I type this, if I was the kind of person whose mind goes easily into the gutter, well you know what I mean) Anyway, back to where I was oh yes James' big little something. James bought me a tea light holder made by Bernardaud. I have looked at these forever and would love to collect several but they are a bit pricey so this one will do just fine. The holders are not listed on the site but can be purchased at any store that carries fine china etc. I'm not sure, they may even be a specific collection made by the company but sold through someone else as the booklet that came with the box list numbers to call in the USA for additional product information. All I know is I got one and I love it. I've taken a picture of the holder but it does not do it justice. You have to see it with the candle burning because it's like they carve a reverse print on the outside and it only shows up with light coming from the inside. The bad part is I'm afraid to burn it even though it came with a tea light. Maybe I will and maybe I won't. Oh hell who am I kidding I'll do it at least once just like everything else in my life. Says a lot doesn't it. Anyway, here's the picture.

James also bought me some glasses that I have looked at for 3 years and once again never really thought I would ever get them because they were also way to expensive in light of what we were currently spending and I really did not think he needed to do such a thing. These hand blown glasses are from the same man that made the trysting glasses James bought me a few years ago for my birthday. The trysting glasses are a rose colour but at the time that James bought them for me there was now other colour to choose from other than clear. The new glasses that James bought me are in cobalt blue. What's odd about the glasses is that the actual stems sit in a separate base. You maybe able to see it in the pictures. I just think they are not only beautiful but just so different. With the addition of these glasses I now have a total of 3 items from this particular artisan. I've taken pictures of the the other item I have now in addition to the new glasses and the old glasses mentioned in the previous post.

Glasses

These next items are called Whipping Tops and they will actually spin like a top but I'm not comfortable doing such in case the accidentally break as things do.

Anyway, how was your Christmas? Did you have a day with friends and family. Are you making plans for New Years Eve. We're not making plans for New Years Eve as James has to work and besides I think the first part of our holidays has been plenty exciting. All I can say is my Christmas couldn't have been better. I hope you got everything and more this Christmas.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, etc.etc.etc....

Okay, well this will probably be the last post until after the New Year so I thought I would try something completely different. As you may our may not know we recently became the proud parents to an iMAC. The new baby comes with a very easy to use movie maker (or so I thought). So, I thought I would give it a go and what is to follow is my first attempt at making a video. This take is the best out of like thousands (maybe a bit of an exaggeration) but needless to say it took me forever to even get this one. I tried adding music but then you couldn't here my voice. I suppose you need the music playing in the background when your making the movie. Adding music is more for when you do like a picture slide show. I also hope that the movie isn't that huge of a file. You should be alright if you have broadband. If you don't have broadband it may take a little extra time to view, but again I'm learning. I will keep practicing but until that time, Enjoy...

Especially for a friend and she knows why and who she is...

Now that's a Christmas tree. As for the rest of the readers that stop by, I know I've talked about recently that I've had a really hard time getting into the Christmas mood/spirit. Anyway, I finally put up our Christmas tree and I'm glad I did. The only thing diffeent this year is I went with just the old fashioned big bulb lights and no tiny twinkle lights. The tree makes me feel good and that is what I needed. It's not the biggest or best tree but it's our tree and that's all that counts. Enjoy... 

A little Christmas cheer...

I'll tell you about the Elton John concert later but until then. Enjoy...

No posts, not good...

Gee I just realised I have not posted for a few days and as I've mentioned before I know how many of you come by to read my quick witted and spot on views of the world. I know you go into withdrawal when I don't post regularly and that without my posts you will eventually give up all hope and decide that life is just not worth the effort. For all of this and to all of you, I apologise. The guilt that I would feel over my insensitivity to your feelings and needs would be overwhelming for me and to be honest I just don't have to time or energy to expend on all of that.

Now with that all said and done you do know that I'm kidding, right? If not oh well I'll find some humour in it somehow, and you will too. I'm so mean. Anyway, the real reason I have been so lax in posting is that I'm in a bit of a funk. I am having a hard time getting motivated for Christmas. I don't even want to put up our tree, and for those of you that know me really well you will know that me not wanting to put up the tree is a sure sign of the apocalypse. I am and have always been, up to recently, the most ardent fan of all things Christmas. I loved the coloured lights and all the ornaments I've collected over the years and I could make a complete evening out of listening to some Christmas music, usually instrumental, and watching the tree lights twinkle, but not this year.

I think after some long conversations with my hubby we have come to the conclusion that all of this has something to do with my father's passing away last year. Even though my dad passed away in September. I think that next few months went by in a blur and this year things are clearer and to be just plain honest, I miss my dad. At the same time I am also concerned about my mother because I know that she is also being affected by all of this, and to a much higher degree. Last year ended in a big blur for my mum also and now this year she is sitting in her house and she has way to much time to focus on the emptiness she feels.

The best suggesting I can come up with for both my mum (I know she reads this) and me is for us to move forward and to go ahead with our christmas plans because dad would want us to. He also loved christmas, especially when it came to putting the lights up outside. So I think the best way to pay tribute to my dad is to put my tree up and when it's all up and decorated I think what I will see is not just a colourful shiny tree but I will also see a little part of my dad, and that has to be a good thing.

I'm going to at least try...

Happy Holidays!

Well it's the day before our Christmas party and I have tons of baking and cooking to do so I'll be pretty busy for the next two days. After the party tomorrow we head to Sydney to spend a few days with James' parents. I won't have much time, if any, to post a lot and I just wanted to tell all of you I hope you have a wonderful Holiday Season and I wish you all the best for the coming New Year!

The week before Christmas...

Well, it's the week before Christmas and I'm as ready as I'll ever be. All of my shopping is done including the food shopping for a little soiree we are having next Saturday night before we leave for Sydney on Sunday, Christmas Eve. The weather is holding out so once again we will have moderate temperatures, which is one of the reasons we moved down here. I just couldn't put up with the heat and humidity in Sydney. The little soiree is just a few close friends that we had over last year with some drinks and lovely nibbly bits. I am making lots of my old favorites including, deviled eggs, vegetable dip and prawn and crab dip. I'm also going to attempt to make a few new surprises. We shall see...

It's also only two more weeks until the end of 2006 and I have never been so ready to see the back side of a year as I am this one. I'm sure that if you've been keeping up you are aware of what a crappy year it has been for us both and at this point enough is enough. We just want to move forward and get on with it!

So what is in store for the new year?

1. I am taking James to Melbourne for his birthday to see one of his favourite comedian/variety acts Dame Edna.
2. Some friends are coming out for a visit starting in February and will be staying through the end of March. We will be going up to Cradle Mountain and also making a short trip to Sydney with them.
3. James goes to Sydney for a week to do the residential part of his college distance course. He has been working on this course which is an add-on to his degree for over a year and will finish it in June this year.
4. After James finishes his course we plan to start our travelling around Australia. So many people live in a country and only travel outside of their own country, never seeing any of where they live. So, we are going to do just that and head up to Darwin, Perth, and Uluru to name a few. We are going to rent a camper van and take our time to see what there is to see. I'll be taking our laptop so I can post pictures and updates

That's about all we have planned for the moment but a week before Christmas and all through the house all is calm and it is starting to look like a good year ahead!

A Christmas list...

This was fun. I stole it from here and he stole it from someone else. If you're brave enough or just plain bored give it a try and let me know how you went so I can have a read. I could tag some one (Mark) but I won't.

Happy Holidays!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot chocolate all the way. Egg nog tastes bad besides it's hard to find here in the land down under.

2. Did you ever do anything for Santa?
Yes, but he had me promise not to tell anyone... I'm just kidding, we put out milk and cookies.

3. Coloured lights on tree/house or white?
Coloured lights on tree, and I used to put both on the house but we don't put them outside anymore because it stays light outside until almost 9:30 here in Tasmania so it seems senseless to put out lights that most people won't see.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No.. never bought into that one.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
December 1st or weekend closest.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
Cranberry sauce

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
Not being able to sleep on Christmas Eve and always trying to get my parents to get up to open presents at about 5:00am, but they always made us wait until at least 7:00.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I think I was about 8 when I found the box for my GI Joe jeep; hidden down in the basement behind the hot water heater.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
We open one gift.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
I don't like one theme or just one colour. I use different coloured lights and all different ornaments that I collected over the years. (As seen previously)

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it.
I love it but we don't get snow at Christmas time here because we live in the southern hemisphere where it is summer so I have to wait until June to see snow.

12. Can you ice skate?
Yes, but not very well and it has been a long time since I have been skating so I would probably fall straight on my ass.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
All gifts are wonderful because people go through the trouble of buying/making them so I think they are all great.

14. What's the most exciting thing about the holidays for you?
The tree, I love watching the coloured lights twinkle.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
My mum's rum cake which I will have to try to make myself this year seeing that we live on the other side of the world.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Staying up to midnight with James so we can open presents on the very beginning of Christmas Day.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree...

Well it's that time of the year again and I love it. We bought a new tree this year as the old one has done yeoman's service over the past 7 years but I finally told James that it had to go as it was looking a bit pathetic. So the new tree is great it's real bushy but so bushy I can't get any presents underneath it. I'll figure something out. Our tree is not your typical all one theme tree that seems so popular nowadays. I like a variety of ornaments. I have been collecting ornaments since about 1990 adding at least one new one a year. Some are from friends and many of them with dates which remind James and I of different Xmas' of past and where we were and what was happening in our life at the time. I love Xmas although it is also a sad time for me because it also is the anniversary of my late partners passing. He died on December 21st which has always put a damper on this time of year from that point forward. I have moved on from that day and since then found love and happiness with James. We have finally settled and we have made a home and in that home I try to bring back a little bit of Xmas. so I share it with you even though it's not the best picture...



...and another