7 Things I am pleased about for 2006

In the spirit of giving at Christmas time I have to thank Jennyta for the gift of a new meme! And just in time for the New Year too!

(Stop groaning you lot!)

So without further ado, here's my top 7 of 2006 (why it's top 7 and not top 10 of 2006 or even top 6 of 2006 I haven't a clue).

7. Moving into an acting supervisor role at work.

6. Seeing the boy turn 19 - and finding he's turned into a loving, considerate young man...now just to find him a nice girlfriend I approve of ;) (meddling mother? me? nah!)

5. Managing the Naplobo-whatever it was called. Posting every day during the month of November. (Yes, some days watching paint dry was more entertaining...but I persisted!)

4. Proving to myself that if I put my mind to it, I can do anything - in this case reworking my finances (and working my ass off in overtime) to make my dream of home ownership a reality.

3. Finally getting my Will and Power of Attorney drawn up. (Procrastinator extrodinaire)

2. Getting a couple of commendations/documentations at work for a "job well done".

and my number one for 2006 is (drumroll please)

1. The new house!!

2007 promises to be an exciting year - no doubt with oodles of drama, laughter and tears! (And tons of photographs!)

Me-me-merry Christmas!

Woke up tres early (4am) thanks to cold medication that wore off in the middle of the night. So just chilling here for a while until the boy wakes up! Perfect time for a Christmas Day me-me :-)


1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot Choc

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Wrapped or gift bagged! (for the wrapping impaired)

3. Coloured lights or white lights on tree/house?
Coloured

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Yes

5. When do you put your decorations up?
Go up around 12 days before and down before 12 days after.

6. What is your favourite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
Turkey & Cranberry!

7. Favourite Holiday memory as a child?
Lying in bed Christmas Eve so excited (I was practically levitating I am sure!) about Santa Claus coming - trying to go to sleep to make it come faster.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
My cousin L. told me on the beach front at Great Yarmouth one year. I was devastatingly disappointed - but worshipped the ground she walked on....so she HAD to be telling me the truth- right?

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Everything gets opened Christmas morning (over a cup of tea) and before breakfast.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
Lot of lights, ornaments I have collected through the years and strings of bead garland and bows (no tinsel, we have cats!)

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Love fresh, new fallen snow....hate having to drive in it...hate ice rain.

12. Can you ice skate?
H'mmm kinda, sorta, ummmm....no.

13. Do you remember your favourite gift?
My EasyBake oven when I was 4.

14. What's the most important thing about the holidays for you?
Spending time with family, good food (good wine) and seasonal shows on tv!

15. What is your favourite Holiday Dessert?
Toss up between Christmas pudding with brandy butter...or homemade Sherry trifle.

16. What is your favourite holiday tradition?
I can't think of one specific tradition that I love more than any other. Pulling the Christmas Crackers at the table. The "stockings first" rule whilst the grown ups make a cuppa tea. Home baked Cinnamon buns for Christmas morning for breakfast. Visits to family on Boxing Day. It's all wonderful!

17. What tops your tree?
An Angel with fibre optic wings :)

18. Prefer giving or receiving?
Both...but if had to choose, giving, I love to see their faces!

19. What is your favourite Christmas Song?
Far too many to list. Both old and new...carols and modern pop!

20. Candy Canes, yuck or yummy?
They are OK once a year :)

A cross between a "good bottoming" and "a lick and a promise"

So it's Christmas Eve day, I've got the turkey in the fridge defrosting for tomorrow, grabbed a couple of steaks out of the freezer for tonight - my plans for the day amounted to nothing, nadda, zilch - just to sit (with my Eartha Kitt/Bea Arthur sore throat that has been threatening for the last 3 days to develop into one hell of a head cold/flu, but so far hasn't progressed much beyond me feeling tres pooped and a bit under-the-weather), munch the occasional bon-bon, read my book, the girls vying for a spot on my lap....bliss!

Then the phone rang at around 10am and the dream sequence ended.

It was the boy calling from work. Would it be ok if he brought a friend over this evening from work? Yes of course, I said. Would this friend be coming for dinner? (My mind on the two steaks sitting defrosting). Oh we can order pizza, my son assured me, his treat. (My plans of a lovely Christmas Eve steak dinner, just the two of us, suddenly was a pizza party...sigh). I'll have to tidy up a bit (I eyed the rug - burgundy shows all the "bits"). Oh don't go to too much trouble mum - you're sick! I wont I assured him, (knowing full well different).

I thanked him profusely for giving me the forewarning. I hate unannounced guests and like to be ready. He said he hadn't even asked his friend yet, thought he would check with me first. (Ahhhh bless his cotton socks!)

I sat there for a few minutes after his phone call. What had been nice enough and tidy enough for he and I this Christmas, suddenly wasn't good enough for visitors (even if they are male work friends coming over for pizza and a game of WoW).

I'll whip around with the hoover later I decided. Then the narrator voice in my head reminded me that the boy was home early from work yesterday as the call volume was slow. And it is Christmas Eve...and Sunday to boot! How many people could possibly be having ISP problems today?

It was enough to spur me into action and I became a whirling dervish of cleaning power. Bedrooms, computer room, bathroom, stairs, hall, powder room, living room, dining room, kitchen - it's amazing how much you can get done when you are a woman with a mission. Dusted, polished, windows sparkling, hoovered the whole she-bang. Dishwasher is humming away in the background whilst the floors are drying. 11:56...a personal record! Somebody call Norris McWhirter at Guinness!

I sat down to finish a now stone cold coffee...and the phone rang again. It was the boy. His friend possibly wouldn't be coming now after all. (A crestfallen Oh! from yours truly) He had other plans, a Christmas party to go to etc. (Perspiration was still glistening on my flu ridden forehead). But he might drop by later...it all depended on...

I wasn't listening at this point. I surveyed my living room....all neat as a pin and shinning. The whole house smells of a combination of bathroom cleaner, bleach, Pledge, Kitchen cleaner, Pinesol and Windex.

Yes, sure that was fine...no problem...right then, I'll get those two steaks back out the freezer for dinner tonight!

The boy thanked me and said I was brilliant.

Y'know, I am inclined at this moment in time to agree with him!

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

My heartfelt thanks to my old pal Heather for this fabulous link. I confess to having played this clip from beginning to end ...oh about 6 or 7 times (minimum) in a row at least....raspily singing along with gusto (I appear to be getting sick just in time for Christmas and sound like a cross between Eartha Kitt and Bea Arthur) Click here and please sing along! Merry Christmas xoxo

Christmas Games!

I love to find cute little gizmos, games and novelties on the web.

Simon Says Santa....go on, ask him to do anything!

www.simonsezsanta.com

Ever wondered what you would look like as a dancing Christmas Elf?

http://www.elfyourself.com/

OK, well maybe you haven't previously wondered...but it's definitely worth the effort and a total laugh!

Merry
Christmas !!

I'm ready!

I hit the grocery store this morning to pick up some last minute things (milk, coffee etc) and was totally amazed at the number of people already there shopping like there was no tomorrow! The parking lot was jammed. The stores are only closed for 2 days for crying out loud! You'd think, looking at some people's trolleys, that they were stocking up for the next month or stocking a fallout shelter! Thankfully with my 4 items, I hopped over to the express lane and was out of that mahem in a jiffy.

My last and final task was wrapping pressies. Xena seemed more intent on crawling into gift bags and batting at the curling ribbon, but 2 hours later I am finally, officially, I aint buying another darn thing - even if I win the lottery tonight - DONE!

Merry Christmas from the girls

I was finally getting around to taking a pic or two of the Christmas decorations today, when a certain little furry face, waiting for Santa under the tree, caught my eye instead.

Xena loves to lie on top of (and totally mess up) the tree skirt and the various stockings waiting to be filled.

I couldn't leave out her big sister Savannah aka Fat Cat, seen here chilling on the couch.

Christmas photos? Oh yeah...well after taking photos of the girls I kinda forgot what I had originally been doing, but I did get a couple of shots of my Christmas village, here and here. Enjoy!

The Weekend

Well seeing as I am officially on my holls now til the 28th, I've taken advantage of the past few days to try and pry myself into the holiday spirit. I have to say that for some reason, I have failed miserably so far - but it is not for want of trying.

I am trying to blame the lack of festive cheer on the fact that we are having a lean-ish Christmas this year, with next to no pressies because of the new house - but even I know that Christmas isn't just about what's under the tree.

I've tried blaming it on the unseasonably warm weather we are experiencing, the fact that everything is green as can be and I still have one stubborn rose bush in the garden still in flower - but after years of Christmases in England I know it's not the lack of snow. I just can't put my finger on it - and it's driving me potty.

Friday, after a day of tree trimming and hanging stuff from every conceivable place, I headed over to visit J. We had a girl's evening planned - quick one for the road at her place and off to a local pub that was having a singles karaoke night. It didn't happen however. I arrived at her place, we got settled, got nattering...and before I knew it, it was almost midnight and we'd spent the whole night gabbing (mainly about men - my lack of , and her new boyfriend of 2 months). She had work in the morning and I headed off home...actually almost wishing to run into a R.I.D.E. seasonal spot check, just so that I could truthfully say that all I'd had to drink was diet caffeine free coke all night. The boys in blue however obviously had better places to be - gah!

Saturday was my long awaited date with O. We have been trying to schedule a get together since the last singles dance I went to in November. Between my shifts however...and his (he works in the control room of a local TV station)...and the fact he lives on the other side of the metropolitan area to moi....well scheduling this date has taken almost a month and a half. He's a super nice guy, decent, hardworking, fun to be around, easy to talk to, considerate, thoughtful but...(and you knew there was going to be a 'but' in there somewhere)...I just don't see him as anything other than a friend. This was our 4th date since we first met in mid summer. As you can see we don't rush things up here in the great whi...er...green north.

We had an interesting time ....he wanted to check out the local flea market, so we browsed there for a while, (naturally I ran into someone from work - only ever happens when I least want to see someone)...then he suggested we hit Costco...so we browsed there some more (hitting the sample ladies up numerous times). It struck me how comical it was....the makings of a classic date from hell..."He was so cheap, when we went for dinner we ate at Costco's sample tables!" But we were actually having a good time and laughing ourselves at the lameness of it all. Finally dinner at a local family restaurant. No candles or violin soloists...just a Swiss Chalet Festive Special ...and then we headed next door to the pub. I was having a great time, due in no small part to his obviously interest in yours truly, and it's nice to be the centre of attention once in a while - but still I couldn't muster any interest or desire along the lines of looking at him as a potential boyfriend.

Today has been a relatively quiet day. The boy had a late night as he was at his birthday concert in Toronto to see Alexis On Fire - which apparently was excellent - his first ever mosh pit - and then he and his bud decided to hit the local race track/casino, where he won $125 on the slots from a single quarter. He was smart at least and cashed out his winnings immediately and came home. I can't help but think however how much he has done since his birthday. Where do they get the energy?

He still has time for mum however and early this afternoon whilst he was out Christmas shopping he called and suggested we go to the movies - which is why at 4 in the afternoon he and I enjoyed a little quality time at the local Cineplex watching Eragon. 4 thumbs up from us.

Tonight I am still searching for my Christmas spirit ,so we're having an ample helping of holiday tv programming. Mickey's Christmas Carol and Elf , to start the ball rolling. I'll let you know if I find it!

The tree is up!

Now that the boy's birthday is done and gone it's time to fire up that yuletide juggernaut and get into the Christmas spirit. The entire ground floor looks like Christmas came and litterally threw up tinsel and twinkling fairy lights all over the place. Martha Stewart would probably have a coronary followed by a nervous breakdown.

And how long did it take to create this loving festive arrangement of gawdyness? A mere 5 hours and 24 minutes (including the hoovering at the end to clean up all the tree needles and fake snow). A new record!!

Photos to follow :)

All grown up

The Boy turned 19 today. Wow, how the years have flown, but he's a grown man now - and can legally drink, thanks to Ontario drinking laws. Tonight he is celebrating with his friend who turn 20 just a few days ago - and they have plans that involve scantily clad ladies and lap dances. I guess it's a right of passage for most young men around here.

How far we have come from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Teen aged Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Some things never change however and I spent the day baking his annual birthday cake. Devils Food cake, with chocolate flavoured frosting.

Trip to the design centre

We took a road trip to the Design Centre today. No decisions made yet, but here are some photos. Naturally *everything* is extra $$, so when it comes to finally making a decision on some items we will be taking the "basic" models. We were a little disappointed that the builder hasn't yet made a decision as to which supplier(s) he is going with for any of the fixtures, tiles, carpeting etc. yet. It certainly made me wonder why they bothered sending out letters inviting us down to the design centre so early. Still, it made for a morning out and emphasized the fact that 2007 will be another year of overtime for yours truly.

The much desired "Oasis".



Yes, the door to the shower is extra...or else all you get is a rod for the curtain.



One of the kitchens in the Design Centre. Muchos upgrades I am sure. We will definitely be going with a more "basic" model.





They had carpeting every colour of the rainbow, from lime green and fuchsia pink to something a little more neutral, such as these.



Knobs



Finally! Something considered "basic"...a pedestal sink!


Basic Kitchen sink...obviously.

Taps

Shower fixtures.

First day of Advent- the tradition continues

My calendar arrived yesterday. I was actually starting to worry/wonder as to where it was. Every year since I was born, Judith has sent me an advent calendar. She worked with my mum many years ago - and has kept up the tradition every single year for the last 40 years. Considering my mum has been gone for 24 years, the fact that she has continued to send me a calendar every year blows me away. I was just the snot-nosed kid of a casual friend from the office and yet every year she makes the effort. Other than our annual Christmas cards/calendars to each other we have no other contact, no letters, no phone calls, no visits. It's just our Christmas thing. It's a tradition that even the boy has come to expect. He broke into the most amazing smile when he came home from work yesterday and saw the calendar sitting out on the wallunit in the living room. Funny how the "small" things mean the most - even to him!

I assume she must be in her mid 70's by now. She has no family that I know of and so if anything were to ever happen to her I would probably never find out until the year the calendar doesn't arrive.