This month has certainly been very different. From the very weird weather to the shopping, I have had my Christmas totally turned around. How about you?
Now, normally, I would have my present shopping done in one day during the first week of December; however this year, I was relying on the delivery of a $100 Westfield Voucher; only that it didn't arrive and I had to pay for all my Christmas shopping out of my own pocket. It wasn't exactly great as it set me late in the grocery shopping too. I finished my Christmas Present shopping on 14th December when it was supposed to be a fortnight before. Then, my last pay before Christmas was three days before the actual day. So, I was stuck out there shopping in the over-crowded shopping centres on a wet day; and I had to make sure I got everything I needed so I didn't have to tackle the crowds again. Fortunately for me, I forgot only one thing and that was yoghurt for Christmas Eve; so I didn't do too badly.
During this month, my family went to Pullenvale to celebrate my Aunty Marj's birthday. It was another wet day; but with the people there you wouldn't have thought so. We saw Riley there along with Gabe and Kat. Then, we had other cousins we hadn't seen in ages. During the day, some of the kids played their instruments; one of the boys plays the guitar, one of the girls plays the flute and another plays the piano. All very gifted. I showed the young flautist my photo with Sir James Galway and his wife, Lady Jeanne and she didn't know who he was. I told her about him and recommended that she acquaint herself with his music as well as all other different type of flautists. When I talked to her Dad about James, he said that James was 'too European'. I found him very much close-minded about James; and have found that people often do this with a lot of musicians and artists; whereas I haven't. I tried out his favourite flautist (Jane Rutter) and I don't like her style; and she's too heavy when it comes to her playing style.
This month, I bought Little Miss Stevie's very first Christmas Ornament. It's a gorgeous blue colour with her name in glitter on it... and a silver ribbon on top. The whole thing comes in a box of its very own; and I bought it for $21 at Garden City. I thought that seeing she's over 5 years old, she deserved to have an ornament as lovely as this.
Also, this month, my 'Tea, Read & Journal' Book Box arrived home from its long stay in Indonesia. It landed there and the person there drank all the tea and mixed up all the books; then thought I'd forgotten about it. So after a few firm - yet useful - e-mails, I got her to send it back to me. This book box had been traveling around the world for just shy of two years and when it got to the last person, I had to push her to get it back. Now, that sucks.
A few weeks before this happened, a generous, loving Bookcrosser was taken away from us by Cancer at a young age; and just when the Ornament Exchange was about to start. So, as Christmas came closer, my ornament still hadn't arrived. I let TexasWren know and found out that the BCer who passed away was my partner. TexasWren was lovely enough to ask oi-reader's partner in the UK to send her ornament to me instead. So, it arrived with a little note at the post office. So, there I was crying the post office with a little kid asking me if I was okay. I had to say I had something in my eye and it'll go away soon.
Then, I did a quick look at the year that was 2010! And what a year! I got so much done and so many books read, so much rain has fallen, piano practice and had so much fun doing all of the volunteer work, painting a TSB and enjoying all the photography on 365 Project that I'm almost sorry to see this year finish... our first decade of the 21st Century; and it's gone by so quickly.
On 15th, December, Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich and the Redland Bay area copped their first howler of a hail storm! And what a storm it turned out to be! I put my film of it up on YouTube and have a lot of hits on it since it's first viewing; over 100 actually. Otherwise, but it's been fun doing watching Mother Nature have a go at us; and bring all this rain to us.
Then, Christmas Eve was wonderfully celebrated at Oma's place with food gifts and lots of fun. We got home around 10pm or so as it poured rain outside. And I got to bed around 1am; as I was still full from eating too much food. I had spent a lot of time online that night; so I got to talk to people overseas on Facebook.
On Christmas Day, I woke around 6am and unwrapped my pressies, put on my 30th Anniversary of Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon' while I put together my laundry hamper and gave Little Miss Stevie a cuddle and then got ready to go to Gabe and Kat's place for breakfast. It was a great day of eating, gift-giving and looking at photos of Asia. It still rained, ants were everywhere and I photographed the chooks and other things around the place.
Over the last few days, I've indexed my dvds in a large book, found out the annoying bitchy neighbours are away (and have been since Christmas Day night; but for how long, that's the question). Then, we found out from my plumber that the knocking pipes is actually neighbour's fault if they did anything in the bathroom that changes anything to the shower; well, they probably took out the water arrester and had made my house knock since April. So, he's coming in next week or so to check my place, make a report and then something will be done. My nails are still long... and have been since I went to see James Galway. Yay! I think I've kicked a lifetime habit! Then, I went out yesterday and used my $100 Westfield Voucher at Garden city; and spent only half of it ... how cool is that? I love it that it's so hard to spend that kind of money. I bought a Dr Who mug, a pair of shoes and two books. I want to buy things I'll actually use and enjoy for a long time and not just use once and throw out. Well, it's been a very different month. The sun has finally come out today and so, I've done almost all the washing (not including the hand-washing), posted off something to Mum and Dad, mowed the lawn (as it was up to my ankles) and paid my gas bill... all before 10am! Now, that's how much energy I've had because my next door neighbours haven't been here to bug the crap out of me or anyone else.
Well, until next time, I wish you all a very happy and prosperous New Year in 2011. Take care wherever you're celebrating; and remember that it's best to arrive late than not at all, and don't drink and drive.
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