Boxing Day Peace

It's almost 9:30. Honey & I have been up for a couple of hours. The boy is sleeping. We all had a wonderful Christmas. For me it was at times romantic, silly, fun, exasperating and a whole other gamut of things. It was a great time to catch up with family & friends.

There were a nice selction of gifties under the tree. I got $$ for my YMCA membership from my mum. BF gave me a bike roof rack system for my car and a number of other small things as well. He's incredibly thoughtful. We each had done up a stocking for each other - it was so much fun to open them together.

I had the best time with BF - it's been many years since I had a man with me on Christmas morning. We really had a nice Christmas together. :)

Pre-Christmas Cheer

I've been lying low today what with this nasty cold/flu thing I've got - it includes one of the nastiest persistent viral sore throats ever. And a yucky cough.

I've been puttering mostly after a brief foray to Scoop & Save to get stuff for making Christmas treats. The boy went off with his father to get a tree and decorate it. I came back home, made gluten-free chocolate-chip pecan pies and snoozed.

The boy & I made other treats once he got home - I made Festive Cherry Squares (again) and he made Skillet Scrummies which I've made and are also fabulous.

In happy news, when I checked my work email I saw that I got 90% in my Water Treatment I exam! Hooray!

I'm thinking I won't be doing much churching tomorrow. Although I am feeling better, the cough is nasty and I don't want to spread *that* kind of Christmas cheer. BF is going to come and make me supper and we'll have a Christmas Eve sleepover - Hooray! I made him a stocking too and I think he'll enjoy that (he surprised me with a stocking last year so I'm just getting him back so to speak). We can snuggle in bed and open our stockings together - how fun will that be?

Holy sardines batman!

I know a consultant who does work related to my job. I don't give him any work per se and so he can't really bribe me with seasonal gifts. But every now & then, he comes in with "fruits of the sea". He used to work for Brunswick Seafood and he has brought me a variety of sardine products over the past year to try.

I haven't tried them.

Eating little headless fish with all their insides still intact simply hasn't held any water with me. Other people at work love them so I've never had *any* trouble getting rid of them. And I've told "D" that I haven't had the courage to eat them yet.

So today he shows up with a "gift" for me. Not a box of chocolates - no.

A *HUGE* gift pack of little dead fish guys! 15 tins of sardines in a variety of sauces, 5 seafood snacks, 1 baby clams, 1 salad crab meat, 1 Leg Crabmeat 15% leg and 1 "Start a Healthy Habit Recipe Book" You can find the products here.

I didn't know "Crunchy Sardine Pizza" even existed...

God Bless Us Everyone

I went to see the boy in "Bah Humbug" last night, the production at his school. He did so well and I was so proud of him. When he sang his song, I cried. And when they got to the part where Scrooge is watching the future and Tiny Tim is dead, I cried too (silly really since it was only a possible outcome in the future in a story and it really wasn't the boy himself who was dead!)

He's a good little singer but we seldom get to hear him sing solos.

I wonder when his voice will change.

And he bravely endured *GIRLS HUGGING HIM*!!! LOL.

6 more days...

I've never done a meme so here goes nothing...

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Noel Nog - soy eggnog since I can't have milk or cream
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree? Always wrapped, bagged or otherwise concealed
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? - Multicolored - monocolour just seems wrong to me
4. Do you hang mistletoe? The one person I like to kiss doesn't require mistletoe assistance.
5. When do you put your decorations up? After December 1
6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Turkey
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Christmas was a little painful with an alcoholic dad but my mum always made it special. I have memories of special snowfalls and feeling the magic of Christmas
8 . When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I honestly don't remember "learning" and in many ways I still "believe" in the spirit of that magic.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Yes, but this was not a family tradition when I was growing up.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? First the lights (multi-colored), then all the ornaments.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it.
12. Can you ice skate? Not really.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I can't think of anything in particular.
14. What’s your favorite thing about the holidays? The sense of excitement and the magic of all of it.
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Either Christmas pudding or a chocolate log.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Singing in the choir on Christmas Eve.
17. What tops your tree? An angel.
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I think I actually prefer giving.
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? There are many - I love so many Christmas songs!
20. Candy canes yuck or yum? Non-committal.
21. What’s number one on your Christmas list this year? Peace on Earth, love for all and an end to so many evils.

So long & thanks for all the pigs...

It was a bittersweet parting last evening. We loved the pigs but they really weren't getting the attention they deserved and with the boy only being around every other week, and not paying that much attention to them, I thought it might be nicer for them to find a home where people paid attention to them and brushed them.

So I went to here and posted them and a family from the area have gladly adopted them lock, stock & barrel. I felt sad but also relieved and hopefully they will receive the attention they deserve.

Goodbye Takua & Takanuva.

Honey's best friend

The boyfriend has mastered the art of watching TV from the couch while at the same time rubbing Honey's belly. I had to take a picture of her when I saw the expression on her face!

More puppy envy.

We can hardly wait until we have a little cutie like one of these next summer!

Christmas razberry!

Honey really is great with wearing this sort of garb and normally I can get a good shot but last night was not stellar for either of us. I need to figure out the camera and we all need to relax and enjoy the photo shoot. Tonight I'll try for all of us in the shot.

In the meantime I got this *hilarious* picture!

10 more days folks!

Season of Insanity

STOP THE TRAIN - I NEED TO GET OFF!!!

Holy crazy train! I feel like my life has been switched to some insane pace and I am like the coyote trying to paddle my legs insanely as I run off the cliff.

It all started Friday night when I realized that I had to make the sweets for our sweet plates here at work for Monday. We had so much on if I didn't get them done Friday, it wasn't going to happen.

Saturday the boy had curling. All day. Yay. Actually it was fun and great practice for his team but I didn't need to blow off a whole Saturday this close to Christmas. And then at the end of the day, I somehow managed to get stuck with clean up after the pizza party for the kids. A few people were kind enough to stay & help but it was kind of like moving, you know what I mean? Even after the bulk is done there are still myriad little things to get done to finish the job. I brought the extra 1.5 pizza over to the boyfriend who totally pigged out over the ensuing 18 hours post receipt of said delicacy - I taunted him mercilessly. After pizza delivery, went home, released Honey from the house for a pee/poop and then her supper. Tossed her into car with boy and we went to pick up wreathes to deliver for Scouts. Was supposed to put up Christmas tree Saturday but was so tired & hungry when we finally got home, I forgot.

Sunday. Get up. Get to church for 9:00. Sing. Home by 11:30. Eat lunch. Get boy to school for play rehearsal at 1:00. Take Honey to woodlot. We walked for hour. It was a gorgeous day and it was actually a nice break from all the insanity. Lots of other dogs booting about. I dropped her off at the boyfriend's then went to the boy's Christmas band concert. Once that got out, we booted him over to the Cathedral for *his* choir singing the service. Out by 5:00. We went home and dug out the tree from the shed. Boyfriend arrived with Honey and we all pitched in to make supper.

We put up the tree while boyfriend was there. It is an artificial tree I confess. I bought it when I lived in an apartment and wasn't allowed a real one. Now I kind of like to have it. My place is so small and it is so easy to take care of and it doesn't make a mess. Once I buy a real house, I'll have a real tree again. There is something so fitting about having a fake tree when you live in a trailer park - oops I mean "mini home development". The boy did a great job trimming the tree.

I have to brag because the boyfriend is so wonderful. He made salad and cooked the steaks. After supper, while I was trimming the hair between Honey's toes (it traps the snow and hurts her feet when it is cold & snowy) he cleaned up the post supper debris - loaded my dishwasher, wiped the counters, washed the big stuff and even the burner covers on the stove. I was so touched. He is so wonderful and thoughtful.

We watched Christmas Vacation together. I'd never seen it and it was pretty funny.

Monday comes and it's off to work again. I brought along my Festive Cherry Squares and spent most of the morning putting together sweet plates to sell as a fundraiser for our Christmas family - we raised $350. It was lots of fun and there was a lovely selection of home baked goods. I then bought three plates - one for my mum, one for our party this Saturday and one for the boys to nibble over the holidays.

Monday night is Cubs and we took the boys to Clay Café. What a hoot! I want to go back with older "kids" and have some fun myself some night. The boys are really good but it brought home a quote I made up a while back that hadn't entered my head in a while: "You call it Cubs - I call it contraception." 13 - 8 to11 year olds in a small room doing crafts. Oh yah baby!

Tonight is relatively quiet. Drop boy at Scouts, go visit boyfriend with Honey. Go for a walk and relax.

Honey's foray into literature

Oh boy.

When I got home last night, I observed that Honey had decided to see why her people spend so much time with books. And she found a book she could really sink her teeth into - "Once Upon a more Enlightened Time - More Politically Correct Bedtime Stories" It was shredded. I had noticed that the boy had left it on the stool next to Honey's chair but never thought anything of it. It's sad really - it's a delightful book and now it is gone.

This morning she put sprinkles and a cherry on that particular sundae of pet ownership joy. GROSS ALERT -- She barfed outside my bedroom door just as I was getting up to let her out. And there was a mountainous smelly poop on the carpet in the living room. Either one I could have stomached on its own - I nearly barfed myself cleaning up her barf. Sigh.

Needless to say, the baby gate is back up and she languishes in the kitchen in her shame.

Not a stellar morning - no soy beverage, gluten-free bread or bagels. A wretched breakfast that now sits heavy and icky in my tummy.

One hour of tears

I watched a program last night that brought me to tears early in and I cried pretty much all the way through it.

I knew the HIV/AIDS crisis was proofound but somehow I missed along the way just how bad it is in Africa. Millions affected, so many orphans, so many grandmothers left childless to raise their grandchildren. Poverty beyond comprehension.

I now need to find a way to channel my desire to help. I guess this is as good a place to start as any.

Stephen Lewis is a great man and has accomplished great things. He is a true hero.

If I had known sooner, I would have given more of my Christmas $$ to this cause - I'm sure people would have understood that this is a present that we can all benefit from.

Winter Wonderland

I guess one of the advantages of living next to a River is how beautiful an otherwise nasty-cold morning can be. It was -18 this morning - even Honey was not too keen to go back out after being out for her "morning pee & poop while Mum's in the shower" ritual.

There was a lot of moisture in the air though and the whole world was clad in a glittery white robe. There is nothing so beautiful as hoar frost on a crisp winter morning (oh wait it's not winter yet...) And we still have a few majestic elm trees which hide their illness so prettily when they can dress up in winter's finest robes.

It's so magical. And when I came out of French class, there were a billion flakes swirling around. It was as if Jack Frost and a whole party of winter fairies were dancing about scattering beauty all around.

Combined with my assortment of Christmas CDs in the changer in the car, I feel positively festive.

I'm humming Christmas carols and feeling very cheerful. I am thankful.

20 Days Until Christmas!!

Hooray for Snow!

Well I guess we got our wish. It snowed yesterday, really snowed! I think it snowed more yesterday than it did all last winter. Honey was delighted when I got home - she's worse than a kid in the snow. Runs in circles around the house, bounding like a reindeer, rolling and whuffing. Tossing her Kong into the snow and then pouncing on it. And leaping with great glee upon my piles of snow at the edges of the driveway! She lost her Kong in the snow at the end of the street last night as we walked our "just before bedtime" walk. Hopefully I can find it in the light of day.

It's cooled off a lot too. -9 this morning which isn't cold relative to some places on the continent, but it's the coldest it's been in these parts for a while.

I got my outside Christmas decorations up on Saturday night. I hauled the now-greenish tinged reindeer out from under the deck and stuck him in the ground. I strung up my lights and hung my wreath. I put up lights inside too. I feel like I should have more lights, I should have icicle lights but they are such a PITA to hang so I'll get over it. Maybe lights around the door would be nice. But maybe I can wait until *after* Christmas and get them cheap for next year.

BF is still sick so Honey & I went over for a visit after supper Sunday. I'm pretty sure he had the 'flu - fever, cough, fatigue. He's so grumpy when he's sick. I want him to get better because I miss him!

And when we got home, the reindeer was pulled from the ground and lying on his side a few feet from his original spot. Now it wasn't windy and in fact, even during the windier weather Saurday night, he only got sort of tipped over, not pulled out of the ground. And the clincher is that his side was smushed in too. Begging the question: who stomps on Christmas decorations? :-(

It's off to spinning tonight, a now weekly torture ritual that I need to increase my frequency of somehow. I need to get some weight training in too. Flabby bits starting to appear in waistline region. I saw a delightful term the other day - muffin top. That's that unsightly roll of flesh that spills over the top of a pair of too-tight low-rise jeans. Too funny.

Welcome to Advent!

Tomorrow is the first Sunday in Advent. It's such a wonderful season - liturgically it is a warm, familiar season. Musically it is a wonderful season too - tons of old chestnuts to sing. And with our new choir director Willis noble, things are *wonderful*!

I dressed for the season today - my reindeer sweater, Christmas socks and Christmas Tree belly button ring.

I think BF must have 'flu which is very sad. He's been sick all week and still feels poorly. It doesn't sound much like a cold to me.

So Honey & I will be hanging out together tonight, flying solo. Maybe we'll dig out Christmas lights...

Bandango jam was a success! It is quite tasty. :)

The weather is wrong!

It's the Annual Christmas tree lighting ceremonies at the Legislature and City Hall tonight and it is supposed to be freezing rain! Yuck. We need delicate, romantic flakes of snow dancing down while we witness the magic, sipping hot apple cider and entertaining Honey's legion of fans.

Poop.

BF is sick too, been sick all week. Bummer. No cuddles tonight.

So instead I'm going to stay home with the Boy (since my Ex has something on tonight) and we are going to attempt to make banana mango coconut jam for his "banandango" a breakfast sandwich contest winning idea.

Maybe we'll watch a video too.