Well, are you ready?

..I think I am... Christmas music on the PC and a little time to blog / catch up. We got home late Thursday after almost 24 hours travelling, we were all pretty spaced out but a chilly but great night's sleep in 'your own bed' sure makes things clearer!  It was a great break away, real R&R and some memorable moments and pictures to follow.  I used to lie on the beach and think of the words I would blog so I got into the habit of writing a few notes, the plan is to write up a blog entry or two and try to give you the highlights!

Col and I spent Friday catching up with the guys at work and then our Zac came home and we went across to get 'my holly'... and what a perfect tree it is..(Zac just took a picture of me taking a picture of it... this crazy HTC world we live in...)  April and Lucy helped me put up (more) baubles and everyone congratulated me on how laid-back I was about 'having help' to decorate the tree.. and happily I took the teasing well!

The picture isn't that great.. and it IS different to other years, you just have to be a connoisseur to see the subtle differences..I see Jordan's '5' decoration from 1999 stands out, I bought each of them a decoration for the new millennium, but JB got a 5 as this was her age then... awwwhhhh.

I haven't talked on here yet about gellish nails.. but I will now... my new guilty pleasure.. (like I needed a new one?) So, yes, before our holiday I thought I'd give them a go as the sun and sea usually help my nails grow..well they were fab and today I got them redone.. sparkley red ones...ooooooo!!!  So, up early this morning, some last minute items to get (mainly chocs and girlie bits to be sure I had covered all bases) and the usual bumping into people I haven't seen in ages.. that was my favourite part of the morning out..just call me Gossip Girl eh?

When I got home JB was busy baking mini sponges and then she iced my cakes and reminded me that we need a new mixer... ooops.. maybe in the sales then?  I made some mince pies (God I just love pre-made puff pastry as the alternative would be no pies at all!)  A bit of late wrapping and then a start on the holiday washpile.. glad my washer isn't in the house or the sea of clothes may be too much to bear! 

Oh and then I titivated a few bits of holly left over, payed homage to the origins of the tradition for me and placed some over our mum and dad's pictures... prompted me to call my brother and say 'Merry Christmas' ahead of tomorrow when we usually catch up but have to dodge the hubbub of other people around. 

It was so great to hear his youngest answer the phone in English but with a lovely French lilt.  Ken & I swapped stories of our 19/20 year olds and how they are having real travelling lives, working in different countries...and he sounded so proud and pleased they are getting opportunities not so available to us..'way back when'..

Well the rest of the family have been doing their things too, but in the next few minutes we should all be here.. the table is laid for a brunch affair in the morning with our big girl and her family, crackers all set and wine glasses for the juice too!  One last turn over of washing and that's me done for the day... til Santa beckons for some help...xxx

PS and my aim is to write a bit on each of my twelve days of Christmas (shamed by the blog-itis from Janice and Karen!)  If I can I shall blog a few notes from our trip...still deciding whether to add more of just regurgitate verbatim.. not sure if that is safe.. will re-read notes and decide later!