Is this what Christmas has come to

It's Sunday I left home at 11:15 to go down to the local shopping mall to start getting a few bits and pieces together for Christmas, well so did a million other people ... there was a 5km tail back just to get near the place, so I would hate to know what the parking lot looked like, there was just NO way I was going to join the madness, so I turned around.  Em and I enjoyed a bit of mommy, daughter shopping at a local retail outlet and then from there stopped and got a cooked chicken, rolls and ice cream and headed home.  Much safer, wiser choice.  I guess if I am going to do this Christmas thing, I have to time it with military precision, so will either be going in the evening or 8 a.m. Saturday morning.

Hello Christmas where did you spring from?

I haven't had the inclination to write a post lately, probably just too much happening around me and I have not got myself prepared for Christmas at all.  As you know we were snowed in last week and the ice has still not melted, you see we live in a party of the city where we seem to be a bit higher up than everyone else and if you go 10 minutes up the road, there is still 2 feet of snow and ice and the temperature also drops by at least 5 degrees.  Anyway the snow has made people angry and drive like idiots and just generally bring out the worst in everyone.

Because I work from 9:00 to 17:30 all I want is to get to work safely with out skidding on black ice or snow and get home safely, so hence have not been to the shops, and now am becoming desperate.  The house looked like a tip as well from all the snow being sludged through the house, but thank you God for my Angel Inga who visits me once a month and waves her magic wand and everything is clean again.  I think I would rather give up food than give up Inga!  Talking of which, Christmas again, because the house was so nice and bright and clean on Friday when I got home, and the neighbors had put out their 6 foot Santa and snowman on the roof and lit up the entrance to their drive with a million little Christmas lights, I thought it best to get into the swing of things.  So once I had picked up Em and made us eggs on toast for dinner, we put up the Christmas tree.  I was all done by 9 o'clock last night and just the tinsel, lights and of course the stairway banister to be done, which I leave to the expert of the house.  He went to his Christmas party last night while I was in bed early because I had to work today, well I think I broke all speed limits getting to work - I had to be there by 10, left here @ 9:43 and clocked in 28km's later at 10:01 let's hope there are no speed cameras down the M50.

Okay so getting back to food, I am trying to decide what my Christmas Dinner (Lunch) is going to consist of  and I have decided to try totally different things this year.  Tell me what you think of the menu:

Starters

Prawn Cocktail

Main Course

Baked Ham 

(Honey & Mustard side sauce)

Roast Chicken with Thyme and herbs and Gravy

With 

Cauliflower & Broccoli with Cheese Sauce

Honey Roast Carrots and parsnips

Brussels Sprouts 

Roasted Vegetable Medley

Mashed Potatoes 

Desert

Chocolate Mousse

Ice - Cream

Chocolate Fountain with Fresh fruits, biscuits & Marshmallows for dipping

Afters

Kahlua Coffees

Port 
Home Made Christmas Cake

What do you think?  Too much or just too many different varieties? 12 Days ... I have to get my pressies done soon!!!!

Busy Week-End

I'm not sure what it is but although everything Christmasy is happening around me, I just don't feel like it's Christmas, maybe it's because I still need to put our tree up and I don't want to do that till I have cleaned the house, and I haven't done any Christmas shopping either.  However yesterday Em's school had their Christmas fair, so I guess I should start getting into the spirit of things!

The Christmas Season ...

This 
Xmas, 
I would 
like to put 
up a tree in my 
heart, and instead 
of hanging presents, 
I would like to put the 
names of all my friends. 
Close friends and not so close 
friends. The old friends, the new 
friends. Those that I see every day 
and the ones that I rarely see. The ones 
that I always remember and the ones that 
I sometimes forget. The ones that are always 
there and the ones that seldom are. The friends of 
difficult times and the ones of happy times. Friends 
who, without meaning to, I have hurt, or without meaning 
to have hurt me. Those that I know well and those I only know 
by name. Those that owe me little and those that I owe so much. 
My humble friends and my important friends. The names of all those 
that have passed through my life no matter how fleetingly. A tree with 
very deep roots and very long 
and strong branches so that 
their names may never be 
plucked from my heart. So 
that new names from all 
over may join the existing ones. A tree with a very 
pleasant shade so that our friendship may take a 
moment of rest from the battles of life. "May the 
happy moments of Xmas brighten every day of 
the new year". These are my sincere wishes.