Christmas Roundup
Christmas this year was a bit more disjointed than last year, which is a good thing from an energy perspective.
Christmas Eve
Unlike last year, when we submitted Krista's visa application, this Christmas Eve was a normal work day. Well, I say "normal", but we had a big Christmas lunch with the team and there were hardly any customers.
Friday evening was the Estonian Christmas, in which I gave Krista two environmentally-friendly glass straws (the idea being that you use them instead of plastic ones when you're out and ordering a drink) as well as the complete Sherlock Holmes (since she's never really met him before). In return, I got Dream Theater's "Train of Thought" album and a box of home made chocolate truffles - yes, I said home made. Most impressive.
Krista Skyped with her mum, and I watched the hilarious "Spicks and Specks" Christmas special, which I rate as one of the best they've done (Hamish Blake as Catherine Zeta Jones and Andy Lee conducting with a baguette...).
Christmas Day
No church this year, for the first time ever in a home Christmas, so Krista and I surfaced rather later than normal before getting a lift up to Mum's place for Christmas lunch with the family. The usual merriment ensued, even though numbers were down a bit on most years (some people were away). Krista's Estonian piparkook got its traditional rave reviews, as did the marinated meat.
After that, it was off to the north side for a visit with G'ma and Mark and Cathryn (who were there most of the day). We all rather cleaned up present-wise here, with Krista receiving a tower of fantasy novels which should keep her busy for a while, and everyone else getting lots of good reading as well.
Back to Mum's for the family presents, which again were very impressive. Not all of them had arrived, courtesy of the weather in the northern hemisphere, but apparently Krista's and mine all had, so that was good. I was most impressed to finally get "Im Juli" (one of the best German movies ever) and "The Language of Bees" (the next instalment in a series of novels), after looking for them for years.
Boxing Day
We began with a trip out to Dad's place for presents with him, as well as a bit of Christmas food in the form of a very rich cake.
Back we came to Mum's before heading onto the Wilson Boxing Day gathering in the pouring rain, which rather deflated the usual atmosphere there.
Monday
A very quiet day during which we did nothing.
Tuesday
The nearly-traditional Games Day at Sue's was fun for all concerned, although again numbers were down due to several people being away.
We still have the Kriewaldt-Young Christmas on January 3, which was put there due to other commitments on everyone's part.
Christmas Eve
Unlike last year, when we submitted Krista's visa application, this Christmas Eve was a normal work day. Well, I say "normal", but we had a big Christmas lunch with the team and there were hardly any customers.
Friday evening was the Estonian Christmas, in which I gave Krista two environmentally-friendly glass straws (the idea being that you use them instead of plastic ones when you're out and ordering a drink) as well as the complete Sherlock Holmes (since she's never really met him before). In return, I got Dream Theater's "Train of Thought" album and a box of home made chocolate truffles - yes, I said home made. Most impressive.
Krista Skyped with her mum, and I watched the hilarious "Spicks and Specks" Christmas special, which I rate as one of the best they've done (Hamish Blake as Catherine Zeta Jones and Andy Lee conducting with a baguette...).
Christmas Day
No church this year, for the first time ever in a home Christmas, so Krista and I surfaced rather later than normal before getting a lift up to Mum's place for Christmas lunch with the family. The usual merriment ensued, even though numbers were down a bit on most years (some people were away). Krista's Estonian piparkook got its traditional rave reviews, as did the marinated meat.
After that, it was off to the north side for a visit with G'ma and Mark and Cathryn (who were there most of the day). We all rather cleaned up present-wise here, with Krista receiving a tower of fantasy novels which should keep her busy for a while, and everyone else getting lots of good reading as well.
Back to Mum's for the family presents, which again were very impressive. Not all of them had arrived, courtesy of the weather in the northern hemisphere, but apparently Krista's and mine all had, so that was good. I was most impressed to finally get "Im Juli" (one of the best German movies ever) and "The Language of Bees" (the next instalment in a series of novels), after looking for them for years.
Boxing Day
We began with a trip out to Dad's place for presents with him, as well as a bit of Christmas food in the form of a very rich cake.
Back we came to Mum's before heading onto the Wilson Boxing Day gathering in the pouring rain, which rather deflated the usual atmosphere there.
Monday
A very quiet day during which we did nothing.
Tuesday
The nearly-traditional Games Day at Sue's was fun for all concerned, although again numbers were down due to several people being away.
We still have the Kriewaldt-Young Christmas on January 3, which was put there due to other commitments on everyone's part.