Preludes And Nocturnes

Christmas was wonderful. I got lots of great presents and people seemed to really like what I got them. So I brought home with me:

Four new huge fluffy towels in cranberry and cream (mom and dad)
A beautiful smokey oblong serving dish and a lovely green tea towel (Julia and Jason)
A drop stitch kick-ass scarf, cab-sav jelly, coffee mug and chocolate (Leone)
Three new shirts: a retro 70s in purple, paisley pink button up, and purple fitted cartigan (money from grandma and grandpa and gc from mom and dad)
A stacking food steamer!! (santa)
But I’m a Cheerleader DVD (Jim)
Napoleon Dynamite Calendar (mom)
Stain-glassed dancing woman (melly)
Book, amazing socks, and notebook (laura)
Pashmina (Allison)
Bookstore GC (aunti Shirl)
Ombra Bath Goodies, shampoo, socks, starbucks gc, purdy’s, bookmark, and very very pretty gloves from santa.
And from Jim’s gift to us all, coffee for the week! He bought a stack of gift certificates for us all to the local coffee shop. When I went through my Flickr account from christmas, most of the photos had at least one of us holding a coffee (hee!)

And Jim and I are doing a little christmas in January when he comes to visit me

I hate them. This ongoing worry all day that we won’t get seats together or.. or.. what? I don’t know exactly what I’m jittery about, but I do know I’m fine once I get on the bus/through security at the airport/into the car (whichever it is that means I’m officially just travelling and no longer just waiting to travel).

I have another blog entry I’ve not managed to finish with gifts and christmas stuff. I’ll do when I’m home. Right now I’m worrying about how to pack my cheese sammich for the bus.

*rolleyes*

xoxo

jenn

I think they got shipped to my mom’s house. Tonight I was watching TV with Julia, Jason, and Leone after having eaten my soup and bagel. At the commercial break I turned to take my plates to the kitchen AND THEY WERE GONE! Not only that, but I went to hang up my laundry downstairs AND IT WAS ALREADY ON THE DRYING RACK!

*eyebrow*

Very very interesting. Not to mention the food that keeps being prepared, the unending groceries, and the clean bathtub.

If it weren’t for my inevitable seduction to slothdom, I would stay here forever!

There is the puzzle on the go at the dinning room table, scrabble in the kitchen, DVDs to watch, gifts under the tree, booze at the ready, breakfast planned and good to go, BNL on the stereo, a plan for zombie board game later, some poker (kitten?), soy eggnog, grandparents and uncle to arrive tomorrow morning, turkey lunch at noon at their house, birthday for Leone to follow, and family bingo with presents to wrap it all up.

I really really do wish that Jim could be here, but we hope for next year to spend the holidays together. *special hugs and kisses to Jim*

Thank you to Laura - I did get your gift in time (yay canada post) and I’m glad to hear from some far off friends that my cards did arrive in time. Whoda thunkit?

Merry merry christmas to everyone and kisses and hugs to you all!
xoxo
Jenn

Let’s just say the job interview was the very thing I had feared that my thesis defense would be - yeah. So I was feeling kinda crappy afterwards. Many thanks to my dear friends Melly and J for the chats this evening afterwards. Very helpful.

And not to say the interview (phone) went all that horrid or anything - it just had some aspects that were unexpected and I am all home and Christmasy and not so much thinking about examples of when I’ve implimented a mixed methological research approach including both qualitative and quantatative components.

Butter tart?

So I’m feeling better now and I’m glad that I can just think about coffee and friends and wrapping presents and UNWRAPPING presents!

Yay!

…then how can you listen in on such conversations as “yes, it is a blessing from God that the federal election has been called” (we’re Canadian, God doesn’t care about our elections - hello!). Oh and then the two old biddies in the next seat having a BIRD about the “lady driver” who, by the way, was rather cute and spunky. I either wanted to sit on the bouncy driver chair with her or be her new best friend - or both. I’m not certain.

But a selection of bus riders were just in a tizzy. The speaker (crazy hat lady) of the above God comment did actually let the driver know that “in the past 50 years of my taking the bus you are only the second female driver I’ve ever seen.” By the way, crazy hat lady did both yell when she talked and sound exactly like Pat from Saturday Night Live. And stood in the stall where the bus was to park arguing with another bus driver when we were trying to pull in. She had to be physically convinced to move out of the way. At that moment I knew she would be on our bus, and sitting in the seat ahead of me. Oh yes.

And when the bus was ’serviced’ (not as fun as it sounds) the helper fellow with the yellow vest drove the bus over to be fuelled and washed. You know what I mean, right? But the tizzies started up “do we have ANOTHER new driver? It this one a man or a woman??” It was clear that prior to that driver trade off at the half-way point, they had never entertained the thought of a LADY driver for the bus. Now that they knew that was an option, they were right on top of it all. Never made it clear if they thought it a good or bad change. But hooboy, it was certainly different.

All in all, I’m here, I’m queer.. and all my presents made it without any problems. Napped on the bus, listened to odd ducks, mp3s, and had a little chat with this other woman (v. nice). I’m kinda tired and wired, but glad to be arrived - and doing important job interview tomorrow on the phone. How exciting!

Hugs,
j.

Rather than making another list that says things like “clothes” and “presents” — why not just go and actually put them in the suitcase. Please go pack. It is 10pm and dear friend is picking you up at 8:30am tomorrow morning to get dropped off at the bus. Yes, still need to make a lunch and all these other things - but they pale in comparison to the actual packing that is needed. A killer lunch will not give you clothing options while at the parents.

And note to self, do be sure to pack the pashmina Allison sent you!! *girlkissers to Allison!*

I’m really looking forward to heading out. I’m excited about seeing everyone and having that time with mom and dad and grandma and grandpa. My sisters will arrive a little later. I’m looking forward to watching some DVDs, eating way too much, and some card games and drinks.

And I’m glad I’m taking the bus this year. The drive is long enough regardless - summertime it is about 7hrs. Winter roads? upwards of 9hrs driving. White knuckles the whole way.

Forget that. This year I’m settling in for a 10hr bus ride with my mp3 player, my laptop, and the notion of just relaxing and letting someone else watch the road. There is something very nice about that idea. And honestly, it is not all that much more money than the gas cost. So, good enough! I hope to head out tuesday or wednesday - depends on my possible job interview.

In other news I’ve been to the gym four times this past week and done pilates/weights twice. And thank god I’ve done that because I’ve also kept up a marathon of dark chocolate consumption. WHAT AM I DOING? mmmm, chocolate…

You know those commercials where the guy is offered something yummy to eat and he does sit ups or the thigh master or something before/after he eats them. It is supposed to me mocking that idea - but I’m thinking I need to go that route. Hee.

xoxo
jenn

So we sent off the form - from the back of a magazine you know - for some helper Elves. Specifically we asked for the Helper-Cleaning Elves in Sage Green (and the Silver bells $4.99 extra).

We were sure for a while there they were late arriving. Maybe with the holiday mail service and all.

But now we think we GOT THE WRONG ONES!

We think we actually got Messy Elves. Specifically Messy Elves who Untidy the Living Room with random water glasses, couple napkins, some yarn (not yam), Christmas wrap, and various projects. Also seem to NOT do the laundry, NOT clean the bathroom, and NOT swiffer the kitty-produced dust bunnies. In fact, we think these are also SHEDDING ELVES. And DUSTY ELVES. RANDOM PILES OF PAPERS ELVES.

Yesterday they were also Misplaced both our Library Cards Elves. But they had a moment of kindness and snuck mine in between some lists in my purse. Sneaky Elves.

I’ve been a bit busy last few nights finishing up the cards and some shipping.

But tonight I think I’ll make gingerbread. Oh yes. And it is J’s fault to start. What with the feeding of gingerbread to moi on monday. I managed to not run in the kitchen and grab the entire bag of it and run out the front door.

Plus she knows where I live.

And then bettie posting about the eating of gingerbread - after I had done just that! Ohhhh!

So tonight I want to bake.

And a blog BoQ! (Bunch of Questions)

Do you have a great gingerbread recipe you want to share?

What sweets are Christmas time to you?

Want to come eat gingerbread with me?

xoxo
jenn