Santa Claus is Coming to Town

December first, historically this is the day we put up our christmas tree and lights. 

I have a beautiful big tree i bought a couple of years ago before we moved to Tamborine, i wanted the biggest in the shop and i paid a fortune for it, it is 2 metres plus across the bottom branches and about 8 ft tall.  So big in fact it could house at least 4 cats at a time in the branches.  True.  They would wait excitedly every 1st of December for the final piece to be placed on the tree....then climb it.  There would be more cat hair in the tree than tinsel. It was Catmas time.

Anywho, we moved into our delightful Queenslander in Tamborine Village, and the tree just did not fit, we didnt have a 'corner' for the tree, so it sort of overlapped the lounge, coffee table and blocked view from the TV, kind of funny for a short period of time.  So i was forced to pack it away and buy a smaller version, yes i bought the one that has the really fake branches that shed green plastic all over the place, cats were not happy but it fit.  Now that our house has grown in size, and the boys have their own 'level' it was decided they could have the tree downstairs...no corner with a powerpoint, something to consider when you renovate/build: make room for christmas tree. 

I have put a baby $5 tree upstairs on the table, i even found disco balls for it and all it needed was one strand of battery operated lights...perfect.  Ethan decided today he does not want the tree downstairs, i think deep down he is worried about Santa entering the room, even though he told me last year that Santa was not real.  Really?  I watch the Polar Express every christmas and i have a giant bell, it makes me think that maybe Santa is out there (spending my money).

So i started to unfold the plastic tree, and the kids have zero interest in seeing it go up, or even decorating it...boys, at least the cats might enjoy it just a little, although i can already see the look of disappointment on their little faces when they realise they cannot climb this one.

I am however excited about christmas day.  I will have 6 little girls here who still believe in Santa, so Manland is being converted to Santaland for the day.  I am even dressing Jim up as a reindeer (he doesnt know this yet) We  have a Santa pinjata, although i will feel bad about wacking him with a stick, the smiles on the kids faces will make up for that.  My boys of course, in true pinjata spirit will get the final wack. While i have been busy shopping for my decorations, i still have not started the actual gift part.....seems i can do all the boys gifts at Apple, bonus, can also do this online, does BBQ's Galore sell online, Elvis needs a new one.

I do have to get my decoration prepared for the friendship tree that Miffy has, i was a little sad it is not actually a tree, and concerned at how my decoration might 'hang' once i have created it.  I just need to drink 2 bottles of wine first before i can make it.  Have my work xmas party on Saturday, need 2 x evil santa presents (which include blue), lucky to add this to my blog, as it just reminded me i had forgotten to get these....someone please remind me tomorrow to go to shop to buy evil santa gifts. 

Unfortunately the verandah is not finished, so i am not sure how to hang the lights.  

Tom and Carol are hosting christmas drinks tomorrow night, while tall boy hosts a 'gathering' in manland.  Happy about Tom and Carol, not so much about the 'gathering' which could end up a massive piss up for 17 year olds.  We never did anthing like that when we were 17 (didnt have a manland, did have nightclubs who let in underage drinkers).

Tall boy has a girlfriend.  He took her to the movies today.  He HAD to watch Twilight.  Welcome to relationships tall boy :)

Brain Fag

As you may or may not know i work on the Northside of Bris Vegas, a leisurely one and half hour drive there and back each day, and that is a good run without traffic.  Now the M1 can resemble a car park most days, and for those of you who commute, you can relate to this. I have 14 days of work left this year then have 6 weeks off which is the only reason i spend 12 hours plus per week in my car.  I have clocked up 78 thousand kms in 18 months.  Wow i hear you say (or not).

Anywho i requested to drop a day or work from home, but because some idiots who are given the privelage to work from home, sue their company for tripping over at home, i do not get this privelage, thats government jobs for you.  In saying that Pokie Free Drink Party Queen # 1 also works for government and she gets to work from home, in her PJ's if she likes and i am sure does not plan to trip or sue her boss.  Lucky. So in an attempt to drop a day, i was given a new job instead.  No drop day and i think i was suckerpunched.  I spend a good part of the day trying not to kill a workmate or allowing my head to explode all over my desk.

In a plan to get my shit together i now am getting out of bed at 5.30am.  Today i managed to ride my horse, load up the the wheelbarrow trailer with horse poo and spread it on the garden, put on and hang out a load of washing (no wait, i put it in the machine, forgot to hang it out, now needs rewashing) make school lunches, iron a uniform (no wait, i didnt iron it, he left crinkled), proof read an assignment (and add some which got me an A- grade),get the boys to school and get myself to work.  For most of these duties i was trying to think what i could contribute to Miffys friendship christmas tree (and coordinate a date to get together to hang said decoration on the friendship tree). 

I am really tired.

I am also going to steal her idea (if i can find the time) and have my own friendship christmas tree, seeing as the boys want the rediculously huge tree in their own lounge room, i need a special one upstairs.  So all my lovely friends it would be great if you could spend part of your day trying to find the perfect decoration, hopefully my head wont explode in the meantime and i will get to see it.

Long week

I havent forgotten, but just havent had any time to write a blog.  Now Miffy has pumped out 5 in one day, great work.  I figured i might need to jot down a few things going on in my life as i really have alot to say.  There are things i am quite happy to talk about in a public blog (assuming that more than 3 people read this) and things i would like to talk about but probably not for the public domain, i know Miffy asked once before if you could blog and maintain complete anonymity.  Great idea, get stuff off your chest.  I guess that is also what your BFF's are for, when you need to vent, they are your blog.  

Now the girls had a 'gathering' on the weekend, while it is true i played a part in creating the slumber event, it was a collaborative effort to have a girls night out.  I had used my 'free pass' the weekend before in Sydney so reluctantly had to withdraw my attendance from the event created on FB.  Actually i didnt do this because it felt so final and i was sad to be missing out.  I dont like to miss out, and this seems to put me in a bit of hot water most times, nothing illegal or inappropriate, just hot water.  You know, with the fun police.  Lucky there is no jail for the fun police to lock you in, i would certainly spend a considerable amount of time in there ! So for now i will laugh at the recaps on the girls night, and try not to laugh at Mrs L apparent stunt roll into the gutter. I love my girls and am so lucky to have them, I was touched that they have decided to bring the girls to me....I look forward to it, some notice would be good so i can load the pool with some floating devices which hold slushy cups.

Speaking of pools and fun police, apparently there is also a rule on pool toys.  Pool Toy Police resides in Tamborine.  This also makes me sad.

I have been out of sorts lately, actually for some time, i cant remember when it started or how it started or even why, i know Miffy will understand and may or may not remember us discussing this at a previous 40 club function, before she pinched the Aussie pencil case from the souvenir shop in Bris Vegas.  I didnt see any Bris Vegas magnets.  Disappointing.

Work has got me down, travelling in the car for about 3 hours a day (longer in traffic) might have something to do with it.  I love my job and the people i work with, i hate that my dogs want to eat the birds from our new avairy and also the chickens.  Flick drives me nuts and i have to take her because her stupid leg is busted and i am over changing the bandages every time someone loses sight of her and she swims in the dam.  Of course if we had a dog proof fence, she wouldnt swim in the dam....(venting).  Anyway, 5 more weeks with her splint on, i will have to create a xmas one for her soon, it is almost December.  4 more weeks and i have 6 weeks off work.....hallelujah !

I have bought some chrissy decorations and lights, inspired by the fact lunch is at my house this year and all the family is coming...i am actually looking forward to it, maybe not the fact that my sister is buying bon bons that have whistles in them and i will have loads of little people here to blow them, but that i can see my family all day on xmas day.  Xmas celebrations with my half of the family usually occur on boxing day, so this is a nice change.  Just need to get the hand rails up on the house, so a little person doesnt end up like flick with a cast on, and i have somewhere to hang my lights.

Went to Sydney last weekend with some horsey girlfriends, we visited an all thing horse type expo for 4 days, it was fabulous but also used up my pass.  Am i glass half empty  if i worry over the fact that i might only have another 15 years of horse riding left, and that is provided i am not broken in the meantime?  I dont want to run out of time.  I need more than another 40 years with my crazy school girls, i need to be able to see them when i want so i dont miss out on stuff, and i figure by the time we are 80 we might not remember each other, it will be nice to grow old together.

Renovations are back on and i was excited about painting, picked the colours, bought new brushes and paint, dropsheets even, i painted about 2 inches of timber and was over it.  I hate painting.  That is probably why we had a painter come in and paint all the other bits.  I thought it might be nice to actually do some of the reno ourselves, that and the fact that i can use the would be painting money to put in my holiday purse. 

I have a holiday purse, where i hide my holiday savings.  I did raid it yesterday to pay for a horse riding day and felt so guilty about it too.

I have also come to the conlusion that not a single person in my family (husband/children) is interested in anything i do.  How did this happen?  While tall boy has the love for animals that i do, small boy does not, Elvis pretends for my sake and will always be gentle when i ask him to bury something.  Elvis says it is because they are boys, surley they could pretend sometimes.

Move on

Anywho, i plan to have a fab week ahead  (power of positive thinking), ride my horse in the mornngs before work, this is nice, work ruins the day but it will pay for a holiday, so that is nice.  I have 2 beautiful boys, one of which is finishing grade 11on Thursday and will only have one year to go....this makes me cry every time i think about it.  The other will only have 4 after this one finishes.  Time flies. I have only got 16 more days of work left, but who is counting? 

I havent quit smoking.

I ate half a packet of lemon crisp biscuits and 2 peanut butter and jam sandwiches today while watching Twilight eclipse. 

Remember the days of the old school yard ?

We met in about grade 8, so 13-14 years old and now we are celebrating club membership.  The 40 club.  That is a long time to know someone and to still have so much admiration these people is something special.  Sure we all got on with life after school and some of us drifted apart, never to meet up again, but for some we have kept in touch or reconnected after a very long time.  And nothing really changes. 

The conversation can go on like we saw each other yesterday, but with a lot more 'remember when', and i swear everyone still looks the same and is as fabulous as they were back at school. I am so fortunate that this group of people are still in my life .

When Miffy started posting school days pics on crack book i promised to add some pics, problem is i have one photo album missing.  I have about 20 and i can still see the pics in this one clear as i was looking at it yesterday and really i cant remember the last time i saw it.  I was disappointed that i could not add pics to lifesaver T when he joined club 40.  So tomorrow, before or after i go shopping for my long lunch outfit, i am going to find that album, i do know for sure i have a box of all my negatives (somewhere).  I still have a few boxes in the shed which came to our Tamborine house (2.5 years ago), that have not been unpacked. 
I will Miffy have a heap of good pics to give to you....eventually.  Perhaps when we all join the 50 club??