It was the last day of work for 2 weeks today. Ants and I go to Paris on Sunday. I’ve been trying to avoid thinking about Christmas. It helps that it just doesn’t feel like it this year. It’s too cold. Christmas is about BBQs and getting a tan, not about trying to keep warm.

I’m feeling homesick. It’s kindof hit me today, so I’m feeling a bit depressed. Also Mum would have gone in for her operation on Thursday, and I realised that I probably won’t be talking to her before Christmas, and I didn’t realise that last time I was talking to her. I didn’t even realise last time I was talking to her that I wouldn’t talk to her again before her op. I hope all went well. I’ll ring them as soon as I can.

I get to see my cousin tomorrow – he’s going back to NZ and he’s taking all our Christmas presents back for us. We are very grateful for this.

I shall now go back to trying to avoid thinking about Christmas. Ants and I will fill our night with getting washing done before we go, watching Battlestar Galactica, and me doing my nails.

Current Mood: depressed

Anthony and I farewelled our friend Janjo (pronounced Janyo) who is on her way back to New Zealand, and leaving her Gareth husband here with us. Crazy woman. Anyway, we saw it fitting that Janjo, her sister Somon, Anthony and I went to the Winter Wonderland that is being held at Hyde Park at the moment (through to Jan 4th would you believe).

We went early, but not late enough to miss packing into the tubes like sardines (though on the Piccidilly line, we had enough space for a 2 bedroom apartment! – sorry injoke).

The crowds were thin when we got there, which left us with much glee and space for roaming and exploring the (mostly German themed) stalls, of which there were many

Janjo and her sister Somon
(yes, I know… flash didn’t go)

There was fudge, chocolate covered fruit, lollies, garlic on bread in a garlic bulb store, toys, puzzles, necklaces, hair clips, puppets, frogs that croaked, and numerous amounts of other goodies to explore. It was wonderful going with Janjo and Somon as they delighted in everything that was to be played with. Janjo and I also went on one of the Haunted house rides, which was fantastic for the cheezie factor.

A camera man from GMTV saw us taking the above shot, and asked if he could film us taking that shot again, for the morning crew. He helped us with this second shot by putting some light on us I didn’t get to see the bulletin because I had to get ready for work

These were the beautiful wooden toys in one of the stalls. They were so lovely I wanted to buy them all!

There were many goodies sold in this stall – the hearts you can see are gingerbread hearts… may of them had football (soccer) teams on them! LOL

Janjo couldn’t resist buying me a dark rich chocolate covered banana

By this stage Ants had turned up. I hadn’t known that his phone had died, so he’d been looking for us. Now it was food time. We stopped and got a Kransky (they were out of XXL though ) and Janjo had some mushrooms, which turned out to have pickled egg on them (she doesn’t eat egg) which made her very sad.

Then we had garlic + cheese on bread. I haven’t had dairy for a while, so it felt weird eating cheese again. Unfortunately it wasn’t nearly as garlicky as I would have liked.

We wandered back around the stalls again. Janjo and Somon brought some presents, from the wooden stall. Anthony, couldn’t resist the lolly stall.

Peek a boo, no use hiding!

I love the look on that chick’s face

Oh, and Anthony found a pig hat. There were also ducks and frogs. If there was a cow, I would have brought it for my sister

Back at the hairclip stall, Janjo and I spent far too much money on hair clips named Swinky and Klassi Klypz But they were pretty, and totally worth it because they will make my life easier (well, that’s what I tell myself).

The night ended with us swapping engagement stories. Anthony is the better one of the two of us that tells the engagement story, but tonight he was too cold for his brain to work properly, so I had to tell it instead!!

And then back at Mile End, I said goodbye to Janjo as it will be the last time I see her, until we go back to NZ. *sigh*

Safe travels friend!

Current Mood: cheerful & cold & accomplished & sad

Myspace Comments

My Christmas email that I sent to friends and family

Merry Christmas!!

Well it’s that time again for the season emails. I’m on holiday at the moment from Uni and my summer paper Management 101. It’s been great to get into something different to childcare. I start back on the 11th Jan so I have a wee while off yet, and on the 18th Jan I have to give a tutorial to the class on a case study we’ve been assigned, and it’s all marked and we have to do activities. It’s very riveting (notice the sarcasm).

So for now J@zz and my Christmas plans are to spend them here in Welly, and head up to Mama and PapaSprokes on boxing day. We also hope to go up to Urenui batch and spend a night or so there… maybe (for those who don’t know, that’s just north of New Plymouth).

I can’t believe how quick this year has sped by! Just woosh! And it’s been a difficult year too. I completed 9 papers this year at Uni, and that was such a mission. I’m sure everyone’s been going “Where are you Sproke!”. I’ve also been doing loads of babysitting and nannying, and have met some fabulous families, through this, and my in-centre teaching experience. Thank you all for letting me in your life. It’s a pleasure to have met you.

And along these lines, I sadly have to say goodbye to a couple of close families to me, that are moving to Aussie and to Auckland. “You can’t take my children!!” *sad face* I hope we still stay in good contact. (and I may get an Elvis cat too… I’m still working on J@zz!)

My Grandma and Nana and J@zz’s Yaya (grandmother) all passed away this year. I’m so sick of burying Grandmothers, that I’m kinda glad that there’s none left to bury! These important people all going this year has lead to me to re-think some aspects of my life, and it’s affirmed me in my path of childcare. I really want to make a difference in this world, and I think I’ve been going about it the right way. I just have to get on with those assignments! I’m also tossing about with the idea of going to Africa with my friend Kies sometime in the next couple of years, to work in an orphanage, and to help make a difference in those children’s lives. So watch out, I might be asking for a donation!!

Next years plans are to study Japanese (For you Japanese Host-sister!) and to carry on with a 200Level Management paper. I will also be doing a couple of Education papers in an area that touches on psychology. I’m really looking forward to the challenge.

And if you didn’t already know this, I have started up my own website, http://www.ordinarylife.co.nz with a blog on it. So if you ever feel that I don’t talk to you enough, and I really don’t get around to sending you an email, then you can always keep an eye on me on my blog: http://blog.ordinarylife.co.nz. I’m always updating it.

As we close to the end of the year, and a new one rolls around, I wish you a very safe Christmas. Don’t drive too fast, you’ll only get there late. Take your time, relax. Enjoy what sun you get. Eat far too much, and enjoy that which you eat. Remember how lucky we are to live in a place where food is abundant. We may not have enough money to give the presents that we wish, but we still have food in our tummies, and our (my) puku’s are big because of it. And remember those who have come before us, and those who have touched our lives. That’s what Christmas is really about.

Merry Christmas, Kia Kaha. Aroha Nui.
Tena kotou, tena kotou, tena kotou, katoa.

We left home about 7:30pm, and went on a present run. We first picked up Amphaglori from town and dropped her at her house, and gave her present.

Amphaglori and her present (it’s Amarynths too)Then we brought Suzi’s present, and went to hers and Bambi’s place. Bambi wasn’t there, but we put them under their ‘tree’ (a glass of plastic flowers that light up when plugged in).

The view from Bambi’s house
Suzie and her present (she can’t open it till Christmas)

Plane coming into airport

Plane landing at airport

Then we went to Linky’s place and gave his present, and told him not to open it in front of his parents. Then we laughed at his troll models because they were meant to be ugly trolls, but that had womens’ boobies (they were meant to be muscular).

‘congratulations, you have now won a present’
Linky’s Hobbit feet

I rang Kiki, but she wasn’t home, so we missed her and got McD’s for dinner and ate it outside the Holden shop (and watched as a man took a wizz into the little garden – YUK)

Then it was off up to Boardmeadows where Ninie lives. She was asleep, but we gave her present to her anyway. I wish I could have seen her face.

MamaNinie and Me ( I look HUGE next to her!)
Ninie and me sleeping, J@zz posing! (the present is on the bed)

House decorated for Christmas

House down the road decorated

We went up to Tboy and Sgirl’s place, but they hadn’t answered the phone when I tried ringing them, but we thought we’d go up and have a look anyway. The main light in the lounge was on, but no-one was answering the door, and when I went around the side of the house to the other door, there was a big hole in the way! So we left it to go home.

Eww, on the way home, I had a coughing fit. Later on, I found this little white thing on my jeans. I thought it was phlegm so went to wipe it on a tissue, then realised that it wasn’t phlegm . What was it? A little white worm!! YUCK ! I flicked it out the window, and I started getting all grossey, and thinking “I wonder if that came out of my throat?” Then J@zz started saying that I had them all over me, and was going to wake up in the night crawling with worms. YUCK!

When we got home, J@zz wanted to watch Babylon 5, and Tboys Mum rang me to tell me that she had been home, but she didn’t hear the phones because her husband had been playing around with them! And her cell phone went straight to answer phone for some dumb reason. Oh well. We arranged that she’d have to come around tomorrow before I went nannying to have a quick coffee.

First off, the first thing I will say is, that if you`re reading this, and you didn`t come, and feel that you should have been one of those people that came (Bambi) I`m sorry, but we had eleven people for dinner, and J@zz had been geeking at our place that morning, so we couldn`t exactly kick them out!

Anyway, it was such a fun day, apart from enisam and I having another huge fight, but enisam, if you`re reading this, then you were right, I did have more fun without you.

So I started peeling veggies, and getting other food prepared, while the roast slowly cooked in the oven. I was also doing washing, and cleaning the bathroom while he geeked in the lounge (the cleaning was meant to be J@zz`s job”¦ that boy owes me!)

J@zz cutting up garlic to season the meat. Chop boy, chop!Then later in the afternoon, E (a guy) got my washing in for me, and his mum has trained him very well, because he even folded it (and he soon discovered that folding sheets in a strong wind isn`t very easy).

People started arriving around 6pm, and the pumpkin (to be mashed) potatoes (also to be mashed) and corn (not to be mashed) had been on the oven for about half an hour. The elements were turned up full, but nothing was boiling. I was thinking “What the hell?”the water was slightly warm, but not heaps warm, and nothing was cooking (except the corn, which cooks way easy). So J@zz ran his hands above the elements to feel the heat, and there was none! Our oven had died in the middle of cooking roast!!! But then came a solution, I rang our landlord, and told him what`d happened, and he came over with a key to the next door flat and let us use their oven (on the condition that it was clean when we left it) and so we transferred all the food to next door, and boiled the shitter out of it so it would damn well cook! And it did.

So finally, with everything cooked, and all the food dished up, we let our guests help themselves, and we all crowded into our living room, and ate. But when I got to eat my plate, there were no forks left, so Amphaglori and I used chopsticks. Very interesting using chopsticks for a roast. Definitely a thing to try! In the end though, Whitelie gave me her fork.

Whitelie in her cracker hatWe pulled some crackers, and found out that Kabluey had never ever ever won at pulling crackers before. I felt so bad for her!

Kabluey drinking her wineThe dishes were huge. I`m regretting not taking a picture of them. They were piled up around the sink, around the benches, and just everywhere! So InvaderSpleen and I took to them, and he felt much better because he`d contributed, as he hadn`t brought pudding.

Doing those damn dishes… whipish!Pudding was fruit salad (courtesy of Whitelie), ice-cream (thanks to Kabluey), Strawberries and merangs (cheers Amphaglori ““ I`d never had canned strawberries before, very interesting), and ambrosia (from E`s girl) and man, was dessert nice! But I was proud of myself, because I was full, but not overflowingly so.

.
E’sgirl who brought the yummy ambrosiaJ@zz took some of our friends home, and the rest of us ate dessert, and talked some more. When J@zz returned, Amarynth had a hankering to play “˜I Never`, so I was glad that J@zz and I had brought heaps of bottles of grape juice (in wine bottles). Oh, speaking of grape juice in wine bottles, it`s really nice! I`m the sort of person who likes to have wine with her dinner. Unfortunately, I don`t like wine. So I was quite pleased with myself when I liked fake wine. So yay ! Oh, and I also used the wine glasses that I got for my 21st, which was really cool!

So where was I? Oh, Amarynth wanted to play “˜I Never`, so we did, and finished off the last of the “wine”(well, there`s a glass left) and then I did a round trip to south Wellington and back, before finally collapsing into bed around midnight.

Then that damn coughing started. I`d been coughing hard out all day, but at night it seems to be worse, which is really hard on J@zz because it`s such a vicious cough that he wakes up every time I cough (as do I) so he kicked me out into the lounge, which I wasn`t very happy about, but I went. And I lay there, and lay there, and “doo do doo”and an hour and a half later I was still awake, so I thought “stuff this”and went back into the real bed, and slept properly.

Other pictures
J@zz

R and myself. I’m wearing yellow clip-on earings from my cracker prize

Kabluey, Linky and R

Whitelie, InvaderSpleen, E’sgirl, all looking very interested

E drinking

E still drinking!

Amarynth checking out Amphaglori’s eye (or hiding her from the camera)

Kabluey sent me this, so I thought that I’d post it.

T’was the time before Christmas
and all through the town
Not a sign of baby Jesus
was anywhere to be found.

The people were all busy
with Christmas time chores
Like decorating, and baking
and shopping in stores.

No one sang “Away in a manger,
no crib for a bed”.
Instead, they sang of Santa
dressed-up in bright red.

Mama watched Martha Stewart,
Papa frank beer from a tap.
As hour upon hour
the presents they’d wrap.

When what from the TV
did they suddenly hear?
‘Cept an ad…which told
of a big sale at Sears.

So away to the mall
they all flew in a flash…
Buying things on credit…
and others with cash!

And, as they made their way home
From their trip to the mall,
Did they think about Jesus?
Oh, no…not at all.

Their lives were so busy
with their Christmas time things
No time to remember
Christ Jesus, the King.

There were presents to wrap
and cookies to bake.
How could they stop and remember
Who died for their sake?

To pray to the Saviour…
they had no time to stop.
Because they needed more time
to “Shop till they dropped!”

On Warehouse! On K-mart!
On Farmers! On Penney’s!
On Hallmark! On Briscoes!
A quick lunch at Denny’s.

From the big stores downstairs
to the stores at the mall,
They would dash away, dash away,
and visit them all!

And up on the roof,
there arose such a clatter,
As Grandpa hung icicle lights
up on his brand new step ladder.

He hung lights that would flash.
He hung lights that would tworl.
Yet, he never once prayed to Jesus…
Light of the World.

Christ’s eyes…how they twinkle!
Christ’s Spirit…how merry!
Christ’s love… how enormous!
All our burdens…He’ll carry!

So instead of being busy,
overworked, and uptight
Let’s put Christ back in
Christ-mas and enjoy
some good nights!

Merry Christ-mas, my friends!

J@zz and I *finally* got our Christmas tree up! It’s a huge 6ft one, that we brought at the Warehouse a little while ago, when I said that I didn’t want to use the little 4ft one. YAY! Christmas tree!!

I took J@zz`s car down to the shop to get a WOF today. Today was the right day, as opposed to last Tuesday when the guy hadn`t changed J@zz`s booking from Monday to Tuesday, so had to re-book again.

Anyway, so I took it down, and started shopping. I started with Whitcoulls in Courtney Central, and spent like an hour there. I managed to pick up quite a few things that I thought I would buy, but ended up putting a lot back, and ending up with two books. Then I wandered on down to Cuba St, to go to Farmers to return an item that I brought the other day. I was walking, walking, walking, when I saw this cigarette packet on the ground. I kicked it. It slid across the ground. I thought, “It`s too heavy to be empty.”I gave it another little kick. I picked it up. I rattled it”¦ it rattled. I thought “It`s got smokes in it!”I opened it “only one`s been smoked!”I`m thinking, poor bugger who lost a new pack of B&H 25s. I thought, who needs a pack of ciggies this time of year”¦ Bambi. I text her and said “Haha, I found a pack of 25s”.

I wandered down to Farmers, did my shopping there (all $100+ of it) then looked at shoes in Hannah`s (there`s some nice ones that I`m thinking of getting, and it`s a buy one get one half price too) and then met Amphaglori for lunch, getting a joint present at the same time (I so hate not being able to say what I brought!! I got cool stuff that I want to say about!!!), then I walked her back to her work.

I went back to Courtney Central, got some skin products, (stuff that isn`t going to make my skin burn, and will hopefully get rid of my disastrous blemishes) then I thought, I`m in Courtney Central. I wonder if greeny`s around. So I texted her. She wasn`t far away, so we met at Expresaholic and talked and talked and talked for hours, seemingly like we`d picked off (a bit before) where we`d left off. It was great. Then we`d been sitting so long that we decided that we`d go for a walk. I had to go to the Warewhare and get some more running clothes, and greeny got Eminem. Then J@zz`s car was ready, so we went and got that, and went for a drive out to Lyall Bay Warehouse, and played with all the toys, and got more presents, and things like that. Then as we were going back to town, we passed by the King Kong set that has sadly been half taken down, but we got some photos.

We then went back to greeny`s place. I had to store J@zz`s presents somewhere, so greeny`s place was it, with the promise of having a gift-wrapping night. She showed me around her place, and it was very freaky because if felt like that my stuff should have been there. And she`s got the same washing machine as me, one that plays a tune when it finishes and we both burst into a recital of the tune “do do do do do do, do do d-do do do dooo”¦..”

It was great hanging around with greeny. It felt so natural. Weird, because I thought it would be awkward.

Oh, I also worked out that I spent $368 today. Yikes!