Now I’ve recovered somewhat from the gobsmacking amazingness of the extraordinary email rant I received the other day, I just can’t get over how great my life is. Most of you know it hasn’t always been thus (well, whose life is great all the time?) so I intend to absorb this and really make the most of it.
The lead-up to Christmas is always mad, and this year has been no exception, with a few extra little spanners in the works just to keep things interesting!
I worked through the night on Thursday night (well, ok, I did get an hour’s sleep — I got to bed at 5:45am) and then headed off to work. Andy drove me and my manager in, as it was The Day of the Office Christmas Party. I felt nekkid without my laptop… but I sacrificed my attachment to it for a good cause!
The party was at the Left Bank in Fremantle. I’d never been there before (being a pub, it’s a bit too far to taxi it there and back from my place, and who would go to a pub if they weren’t going to drink, anyway?) and it was just great! The meal was superb. It always amazes me when restaurants can churn out meals for 200-odd (very odd, at that!) people at once, and for that meal to be utterly delicious and perfectly cooked… well, mine was, anyway. Yummo!
The one problem… just a tinsy, winsy little problem… was that a waitress spilt water on the table. Now, this may not have been such a major problem, except that my mobile phone was on the table. My mobile phone subsequently… died.
Not being able to use a phone (any phone) as a phone, to make phone calls, this presented me with the problem of how to let Andy know when to pick me up. My manager kindly let me use his mobile phone to SMS but I’m not the most geeky, gadgety person in the world (contrary to appearances! Technical stuff boggles my mind) and I struggled to figure it out. My manager was being picked up by his wife so I gratefully accepted a lift home with them, which was a blessed relief!
Very isolating to be out of contact with the world, though… I slept badly in my agitation and got up very early (who needs sleep, anyway?) and was at the shops almost first thing to get a replacement phone!
I ended up with a very satisfactory Sony Ericsson K850i, which superseded my old K800i, now in the possession of my older son. There’s a silver lining to every cloud — I really didn’t like my last phone, the M600i, much once I got to know it.
A busy weekend ensued, shopping and making Christmas preparations… and cooking! I made a superb Balsamic Steak with Cannelloni Bean Mash and Salsa on Saturday night, and a delectable, fragrant Pork and Lemongrass Curry last night. Today has been spent cleaning (and, I confess, drinking Yellowglen) and I think everything is under control. (But I’ve been known to be mistaken!)
Tomorrow, Christmas Day, Andy and Connor are coming over first thing, for breakfast. I’m not sure what they’re doing for the rest of the day but in the late afternoon the rest of the family will join us here for dinner. Andy is going to cook a ham and a turkey in the Weber kettle BBQs. There will be much love and laughter and food and wine and Christmas cheer!
To all my friends, and also all the readers I have never even met or corresponded with, I wish you a very Merry Christmas. May it be safe and peaceful, and with all my heart I hope there is no loneliness for you at Christmas time. (I’ve been there: loneliness sucks and I don’t wish that on anyone, especially at Christmas. If you’re going to be alone at Christmas and if you’re in Perth, please do get in touch!)
Take care and stay safe, me mateys! Merrrrrrrrrrrrrry Christmas!
Merry Christmas Vicki!