Xmas, 2005

Christmas was pleasant enough, I guess. We had bought it a few days before, but the tree didn't get put up until Christmas Eve, which is how John likes it anyway - he feels it's more traditional. We're supposed to trade off every year the kind of tree, and how and when we put it up. One nice thing about getting a tree late is that often the lots are trying to get rid of them, and you can get them much cheaper.

John wanted to just leave all the presents for the kids unwrapped under the tree, but I insisted on wrapping most of them except the one largest one, so they can ogle that one and whatever is in their stockings before we (the adults) get up. I also put a few more ornaments on the tree, since John takes minimalism with it to an extreme; that earned me a glare the next morning. Angus got a Bionicle dress-up set; a mask, chest plate and tool, Gareth got a dinosaur fossil kit consisting of plastic dinosaur bones embedded in a block of coarse, glued-together sand, with tools to dig it out (and safety glassses), and Avalon's big present was a "Puppy Surprise;" a pink fluffy dog that is supposed to be pregnant - a velcro opening in her tummy reveals an undisclosed number of puppies - 2 to 4 possible - and she got three. She'd been wanting that one, according to John. The boys got smaller Bionicles as well, which I helped put together and Avalon also got a My Little Pony with her birthstone on it. *Shivers* I knew there was a possiblity she'd be extra girly, but she really seems to be into the pinkness. Ah well, she also got a tool set, like Gareth got for his birthday, so maybe that will counteract it a little.

I got Dad a copy of The Da Vinci Code as he'd expressed an interest in it, and I had a coupon for Barnes & Marmoset, so I got it for almost half the original price (I can't believe it's not out in paperback yet - hasn't it been over a year?). He's finished with it already, as well as the my latest Harry Potter book, which was also on sale. Got to read it before me - grumblegrumble. But he's had bronchitis for at least a month, and the last few days has been not feeling up to snuff, so he spent a lot of time in bed reading (which he does when he's feeling ok as well, truth be told). John has gotten addicted to Sudoku puzzles lately, so I got him a book of those and the Johnny Cash - Legends CD - although it slipped my mind I'd gotten that for him because I hid it, and he didn't get it until a couple of days later. He really liked that one, though.

Not done a whole lot for my week off though. Playing with the kids and their toys, watching a few movies on TV, reading, and trying to drill through their heads that my bed is not a trampoline. It just doesn't absorb.

Agh! I've just remembered another family present I had hidden in my dad's room! Ah well, I guess it can be a New Year's present. Santa is absentminded...

Xmas, 2005

Christmas was pleasant enough, I guess. We had bought it a few days before, but the tree didn't get put up until Christmas Eve, which is how John likes it anyway - he feels it's more traditional. We're supposed to trade off every year the kind of tree, and how and when we put it up. One nice thing about getting a tree late is that often the lots are trying to get rid of them, and you can get them much cheaper.

John wanted to just leave all the presents for the kids unwrapped under the tree, but I insisted on wrapping most of them except the one largest one, so they can ogle that one and whatever is in their stockings before we (the adults) get up. I also put a few more ornaments on the tree, since John takes minimalism with it to an extreme; that earned me a glare the next morning. Angus got a Bionicle dress-up set; a mask, chest plate and tool, Gareth got a dinosaur fossil kit consisting of plastic dinosaur bones embedded in a block of coarse, glued-together sand, with tools to dig it out (and safety glassses), and Avalon's big present was a "Puppy Surprise;" a pink fluffy dog that is supposed to be pregnant - a velcro opening in her tummy reveals an undisclosed number of puppies - 2 to 4 possible - and she got three. She'd been wanting that one, according to John. The boys got smaller Bionicles as well, which I helped put together and Avalon also got a My Little Pony with her birthstone on it. *Shivers* I knew there was a possiblity she'd be extra girly, but she really seems to be into the pinkness. Ah well, she also got a tool set, like Gareth got for his birthday, so maybe that will counteract it a little.

I got Dad a copy of The Da Vinci Code as he'd expressed an interest in it, and I had a coupon for Barnes & Marmoset, so I got it for almost half the original price (I can't believe it's not out in paperback yet - hasn't it been over a year?). He's finished with it already, as well as the my latest Harry Potter book, which was also on sale. Got to read it before me - grumblegrumble. But he's had bronchitis for at least a month, and the last few days has been not feeling up to snuff, so he spent a lot of time in bed reading (which he does when he's feeling ok as well, truth be told). John has gotten addicted to Sudoku puzzles lately, so I got him a book of those and the Johnny Cash - Legends CD - although it slipped my mind I'd gotten that for him because I hid it, and he didn't get it until a couple of days later. He really liked that one, though.

Not done a whole lot for my week off though. Playing with the kids and their toys, watching a few movies on TV, reading, and trying to drill through their heads that my bed is not a trampoline. It just doesn't absorb.

Agh! I've just remembered another family present I had hidden in my dad's room! Ah well, I guess it can be a New Year's present. Santa is absentminded...

(no subject)

My silly brother called from freaking Bristol, England, on Boxing Day morning because he was trying to tell his hosts that trout was the same thing as salmon. Heh, had to disabuse him of the notion, although they are related. He was thinking of a steelhead, I think, which is a sea-run rainbow trout.

Then he put me on the phone with Katy and her mother (Enid), who I've met exactly once, and I had to think up small talk to them. Interesting hearing English accents over the phone though.

(no subject)

My silly brother called from freaking Bristol, England, on Boxing Day morning because he was trying to tell his hosts that trout was the same thing as salmon. Heh, had to disabuse him of the notion, although they are related. He was thinking of a steelhead, I think, which is a sea-run rainbow trout.

Then he put me on the phone with Katy and her mother (Enid), who I've met exactly once, and I had to think up small talk to them. Interesting hearing English accents over the phone though.