Amara was bugging me today for a post-Christmas post. (And when I say bugging I mean she said I've been waiting for a Christmas post, not, Get on that blog and update us already lady, your readers demand to know what Santa brought!) So just moments ago I plugged in my Christmas tree and thought I would snap a picture of it and maybe one of some gifts nicely placed around it. Well, the the intention was there, but the camera, sadly, was not. I looked all around the house and I can't find that gall darn thing. I last used it on Christmas Eve or Day or something, I remember seeing it uncharacteristically outside of it's case a few days ago and thinking, hm, I should really put that thing away. I think I ate a cookie or made a cup of tea instead.
So I guess I'm going to have to do this the old fashioned way, sans photo. I'm not much of a photographer anyway and I can never get a good picture of the tree all lit up. The flash takes away the dazzle of the rainbow mini-lights and without the flash the picture just becomes a blurry mess like a pre-schooler's finger painting.
The tree is green. Short needles, many of them on the floor but the majority still hanging onto the branches. It's got to be the biggest tree I've had yet. For ornaments I use baubles in Tiffany blue, cream, silver, blue-green, mauve, red hearts. Like one of those I Spy photos there's also a few random sparkly ornaments--two gold shoes, a party frock, a skate, a green martini glass, a blue mask. Near the top is my newest ornament, a peacock with a real peacock feather tail.
What an odd tradition. Fresh flowers all year round in the house sure, but an entire tree? And then to add lights and colourful orbs and whatnot? It's like an "as seen on TV" product that can be yours for two easy payments of $19.95. But wait! Order now and we'll throw in a Snuggie, and one for your tree too!
If there was a theme for the gifts I received this year it would be warm and cozy: Ikea's warmest duvet, polar fleece sheets(!), polar fleece pajama pants, wool socks and lots and lots of Davids Tea. P.S. Amara, I wore my Hope T-shirt on Christmas day and thought of you. "Hope" your day was merry.
The outlier gift would be my new upright Dirt Devil vacuum. I assembled it on Monday and took it for a spin around the house. It's bagless and has a removable canister instead. I was shocked at how much dust it picked up. I wonder if they stuff the inside tubes with lint so the first few times you use the thing you get this dramatic visual. My floors are all laminate and linoleum, where did all that stuff come from? I could've made a Chihuahua with what it allegedly picked up. Given the power of the machine though, I think it should come with a warning to keep a wide berth around small pets and children.
I got an Xbox360. Not exactly for Christmas, don't ask, it's not a story for publication, No, I didn't steal it. Anyway, this is the first step toward Lisa and I becoming gamers (one day we, and I think I mean I, got this idea and blurted out, we should become gamers! to better understand and relate to the opposite sex, of course). The second step will be for me to actually get some hand-eye coordination and develop my gamer's thumbs. The system sits nicely above my fireplace. It came with the game Halo and this little combat action figurine, which I have sitting on top of the Xbox as official "Gamer Decoration".
Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. I'm generally not a big fan of the holiday, although just once I'd like to spend it all dressed up for a fancy dinner and dance or something. No dice this year. I doubt I will have a chance to blog tomorrow night, but I'm going to withhold from making any commentary today on the year that was or the year that will be and give those musings their own post sometime this weekend.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Take a picture, it will last longer than your generic verbiage
I'm officially a Christmas donkey.
I got my sister's Christmas card in the mail today. The image on the front is of a large, downtown store. When I first looked at it I thought it was the downtown Winnipeg Bay store. I opened the card and read the printed verbiage: "Like a snowflake, each day is a small miracle. Celebrate accordingly." Above that my sister wrote in her best penmanship, "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Jill". Okay, standard stuff. But below the pre-printed sentiment she added:
I turned to the back of the card. It had the Saks Fifth Avenue logo and yup, a little caption that noted the image on the front was of the New York City flagship store, circa 2004.
She totally out-sentimentaled me on this one. Well okay, at least she didn't send a "Dear Sister at Christmas Time" card. We all know Christmas isn't about the gifts or the butter tarts. It's the one time of the year for telling people how much you love them and value having them in your life. Yup, that's it, only once a year does that opportunity come along and if you miss it you have to wait a full four seasons for the window to open again. Perhaps she will forgive and forget if I tape a twenty to the gift tag on her present.
I knew what I wanted to eat before stepping into the Osborne Village restaurant with Vince, Florence and Vince's friend, Dorothy. I had read the reviews for Segovia that afternoon and everyone raved about the hanger steak and the patatas bravas. Winnipeg's only true tapas bar promised something a little different for the meat and potatoes fare.
We were seated in the lounge at a bar height table. My brushed steel stool faced the patio doors that were a window to the winter white urban street front. The three tables for two beside us were occupied by daters. There was a mixed group of four living in the moment at the bar behind us. Unlike the dining room, this room felt like we were in some hipster's apartment. Old fashioned light bulbs hung from the ceiling, their warm glow kissing the flicker of the tea light candles in old canning jars. The candle was sitting in a couple of inches of sand in the bottom of the jar. I loved this and decided I wanted to take a picture of the candle, the brick, the gouged wood table, so I could try to mimic the simple romance in my home.
I just downloaded the photo now though and it's nothing compared to the real thing. It looks like a washed jam jar on a table beside a cold brick wall. That's not how I saw it at all. It looked like heat, like a sample of a beach campfire. Which image is the truth, my memory's or my point and shoot camera's?
I got my sister's Christmas card in the mail today. The image on the front is of a large, downtown store. When I first looked at it I thought it was the downtown Winnipeg Bay store. I opened the card and read the printed verbiage: "Like a snowflake, each day is a small miracle. Celebrate accordingly." Above that my sister wrote in her best penmanship, "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Jill". Okay, standard stuff. But below the pre-printed sentiment she added:
We are looking forward to celebrating with you this holiday season and in the year to come. The picture on this card is from New York, I figured you'd appreciate it. Love Tracy + C.
I turned to the back of the card. It had the Saks Fifth Avenue logo and yup, a little caption that noted the image on the front was of the New York City flagship store, circa 2004.
She totally out-sentimentaled me on this one. Well okay, at least she didn't send a "Dear Sister at Christmas Time" card. We all know Christmas isn't about the gifts or the butter tarts. It's the one time of the year for telling people how much you love them and value having them in your life. Yup, that's it, only once a year does that opportunity come along and if you miss it you have to wait a full four seasons for the window to open again. Perhaps she will forgive and forget if I tape a twenty to the gift tag on her present.
***
I knew what I wanted to eat before stepping into the Osborne Village restaurant with Vince, Florence and Vince's friend, Dorothy. I had read the reviews for Segovia that afternoon and everyone raved about the hanger steak and the patatas bravas. Winnipeg's only true tapas bar promised something a little different for the meat and potatoes fare.
We were seated in the lounge at a bar height table. My brushed steel stool faced the patio doors that were a window to the winter white urban street front. The three tables for two beside us were occupied by daters. There was a mixed group of four living in the moment at the bar behind us. Unlike the dining room, this room felt like we were in some hipster's apartment. Old fashioned light bulbs hung from the ceiling, their warm glow kissing the flicker of the tea light candles in old canning jars. The candle was sitting in a couple of inches of sand in the bottom of the jar. I loved this and decided I wanted to take a picture of the candle, the brick, the gouged wood table, so I could try to mimic the simple romance in my home.
I just downloaded the photo now though and it's nothing compared to the real thing. It looks like a washed jam jar on a table beside a cold brick wall. That's not how I saw it at all. It looked like heat, like a sample of a beach campfire. Which image is the truth, my memory's or my point and shoot camera's?
Monday, December 20, 2010
Not Weird Just Neurotic
"I hope this movie isn't weird."
That's what Amara said last night just before the previews started in advance of the feature presentation we'd come for, "The Black Swan". A ballet horror film five days before Christmas. Nope, not weird at all. (Actually, I thought it was well-done and entertaining.)
I looked up and saw my sister's boyfriend. He was in the Canada Post area of Shopper's Drug Mart where I was just leaving.
"Oh hi," I said.
"This is my brother," he said, introducing the doppelganger beside him. I held back the urge to make any fuss about them looking like brothers since the observation could only be returned with some similar comment about me and my sister. We don't think we look at all alike and I'd guess that C and his brother might either have the same opinion of themselves or just hear it all the time and are rightfully tired of it.
"What are you doing here?" C asked.
"Mailing cards," I said.
"Me too."
"Oh, do you have mine in there, we can trade!" Haha, so funny, so cute, Jillian, please don't let him say yes. Why? 1. I had already deposited my mail into the mailbox. 2. I actually hadn't made up a card for my sister and C. Why not? What is wrong with you? You won't send a Christmas card to your own sister? Well I looked last week for a card, a NICE card, like one that actually made reference to our blood relationship and not just the warmth of the holiday season, but Hallmark failed to supply anything remotely heartwarming or funny or even cute. Also, now that C lives with her, isn't it kind of rude or weird to send a card only to my sister and to completely ignore him? They aren't married or even engaged or even being teased at family dinners about not being engaged yet. What section of the bank of cards do I find that one in?
"It's more fun to receive them in the mail," C said, giving me great relief that he'd turned down my empty offer to save a stamp. When I got home I signed one of my best boxed Christmas cards to Tracy and C. I spent a considerable amount of time deliberating how to address the thing--should I put it to Tracy? Should I put it to both Tracy and C with their respective last names? How the heck does C spell his last name? What if I don't list any names at all, will Canada Post still deliver it? Okay, how about just Tracy and C? Good enough for me! I put it in a mailbox tonight on my way home from dinner so it should still make it to their place by Friday. Fun to receive mail, yes, fun to go through all the hoops to send it though, not so much.
That's what Amara said last night just before the previews started in advance of the feature presentation we'd come for, "The Black Swan". A ballet horror film five days before Christmas. Nope, not weird at all. (Actually, I thought it was well-done and entertaining.)
* * *
"Hey Jill,"I looked up and saw my sister's boyfriend. He was in the Canada Post area of Shopper's Drug Mart where I was just leaving.
"Oh hi," I said.
"This is my brother," he said, introducing the doppelganger beside him. I held back the urge to make any fuss about them looking like brothers since the observation could only be returned with some similar comment about me and my sister. We don't think we look at all alike and I'd guess that C and his brother might either have the same opinion of themselves or just hear it all the time and are rightfully tired of it.
"What are you doing here?" C asked.
"Mailing cards," I said.
"Me too."
"Oh, do you have mine in there, we can trade!" Haha, so funny, so cute, Jillian, please don't let him say yes. Why? 1. I had already deposited my mail into the mailbox. 2. I actually hadn't made up a card for my sister and C. Why not? What is wrong with you? You won't send a Christmas card to your own sister? Well I looked last week for a card, a NICE card, like one that actually made reference to our blood relationship and not just the warmth of the holiday season, but Hallmark failed to supply anything remotely heartwarming or funny or even cute. Also, now that C lives with her, isn't it kind of rude or weird to send a card only to my sister and to completely ignore him? They aren't married or even engaged or even being teased at family dinners about not being engaged yet. What section of the bank of cards do I find that one in?
"It's more fun to receive them in the mail," C said, giving me great relief that he'd turned down my empty offer to save a stamp. When I got home I signed one of my best boxed Christmas cards to Tracy and C. I spent a considerable amount of time deliberating how to address the thing--should I put it to Tracy? Should I put it to both Tracy and C with their respective last names? How the heck does C spell his last name? What if I don't list any names at all, will Canada Post still deliver it? Okay, how about just Tracy and C? Good enough for me! I put it in a mailbox tonight on my way home from dinner so it should still make it to their place by Friday. Fun to receive mail, yes, fun to go through all the hoops to send it though, not so much.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
19 days of December
- Consumed cookies
- Shared cookies
- Made someone's day (x3)
- Met up with old friends
- Celebrated
- Wrapped
- Unwrapped
- Winced
- Withdrew
- Smiled and Nodded
- Skipped
- Cursed
- Prayed
- Let go
- Vampire Diaries Marathon
- Decorated the tree
- Brewed tea
- Drank the soy nog
- Stamped letters
I started writing a post today about getting my tree and how I spent my weekend. It was boring (the post, not the weekend). Somewhere in the last month I forgot how to live blog-ably. I think my writing voice is changing. It's like some kind of blogger puberty.
Sunday, December 05, 2010
Now holding 29
On Friday OAF emailed me.
I laughed and then wrote back to thank him but also let him know he was two days early.
I got up and had a chocolate mint soy protein bar for breakfast because it was nutritious but it also tasted like cake. I opened some birthday cards and read all my text messages and Facebook birthday wishes. I danced around in my pajamas. I then put on my new favourite exercise attire and headed to the gym to listen to the songs that make me go twice as hard and fast, and broke a good sweat. This is what I call a marvelous start to the day these days.
I came home and ate Superstore sushi solo--in retrospect, perhaps the lowest part of the day. After killing the afternoon with mostly nothing, I got dressed in a party outfit and went to my mom's and dad's for family dinner.
I received many lovely gifts to keep me warm and cozy--warm scarves, gloves, warm pjs, warm sheets, hot drinks and more. Truly, the best gifts were the heartwarming cards. People have big wishes for me. I like to believe that if everyone is wishing the same thing, then it has a better chance of coming true.
Tired, I took my party-self home and unloaded my loot before opening up Mac to check in with the rest of the world. I had one more birthday greeting waiting for me in my mailbox:
I smiled and replied.
I remember being in New York for my birthday with OAF (then NYF) two years ago. I almost didn't have cake, I "blew out" an unlit birthday candle and I gave myself something approximating a stress fracture in my foot from walking around town in inappropriate footwear. It was a fun day and a fun trip, but I missed being with my group of pals and family.
I always thought birthday were about the wishes, but today everything is exactly as it should be and I have everything I need.
(okay, except for that wish that I made on my birthday cake, I can wait a bit longer for that, but can you at least deliver it this month sometime? Or just tell me it's out of stock and I'll have to make do without for a while yet. Either way, just lemme know. Thanks.)
Subject: Happy Birthday
Need I say more?
OAF
I laughed and then wrote back to thank him but also let him know he was two days early.
Gah! I was so excited I got ahead of myself.Today I woke up and leaned over to turn on my beside Ikea lamp that doesn't really match my room at all but provides the exact right amount of ambient, wake up/wind down glow. Upon clicking the switch It flashed, popped and burned out, like a shooting star. If I'd known that was going to happen I'd have made a wish.
Happy you're-young day!
OAF
I got up and had a chocolate mint soy protein bar for breakfast because it was nutritious but it also tasted like cake. I opened some birthday cards and read all my text messages and Facebook birthday wishes. I danced around in my pajamas. I then put on my new favourite exercise attire and headed to the gym to listen to the songs that make me go twice as hard and fast, and broke a good sweat. This is what I call a marvelous start to the day these days.
I came home and ate Superstore sushi solo--in retrospect, perhaps the lowest part of the day. After killing the afternoon with mostly nothing, I got dressed in a party outfit and went to my mom's and dad's for family dinner.
I received many lovely gifts to keep me warm and cozy--warm scarves, gloves, warm pjs, warm sheets, hot drinks and more. Truly, the best gifts were the heartwarming cards. People have big wishes for me. I like to believe that if everyone is wishing the same thing, then it has a better chance of coming true.
Tired, I took my party-self home and unloaded my loot before opening up Mac to check in with the rest of the world. I had one more birthday greeting waiting for me in my mailbox:
Subject: Happy Birthday!
...for real this time.
OAF
I smiled and replied.
That officially makes you the first and last person to wish me a happy birthday this year. Nicely played.
I remember being in New York for my birthday with OAF (then NYF) two years ago. I almost didn't have cake, I "blew out" an unlit birthday candle and I gave myself something approximating a stress fracture in my foot from walking around town in inappropriate footwear. It was a fun day and a fun trip, but I missed being with my group of pals and family.
I always thought birthday were about the wishes, but today everything is exactly as it should be and I have everything I need.
(okay, except for that wish that I made on my birthday cake, I can wait a bit longer for that, but can you at least deliver it this month sometime? Or just tell me it's out of stock and I'll have to make do without for a while yet. Either way, just lemme know. Thanks.)
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