Not Your Average Butcher

Fast Fact: The average butcher has 7.3 fingers. Actually, I made that up, but I have all 10 of my fingers, so that's saying something... or is it?

Friday, December 22, 2006

I'll Be Home For Christmas

And the journey back to Montreal really wasn't that bad! I was afraid the bus station would be a complete nut-house, and it kind of was, but I ended up catching a bus after a short 10 minute wait, which is awesome! Actually, we might have been able to leave a little earlier, had it not been for the news lady trying to tape her story at the bus station. Several people in front of me in line, there was the news lady doing take after take in which she would walk through our line, spread her arms out and say something like "If you're trying to get home for the holidays, this is what you're up against." And then scene. The cameraman was standing on a bench, panning around the bus station for shots of the crowd. Anyway, we were delayed getting on the bus because the news lady evidently needed us in the crowd to illustrate her point! Had we all gotten on the bus, well there wouldn't have been much of a crowd!

So now that I'm home, my first task will be to wrap all the Christmas gifts I bought... that'll be a big job! Maybe I'll wait until after dinner...!

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Thursday, December 14, 2006

Hear Those Magic Reindeer Click

I think that today, it finally hit me that Christmas is coming. Despite the fact that I've already finished most of my Christmas shopping, I wasn't really feeling it yet. But all of a sudden, it hit me this afternoon while I was putting up decorations in the office. Why it didn't hit me while I was decorating the Christmas tree last weekend, I don't know! But anyway, to kick off the holidays, I'm putting in a Christmas survey that I filled in!

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate?
I love them both! I guess it depends on the time of day: Can't be having a rum-based drink in the morning, now can I? I'll stick with the hot chocolate in the a.m.!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
I hate to be a spoil-sport, but last I heard, my parents did both.

3. Coloured lights on the tree/house or white?
I grew up with white lights on my tree and house, and as a result, I always found coloured lights kind of garish. But on the other hand, the new LED lights can be really nice.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
I never have, maybe I should start!

5. When do you put your decorations up?
The first weekend of December.

6. What is your favourite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
Turkey, I suppose. I don't know, we always have either turkey or spaghetti, and there's nothing really exciting about spaghetti.

7. Favourite holiday memory as a child:
I must have been around 8 years old: We spent one Christmas at my aunt and uncle's house in the Laurentians, along with our 3 cousins, all of whom are somewhat older than my brother and myself. My brother and I had to share a room in the basement and naturally we were too excited to sleep, especially since we had our stockings waiting for us at the ends of our beds. At about 5:00 a.m. we ran upstairs to wake up our cousins and decided as a group that we should all assemble in the bathroom. That way, we could all play together without waking up any of the parents and therefore not get in trouble. So we ended up spending about 3 hours the 5 of us playing in the bathroom, and we had a blast! Luckily it's a rather spacious bathroom. This story comes up every year when our two families get together... The eldest of the 3 cousins always complains "They woke us up at 5:00 a.m.!" But I know she had just as much fun as the rest of us!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I had been fairly sure Santa didn't exist for a while, but it was confirmed to me one Christmas when I realized that Santa and my mom had the exact same handwriting on the labels of the gifts. Moreover, that same Christmas my brother got some skates from "Santa" and our cousin's name was written on the inside of each skate!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Not usually. Only once. One year our parents woke us up at midnight (okay, so it was technically the 25th by then) and said "Come and see, Santa came!" So I got up to look at the tree, all the while thinking my parents were cruel for teasing us like that. So I glanced at the gifts, said "Wow!" and then turned around to go back to bed. I totally didn't realize they meant to have us open our gifts at midnight! Mom still makes fun of me to this day for going to sleep at present-opening time.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
Putting up the tree is always my job, I'm the only one that likes to do it!Lights first, of course. Then the balls, the bows, and then each set of ornaments. I put up the single ornaments that don't come in a set after that. I fill in any remaining gaps with the largest ornaments. Then, up go the ribbons and tassels. There's a whole technique to it, you know.

11. Snow! Love it or dread it?
At Christmas, I love it. For the rest of the winter, I could take it or leave it.

12. Can you ice skate?
Mostly. I have a hard time turning left. And I discovered last year that it's a lot easier to keep your balance if your holding a hockey stick!

13. Do you remember your favourite gift?
I seem to remember being awfully excited about my first DVD player. I think they were expensive back then...

14. What's the most important thing about the holidays for you?
Seeing family and finding that perfect gift that you know someone you really care about will absolutely love.

15. What is your favourite holiday dessert?
It's not strictly a holiday dessert, but it's a family favourite that we always have a Christmas: John's pudding! That's not actually what it's called, but that's what I'll call it here, because I don't know it's actual name!

16. What is your favourite holiday tradition?
When I was really young, my parents made an advent calendar, and every first of December we put it up to count down the days 'til Christmas. For some reason, this calendar has really grown on me and has become a staple of our Christmas celebration. In the last several years, the question has become who will get the calendar when the kids move out? since my brother and I love this calendar so much. Consquently, for several years I've been looking for the pattern so we could make another one, that way we could both have one for our own homes. As luck would have it, I finally found one on e-Bay just a couple weeks ago. So I'll be helping mom put together the new one! This is what it looks like:



17. What tops your tree?
For the last several years it's been a dinky little angel. I don't like it.

18. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving?
Well, getting presents is awfully nice! But I've never gotten that "heart in the throat" feeling opening presents that you get when you're giving someone a gift you're excited to give them because you know they'll love it so much.

19. What is your favourite Christmas song?
If you haven't already guessed from the title of this post, it's "All I Want for Christmas is You".

20. Candy canes! Yuck or yummy?
Candy canes are alright, but there are many other sweets that I'd pick before I have a candy cane.

21. Favourite Christmas movie?
Miracle on 34th Street (the original one, not the remake) and Holiday Inn.

22. What would you ask Santa for this year (and it has to be a material thing... none of this "world peace" or "happy family" stuff!)
This year I asked Santa for a yoga mat and a duvet.


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Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Would You Believe...

I updated my My Space page?! Check it out!

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A Menace to Society

That's my new title, according to Mike... I'm a menace to society! And he's probably right: I got my learner's permit on Friday (again), so hopefully next time I'm in town I'll be able to take a spin in some car or another. This will be the first time in about 6 years that I get behind the wheel. That's how long ago my old learner's permit expired!

Also of interest, my cousin has gone to India for a month and has set up a blog to record her adventures. There's nothing more interesting than reading about a foreign place through the innocent eyes of a victim of culture shock. If you'd like to read about my cousin's Indian adventures, you can check it out here. Good luck, Jo!

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