Well it's been a week or so since I've had the chance to put something in here but it's been a pretty full week, so I hope you're ready for a bit of a read.
The Holidays have always been a crazy time of year for Shelagh and I, as we both have wonderfully dysfunctional family's, who have managed to nicely spread themselves out all over Nova Scotia, Ontario and Alberta.
Shelagh and I don't celebrate Christmas for it's religious aspects but some of our families do. We don't get forced to any midnight masses or anything but it's important for them that we go through the ritual, or at least I think it is. We both love an enjoy our families company very much and always have an amazing time but it can become tiring.
It all starts with the present shopping of which we waited exceedingly too long and became super stressed out about. As we are both people that like to put a lot of thought and care into our gifts, I became even more stressed out about finding just the right thing and making sure that each person would get and equal distribution, all within out seriously tight budget. Needless to say, I think we did pretty well, all considered. I managed to start a couple paintings early this year so was able to quickly finish them off for wrapping.
Shelagh and I had some hard decisions to make this year as far as making our gifts count, the paintings were a great start but we really didn't want to get people stuff that they would either toss on a shelf, re-gift or maybe even toss in the trash.
We decided over a bit of discussion that we were going to use OxFam and give some gifts that will actually help people who really need it. I know most people groan when they even entertain the thought of receiving a donation in their honor, as a gift, but we both agreed that OxFam was much different than most charitable organizations in the respect that it is non religious in nature and it helps anyone in need. They have a wide array of packages to suit almost anyone and most of the packages include education related to the topic you choose.
For example, we purchased 2 Chickens and a Goat.
Each chicken will go to a family or village in need and includes education that give them the skills to run and maintain poultry and poultry related production. This will not only provide food but create economic relief.
Each Goat will go to a family or village in need and includes education the give them the skills to breed and care for goats. This will also provide food and create economic relief.
The first born female of each goat goes to another village and the cycle continues.
There are many other packages available such as clean drinking water, emergency preparedness kits and wide assortment of educational packages that include such things as AIDS prevention.
Most of the packages were exceptionally inexpensive, as low as 15 dollars for a Chicken and the highest I remember seeing was a Donkey, for 120 dollars.
Anyway Check out the site and give anytime, not just for an occasion.
The 24th came pretty fast, which, incidentally, was my birthday and is also the day that Shelagh's family came for Christmas as we were spending Christmas day with my family. Last year we went to their house but we insisted upon cooking the meal this year and having the celebration here.
Everyone arrived around six'ish just after an insane wrapping frenzy. I was happy to see them and to take a load off for a few minutes before getting supper going.
This year we were graced by Shelagh's mother, Monica, the ever lovely, Sarah and Shelagh's brother Iain. We started with some hugs and hello's and then some conversation over a few appetizers.
We opened presents for what seemed an eternity ( they are so good to us) and I almost choked opening many of them, they always get me exactly what I want and need. Among the many presents we received from them was a desktop scanner and a sweet veterinarian book from Monica, a wad of art supplies and a really cool mask from Sarah and a digital video camera from Iain.
After we enjoyed our gifts for a while we moved onto dinner which consisted of roast prime rib, marbled mashed potatoes (sweet potato and red potato lightly mashed) Yorkshire pudding with au jus (beef broth) green beans, peas and snow peas. There was also an assortment of horseradish and mustard sauces for the prime rib, rolls and pickled stuff.
After a brief coffee and conversation break we indulged in a slice of my mom's homemade apple struzzell pie topped with french vanilla ice cream.
We chatted for a bit longer and shared many laughs and stories. After a thoroughly enjoyable and exhausting evening everyone said their goodbyes, Shelagh and I finished off a few last minute details and headed off to bed early in preparation for an equally fun filled Christmas day.
We were up reasonably early Christmas day and were on the road by late morning off to St Croix to visit my Mother, Kathie, Step Dad, David, Grandmother, Gwen and Grandfathers; who are still with us in spirit only, we miss you Howard and Ron.
We stopped at our usual Christmas day destination, the Irving in Mount Uniack, for Shelagh's traditional Christmas Day, Christmas coffee, some gas and the washroom and got back on the road.
We arrived around 1 ish and after the usual barrage of hugs, happy birthdays and merry Christmas's we started opening presents. For 2 hours, we opened presents. We actually had to hurry and open them all by 3 so we could take off to visit my other Grandmother who lives in the area. My family is nuts, they start shopping in January and compile stuff all year so when we finally open it all it takes hours, I love them so much and not because they get me tons of stuff, they get me thoughtful stuff.
I honestly don't know where to begin in telling you what we got from them. I collect camels so I got about 6 or 7 of them from my mother and Dave, ranging from metal to wood to stone, each one more amazing than the last. My mother got me an assortment of wooden boxes, which I also collect, one of which is a really cool retro artist box for storing my supplies when I'm mobile. My grandmother got me a couple gift certificated, which I love getting as well as a sweet new wallet. She also gave me my traditional Lego set.
Ever since I was a child I loved Lego and even though we were extraordinarily broke, my grandmother always bought me Lego for Christmas. It's one of my fondest memories, receiving that new set and seeing all the cool new pieces you got to play with, not to mention that you could add them to your current collection and your building possibilities increased 10 fold. I still love Lego and I love receiving them as gifts, thanks Gram, I can always count on you to remind me of what Christmas was like as a child.
3 o'clock came way to fast and we had to head off the my Grandmother Knowles' (Pat) place, where she and my Uncle Steve were awaiting our arrival. After some hugs and fun with the video camera we all taped a little Christmas cheer to my sister, Tricia who lives in Ontario and couldn't make it home for Christmas. We all miss her so much, especially at this time of family gathering. I love you baby sis, I hope your Yule was special and I hope to see you soon.
My father, Alan, was Christmasing out west this year with his wife Linda and they were unable to join us this year as well. I hope you both had a great holiday. Dad, it wasn't the same without your infectious smile and Linda's whispers are always entertaining, she knows what I mean, wink wink. lol
So we spent an hour or so opening presents, laughing and sharing our lives. My grandmother is a really good woman, a strong, independent business woman, always a plethora of information. We shared our feeling on art, investing and so many other things. It was a really good visit and Shelagh and I had a genuinely great time. My Uncle Steve is always in a great mood and is always laughing, despite having a terrible flu but a few days before. When I was younger he was the coolest guy I knew and I loved visiting with him and I still do.
Unfortunately 5 o'clock came upon us very quickly and we had to rush back to Gwen's place for Christmas dinner. We walked in and they were already eating, as usual, we were late arriving and my grandmother has diabetes, so she has to eat by 5. We quickly caught up and regaled them with stories of our visit with grammie Knowles.
After we stuffed our bellies with food, food and more food, we opened our table gifts, yes you heard me, table gifts. I'm not sure when this tradition was started but my mom always buys everyone something really little but usually really cool and saves it for after dinner. Dave buys her one and everyone gets one last gift to open. Crazy but fun, this year she got me a wooden pizza cutter, it's shaped kinda like a boomerang. It's way cool.
Dave and I finished up the dishes and joined the women in the living room for some Christmas day TV. Dave popped on a new video he got and we watched a couple 20 minute episodes of a hilarious British comedy which was a bit crude in parts but overall quite funny. I'm not knocking the show at all, I just don't find incontinence that amusing. After the fat suits and incontinence show my grandmother put on a crappy Christmas movie to punish my Mom and Dave for making her watch that show. After a few yawns and a head nod or two Shelagh and I decided to hit the road before we fell asleep. It was a seemingly long ride home but I guess road travel seems a lot longer when you're tired.
That pretty much wraps up that day, we got home loaded our stuff in and after some brief down time went off to bed, happy , stuffed and glad it was over!
The next couple days I took off and just kinda poked around, picking up the Christmas trash and straightening up. I don't remember sleeping much because I slept like freaking log the last couple nights from built up exhaustion. Last night we watched Much Music's Top 50 favorite 80's Video's, wow did that ever take me back... oh shit, I can't say that, it means I'm getting old. lol
I had an awesome, exhausting, exciting, frantic, and relaxing holiday. Thanks to everyone who made it special and a very special thanks to Shelagh for getting me through it, I love you baby, you rock, in so many ways.
The Holidays have always been a crazy time of year for Shelagh and I, as we both have wonderfully dysfunctional family's, who have managed to nicely spread themselves out all over Nova Scotia, Ontario and Alberta.
Shelagh and I don't celebrate Christmas for it's religious aspects but some of our families do. We don't get forced to any midnight masses or anything but it's important for them that we go through the ritual, or at least I think it is. We both love an enjoy our families company very much and always have an amazing time but it can become tiring.
It all starts with the present shopping of which we waited exceedingly too long and became super stressed out about. As we are both people that like to put a lot of thought and care into our gifts, I became even more stressed out about finding just the right thing and making sure that each person would get and equal distribution, all within out seriously tight budget. Needless to say, I think we did pretty well, all considered. I managed to start a couple paintings early this year so was able to quickly finish them off for wrapping.
Shelagh and I had some hard decisions to make this year as far as making our gifts count, the paintings were a great start but we really didn't want to get people stuff that they would either toss on a shelf, re-gift or maybe even toss in the trash.
We decided over a bit of discussion that we were going to use OxFam and give some gifts that will actually help people who really need it. I know most people groan when they even entertain the thought of receiving a donation in their honor, as a gift, but we both agreed that OxFam was much different than most charitable organizations in the respect that it is non religious in nature and it helps anyone in need. They have a wide array of packages to suit almost anyone and most of the packages include education related to the topic you choose.
For example, we purchased 2 Chickens and a Goat.
Each chicken will go to a family or village in need and includes education that give them the skills to run and maintain poultry and poultry related production. This will not only provide food but create economic relief.
Each Goat will go to a family or village in need and includes education the give them the skills to breed and care for goats. This will also provide food and create economic relief.
The first born female of each goat goes to another village and the cycle continues.
There are many other packages available such as clean drinking water, emergency preparedness kits and wide assortment of educational packages that include such things as AIDS prevention.
Most of the packages were exceptionally inexpensive, as low as 15 dollars for a Chicken and the highest I remember seeing was a Donkey, for 120 dollars.
Anyway Check out the site and give anytime, not just for an occasion.
The 24th came pretty fast, which, incidentally, was my birthday and is also the day that Shelagh's family came for Christmas as we were spending Christmas day with my family. Last year we went to their house but we insisted upon cooking the meal this year and having the celebration here.
Everyone arrived around six'ish just after an insane wrapping frenzy. I was happy to see them and to take a load off for a few minutes before getting supper going.
This year we were graced by Shelagh's mother, Monica, the ever lovely, Sarah and Shelagh's brother Iain. We started with some hugs and hello's and then some conversation over a few appetizers.
We opened presents for what seemed an eternity ( they are so good to us) and I almost choked opening many of them, they always get me exactly what I want and need. Among the many presents we received from them was a desktop scanner and a sweet veterinarian book from Monica, a wad of art supplies and a really cool mask from Sarah and a digital video camera from Iain.
After we enjoyed our gifts for a while we moved onto dinner which consisted of roast prime rib, marbled mashed potatoes (sweet potato and red potato lightly mashed) Yorkshire pudding with au jus (beef broth) green beans, peas and snow peas. There was also an assortment of horseradish and mustard sauces for the prime rib, rolls and pickled stuff.
After a brief coffee and conversation break we indulged in a slice of my mom's homemade apple struzzell pie topped with french vanilla ice cream.
We chatted for a bit longer and shared many laughs and stories. After a thoroughly enjoyable and exhausting evening everyone said their goodbyes, Shelagh and I finished off a few last minute details and headed off to bed early in preparation for an equally fun filled Christmas day.
We were up reasonably early Christmas day and were on the road by late morning off to St Croix to visit my Mother, Kathie, Step Dad, David, Grandmother, Gwen and Grandfathers; who are still with us in spirit only, we miss you Howard and Ron.
We stopped at our usual Christmas day destination, the Irving in Mount Uniack, for Shelagh's traditional Christmas Day, Christmas coffee, some gas and the washroom and got back on the road.
We arrived around 1 ish and after the usual barrage of hugs, happy birthdays and merry Christmas's we started opening presents. For 2 hours, we opened presents. We actually had to hurry and open them all by 3 so we could take off to visit my other Grandmother who lives in the area. My family is nuts, they start shopping in January and compile stuff all year so when we finally open it all it takes hours, I love them so much and not because they get me tons of stuff, they get me thoughtful stuff.
I honestly don't know where to begin in telling you what we got from them. I collect camels so I got about 6 or 7 of them from my mother and Dave, ranging from metal to wood to stone, each one more amazing than the last. My mother got me an assortment of wooden boxes, which I also collect, one of which is a really cool retro artist box for storing my supplies when I'm mobile. My grandmother got me a couple gift certificated, which I love getting as well as a sweet new wallet. She also gave me my traditional Lego set.
Ever since I was a child I loved Lego and even though we were extraordinarily broke, my grandmother always bought me Lego for Christmas. It's one of my fondest memories, receiving that new set and seeing all the cool new pieces you got to play with, not to mention that you could add them to your current collection and your building possibilities increased 10 fold. I still love Lego and I love receiving them as gifts, thanks Gram, I can always count on you to remind me of what Christmas was like as a child.
3 o'clock came way to fast and we had to head off the my Grandmother Knowles' (Pat) place, where she and my Uncle Steve were awaiting our arrival. After some hugs and fun with the video camera we all taped a little Christmas cheer to my sister, Tricia who lives in Ontario and couldn't make it home for Christmas. We all miss her so much, especially at this time of family gathering. I love you baby sis, I hope your Yule was special and I hope to see you soon.
My father, Alan, was Christmasing out west this year with his wife Linda and they were unable to join us this year as well. I hope you both had a great holiday. Dad, it wasn't the same without your infectious smile and Linda's whispers are always entertaining, she knows what I mean, wink wink. lol
So we spent an hour or so opening presents, laughing and sharing our lives. My grandmother is a really good woman, a strong, independent business woman, always a plethora of information. We shared our feeling on art, investing and so many other things. It was a really good visit and Shelagh and I had a genuinely great time. My Uncle Steve is always in a great mood and is always laughing, despite having a terrible flu but a few days before. When I was younger he was the coolest guy I knew and I loved visiting with him and I still do.
Unfortunately 5 o'clock came upon us very quickly and we had to rush back to Gwen's place for Christmas dinner. We walked in and they were already eating, as usual, we were late arriving and my grandmother has diabetes, so she has to eat by 5. We quickly caught up and regaled them with stories of our visit with grammie Knowles.
After we stuffed our bellies with food, food and more food, we opened our table gifts, yes you heard me, table gifts. I'm not sure when this tradition was started but my mom always buys everyone something really little but usually really cool and saves it for after dinner. Dave buys her one and everyone gets one last gift to open. Crazy but fun, this year she got me a wooden pizza cutter, it's shaped kinda like a boomerang. It's way cool.
Dave and I finished up the dishes and joined the women in the living room for some Christmas day TV. Dave popped on a new video he got and we watched a couple 20 minute episodes of a hilarious British comedy which was a bit crude in parts but overall quite funny. I'm not knocking the show at all, I just don't find incontinence that amusing. After the fat suits and incontinence show my grandmother put on a crappy Christmas movie to punish my Mom and Dave for making her watch that show. After a few yawns and a head nod or two Shelagh and I decided to hit the road before we fell asleep. It was a seemingly long ride home but I guess road travel seems a lot longer when you're tired.
That pretty much wraps up that day, we got home loaded our stuff in and after some brief down time went off to bed, happy , stuffed and glad it was over!
The next couple days I took off and just kinda poked around, picking up the Christmas trash and straightening up. I don't remember sleeping much because I slept like freaking log the last couple nights from built up exhaustion. Last night we watched Much Music's Top 50 favorite 80's Video's, wow did that ever take me back... oh shit, I can't say that, it means I'm getting old. lol
I had an awesome, exhausting, exciting, frantic, and relaxing holiday. Thanks to everyone who made it special and a very special thanks to Shelagh for getting me through it, I love you baby, you rock, in so many ways.
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