I have had a busy few days, as I guess you all have! We had a lovely Christmas together and to be honest it was much better than I had envisaged!
I got a couple of very unexpected pressies - and other than a couple of things not arriving in time from the UK for the lads, everything was received well by everyone!
It was a really warm day in our house, some Christmas music playing (although I know the lads hate it!) but they put up with it as I love it and I really miss British carols at Christmas. Finnish ones (Sorry Finns) just suck. They do not have the same oomph for me. I guess it is all relative. So, we had that going, the dinner cooking - a roast this year and not the Finnish Joulukinkku (Christmas Ham) but a couple of chickens. Believe me when I say that you do need at least a couple as they are very small here for some reason (and expensive at over 9euros each). Perhaps they are not pumped full of steroids? Damned tasty though! :D
Dexter, our beautiful Husky was the star of the show, as this was the first year that he was really old enough to understand that everything was very different this day. All the presents were under the tree.. and there were four for him. Three toys and one full of edible goodies. In years by, our previous dogs always had pressies and George our Border Collie would always root out his one with gusto. This year, Dexter just seemed to know what to do.. and was busy opening his squeeky bone, when 'squeak' happened and he suddenly realised what the game was! Oh he was so funny.. and then he found his other one...then another and then the food!!! Oh my! He was just such a happy bunny all day.. it was so lovely.
After we ate, the eldest son of mine slunk off (as is usual) to go play PS3 something or other. We had pulled our crackers and sat there looking silly with our hats on and were playing with the toys inside them. There was a pack of cards, so my husband and I played Snap! We had a real laugh when it got to the end of the pack when he said to me dryly... 'You didnt shuffle them then darling!' We had gone through the whole snap process and my number was concurrent to his! LOL! Derrrrr..... Then the younger son, who had said 'NO' to boring old Snap! decided that he would actually play and as is expected with such a simple game.. he actually had a laugh and enjoyed it. Then I decided to instruct him in the rules of 'Charades' We had a lot of fun with that too, almost wetting ourself at one point and he even created a new genre, TV show/Film, Play,Book etc.. and Playstation game - indicated by a wiggle of thumbs! Kids! Still.. a new generation.. new ways. I have to say that by the end of the games.. he said that whoever invented Charades should be shot! :D So, maybe he WON'T be playing that again in a hurry!
I spent the evening fiddling with my best pressie - a new camera - which I had been hoping for and was desperately in need of - I had been dropping hints left right and centre and was hoping that it had been picked up on. It came with a wind-up though - so that I thought I didn't actually have it! Here is what happened...
I got given a digital card - a HUGE 2 megs worth and I thought.. oohh maybe I HAVE got a new camera after all!! Then I got some AA batteries ... LOL... I was pleased as I thought, well I DO need them! Camera? Camera?
Then we opened all the rest of the pressies bar one and the tag said.. "Well, who would have thought I would have ended up buying you this?" I looked at it and thought.. Hmmmm... THAT does NOT look camera shape to me.. damn!!
I asked if it was a storage box - as I always need them for my craft things. However, I opened it up and inside was a power tool!! LOL... Yes, a tool! I had said I wanted one, so he HAD listened after all. It's a hand tool, that has drills, sanders, buffers, you name it. It has a screw on holder for the table, to which you add the tool, then you attach a long additional tube.. to which you attach the small head of the tool... so you dont have to work with the heavy tool in your hand.. just a lighter weight, more easy to use item! So I was really chuffed with that.
I went to the kitchen to start doing the food and after five mins a box was seen left on the kitchen table. I didn't see it arrive. I tried my best to ignore it, despite the fact that it looked suspiciously camera box shaped! My husband eventually sidled up to me and said.. "Well? You gonna open that or what?" I said.. "It's not for me!" He said.. "Yep - it is! You know it is.. you have been doing your best to ignore it.. I know!!!" God.. I tell you, that I was SO trying to stifle a smile, but I just couldnt keep it in!!! I read the tag and it said knowingly... "SMILE! - It's Christmas!" lol!!!! (Like he had read my mind) and inside was the bestest camera ever!! :D I LOVE IT and I LOVE my MAN too! :D Bless his cotton socks! It's an Olympus SP-565UZ. Here is a great review page for it...
http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/default.asp?newsID=3951&review=olympus+sp565
Its got SO much to it, it will take me some while to get used to it! Yeah! No more moaning about my camera! No more 'camera envy'! I've spent some days trying to get used to it.. its so hard when something is new, but when I get pictures right.. they are great! LUCKY ME!
On Boxing Day 26th December, our friend Steve flew out from the UK and he is here with us until the 2nd. Our younger son's girlfriend has been with us since the 29th and goes home on the 3rd, so its been a nice full house for us.
I hope that the season has been merry and warmly loving to you all too!
I do have some other Christmas images that I promise to upload soon.. a mixture from both cameras.
Sooo... it is now Goodbye to the decade of the Naughties! I am quite happy to say goodbye to 2009 (What about you?) and happy to say hello to 2010... :D
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