Saturday, December 31, 2005

Happy Freaking New Year.

Wow, I can't believe I haven't posted in over a week. Let's see, here's the rundown:

True to our tradition of something stupid happening in our house on Christmas Eve, we ran out of furnace oil. We are on automatic delivery, but I had turned the driver away in November after explaining that we had just turned on the furnace. Apparently I should have explained that our tank wasn't completely full, but probably only 3/4-1/2 full. Oopsy!

So, there we were, 5pm on Christmas Eve... Andrew had been complaining that the house was cold all afternoon and I had been telling him that he was a wuss and he should get a blanket, etc, etc. After a while his complaining got to me, so I stood up and looked at the thermostat. There was quite a discrepancy between the thermostat setting and the actual temperature in the room. NICE! We had to wait for the oil truck to deliver the oil and almost missed out on the seafood casserole at my SIL's house (if you could taste the seafood casserole, you would understand what a tragedy that would have been).

We spent Christmas day with Andrew's family (his mom, dad, his sister, her husband and kids, her husband's brother and wife and the other grandparents - phew)... ate way too much (the 6lbs I lost this fall is probably back again)... played games... and sang Christmas carols.

Oh yes, just as the Harlot's family are dancers, Andrew's family is full of singers. Every Christmas night, before the kids go to bed, we pull out the books and the piano bench and everyone sings along. This year, Andrew's nephew, who is 9, played a couple carols and seemed quite pleased that he could play for the singing. My niece (11.5) played as well. Then the adults took over - Andrew, his sister and his mother took turns, even played some duets. Then, in order to get out of singing, I took my place on the bench for a few carols. My BIL had pulled out his saxophone, so it was quite a loud celebration.

Once the kids went to bed the grown-up kids (that would be the moms and dads and the aunties and uncles) left the grandparents in charge and ran off to the movie theatre. We've been going to movies on Christmas day for the last 4 years. During the years that LOTR were playing, we always knew which movie we would see. This year we debated over coffee whether it would be K*ng Kong or Narnia. We saw Narnia. (Andrew lost). It was wonderful. I have owned the books since 1985 but had never read them. I'm reading them now! During the movie, I grabbed Andrew's arm and whispered, "Did you see her sweater? Isn't it cute? I wonder who did the sweaters?" He sighed.

Speaking of knitting... my MIL loved her shawl. She was really pleased. I gave it to her on Christmas Eve so that she could wear it on Christmas Day. My FIL received a half-knit scarf and my BIL received a ball of yarn with the explanation that he was getting socks with "Some assembly required." My SIL loved her Irish Hiking fingerless mitts, but we both decided that they should be dyed with Kool-Aid.

My dad, my SM, my Grammy and my Great-Aunt arrived here on Boxing Day. Santa came with them and was quite generous and by Santa, I mean my dad and Ivy. One thing is for sure: I will definitely NOT run out of hand cream in 2006. Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE hand cream? Minou's Mommy could tell you about it. I've got Mocha Mint Avojuice and two other kinds of Avojuice and some Bath and Body Workds Cotton... and Aveeno for the office (I can't use scented handcream at the office). I have very happy hands.

Santa gave me "Vogue Knitting" the big reference book, "The Queen's Fool" by Phillipa Gregory and then Santa bought "Memoirs of a Geisha" for me at Chapters on Tuesday (Santa got to use my discount card, so he was happy). I'm full up in the reading department.

Tonight, Andrew and I are carrying on our tradition of having a quiet NYE. Every few years his sister has a party at her house and we attend, but whenever we can, we avoid the festivities. Instead, we stay at home, snuggle up on the sofas, watch movies, eat things that we regret the next morning and just hang out. We figure if we have a low key NYE then the year has nowhere to go but up!

Anyway, this entry is long for one without photos.

I hope you all have a safe and Happy New year. And here's to some selfish, non-deadline knitting in January!

8 comments:

  1. Anonymous7:00 p.m.

    Happy New Year's. We have the same evening planned. I'm just waiting for Martin to get off the treadmill so we can pop the cork on the champagne!

    Have a great 2006 and keep posting. How else would I know what's happening up in Halifax!

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  2. Happy New Year! We kept it low key too. Pizza and a few wobbly pops in front of the toob, then watched the fireworks from out balcony. I agree, after the Christmas craziness, I want a low-key NYE too.

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  3. Anonymous9:34 a.m.

    Happy New Year! From across the Harbour.

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  4. Anonymous11:52 a.m.

    Happy New Year from California!
    Talk to you tongiht.
    R

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  5. Anonymous1:26 p.m.

    happy hand cream year! i mean hand cream new year! I mean new happy hand cream!!!!!

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  6. Happy New Year to you, too!

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  7. Anonymous12:52 p.m.

    We went to see Narnia on boxing day - I adored the Lion/Witch/Wardrobe when I was a kid. Love the movie, it filled the LOTR void a bit. I was also completely charmed by the sweaters - I would dress like Lucy & Susan all the time if given the resources.

    We went over to younger BILs for NYE and ate WAY too much. My new year's resolution is to not eat like a starving hyena at every meal.

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  8. Anonymous11:51 a.m.

    Oh gosh- I did the same thing with the knitted items in Narnia. Loved the stockings and the sweaters and scarves... So cozy!

    Happy 2006!

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