Saturday 30 December 2006

2006 greatest hits

  • marrying Mark in Washington DC at the Tabard Inn
  • my bridal sushi & cupcake shower
  • 2 weeks in CA, Chicago & NY on honeymoon trail
  • Calistoga country & Carmel beach
  • celebrating with all my WI relatives
  • near and far familial wedding support
  • marrying Mark in Cambridge at King's College
  • dirty martinis
  • living in Edinburgh
  • our fab flat with conservatory and garden
  • Mark's glasses
  • the smell of malt in the Edinburgh air
  • smart, brave and funny clients
  • my dear old friends remaining just that (all of you)
  • my new friend Lexie becoming an old friend
  • my new new friends, especially to Pauline, Louise and Janet taking care of my social life and making me feel at home
  • my spouse visa
  • Crombie's sausages
  • Mark n Kat as neighbours
  • universe, Hudson's and SLB providing productive and not too painful employment
  • Valvona & Corolla pastries on Saturday morning
  • being married to Mark
  • being happy

Thank you for being a part of my wonderful year.

Here's to 2007!

Hollyrood Park Big Walk
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Tuesday 26 December 2006

Wednesday 20 December 2006

3 not so wise men

I awoke with a start hearing Mark yell “F*** off, A********s” at 1:38 a.m. after being tucked in nice n snug since 10:30. Was I dreaming? This yelling came from outside! Had Mark gone OUT after I went to bed? WHA? I was very confused and a little scared.

Mark finally came back in to report that 3 drunken guys thought it was HILarious to piss all over our entryway, complete with Christmas lights. Ho Ho Ho- that is always a good one!

So Mark scared them off (my hero) and doused the entryway in bleach. And we are hoping for a good rainstorm.

Lesson learned to turn OFF the cheery Christmas lights before pubs close.

Sigh.

Monday 18 December 2006

countdown

  1. Scotch pine tree- bought from Tree Empire on the corner near Tescos, decorated
  2. outside lights-hung, (the icicle ones were all that was left at B&Q)
  3. inside lights -hung in conservatory
  4. wreath-hung on door
  5. flower pots-now free of dead ones and have new greenery
  6. Christmas cake-made. brandy enriched. wafting nice odors into the home
  7. work night out - last week
  8. team dinner- to be complete with fajitas on Wednesday
  9. work days left-3
  10. gifts- bought/posted; cards- written/posted
  11. local-gifts nearly done
  12. cleaning to commence this week
  13. restaurant bookings for xmas lunch/nyeve complete
  14. nails- red
  15. husband back! exams complete (beard gone)
  16. fun awaiting

Friday 15 December 2006

work night out


a few of the many fine and handsome folks I work with

Thursday 7 December 2006

Ho Ho Iron Bru


Suddenly it is December and I am knee deep in Christmas thoughts.

Nigella had a cooking special on TV this week. Did you know that Brits totally make Thanksgiving dinner for Christmas? Traditional dinner is actually a giant roast turkey! Can you image an American making turkey again after the Thanksgiving day hoo ha? Granted, they roast potatoes and have that damned fruitcake and Christmas pudding and no pumpkin pie, but it still sniffs of similarity.

And, I have the bleedin’ “Santa Baby…. “ song stuck in my head. (Which admittedly, is better than “Super Freak” which lived there for days)

Maybe it is because Edinburgh is chock full of cutely decorated festive streets. And trees strewn with lights. And that nice German market. And has shops everywhere I walk. Or I am bored and the beast of commerce is alive and well in me. But, for me, it is all adding up to making lots of lists and my mind wandering wishing I had dough to blow on presents.

But the feeling is in the air. And is compounded by the onset of holiday parties, which begin TONIGHT. Suddenly people are online shopping at work without caring. The mood is lighter. People are more animated. And more tired.

My office is festive. Most departments have tinsel and little trees and load of chocolates everywhere. What a difference from the US, where it is all generic and PC Happy Holidays, with nary a Santa in sight.

Also, in the US, if you show up to work hung over, you don’t announce it. (Ok except maybe to your chums). Here every morning I hear at least 2 or 3 people chatting about how shattered they are and how late they were out, with an
Iron Bru (the Scotland hang-over soft drink of choice) in hand and a sausage roll in the other. It is just accepted that people will drink and play and go out and indulge. It is nice feeling actually. But also reminds me why alcoholism is a problem here. And is fine for me that Xmas is in my face – I like it! But if I were a non-believer or a really Bah Humbug, it would indeed bug me.

They have a commercial on TV here from MasterCard (US probably has it too) about all the people flying Home for the Holiday, with big welcome home scenes and fervent hugs in the airport arrivals, and how much each flight was… and of course the chance to spend time with family and friends is priceless. It does make me sad that I am not with my own nuclear family for the holiday. I am a bit home sick. We have lost what traditions we had and I'd like us to hold on to some of them... like all getting together more than once a decade.
But I also remember that I AM in a new family now… Mine & Mark’s. With a chance to start our own traditions and celebrate in our own way. And that will have to do. After all, I am host to my new parents-in-law this year. And we ain’t having turkey.
We are going out for Christmas lunch!