:: Vela Dare ::

:: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 ::

:: Home again, home again- jiggity jig! ::

Sorry to have temporarily dropped off the radar for a while there. I ended up extending my stay in Paris by few days and my internet access was limited to friends' computers, and anyway I was doing too many things to post much. In addition, my phone ran out of money my first day in Paris (thank you, O2 for not making it clear that it costs a biiiiiillion times more to call/text in France.) I have since topped up but I can't find my charger. David (the friend of Domonique with whom we were staying) tells me it's not in his apartment, so I'm hoping it will turn up in one of my bags, or perhaps one of Domonique's when she gets back from Greece.

Anyway, Julie is currently here, so I should probably stop updating and try to be a good hostess (though it's miserable out, so I have a feeling the evening will be spent searching (vainly) for something to watch on tv.) I shall post about my vacation in more detail when I post the pictures : )

:: find earth and reap :: 7:22 PM :: [+] :: | ::

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:: I'm Leavin' On a Jet Plane.... ::

...But, thankfully, I *do* know when I'll be back again.

I should definitely be asleep right now, but seeing as I am not I thought I would write a quick post before I disappear for a week. Tomorrow I'm taking a bus into London, (hopefully) finding my way to the Heathrow from the bus station, and then flying to Brussels! Charlotte's meeting me at the airport and I'm *so* excited to see her! Apparently we're going to a club tomorrow night, which should be interesting considering my rather rusty/limited French. Oh well... as long as I find out the word for "cranberry" i should be alright, and if all else fails I do know the word for "orange", teehee. She has Friday and Saturday off, during which time I think we're going to attempt to see "everything"... as Charlotte said, "good thing Brussels isn't that big". Then on sunday, I'm taking a train from Brussels to Paris where I will once again be trying to find my way to a place whose location I only have a vague idea of. Should be fun... or at the very least an adventure. At least I have taken the metro there before, and while it was years ago maybe some of those memories will kick in once I'm there. As of now I have virtually no idea what our plans in Paris will be. Domonique and I have discussed going to a Christmas service at a cathedral some where (obv. Notre Dame is the first choice, but it must get really nuts there, so who knows.) I would imagine most of the typical sight seeing will be done.. I'm hoping to get in a few of the places I didn't get to last time I was in Paris. Archaeology nerds that we are, Domonique and I are hoping to go to the catacombs! I will never forget when I was in Paris last time, and Charlotte et al. suggested it half jokingly and I said quite enthusiastically, "yes! that'd be great". Haha.

As for the past week or so... Domonique, John and I put on a holiday dinner. I made a roast chicken, latkes, home made cranberry sauce, peas and pear/goatcheese salad. Domonique made some reaaaaally delicious brownies that we had with irish cream-laced double cream. The meal was followed by scrabble and kings cup (oh, the things we're contributing to English culture, haha.) Unfortunately I couldn't find my cards, and John had forgotten his so we actually made our own using some notebook paper I had. Now *that* is what I call resourceful. Or something.

Most of you have also seen the result of a trip to see Santa! No, I didn't decide to take a day trip to the northpole... as it turned out, Santa (and a significant portion of his village) was making a pit stop at the mall in Broadmead. We'd spotted him last week, and a joking suggestion suddenly became a must-accomplish idea. I was sort of worried that they'd turn us away, or at the very least look at the silly Americans with scornful amusement. Fortunately, the girl (elf-lass?) at the booth didn't seem to think this was terribly strange. Of course... we were older than all the other visitors by 16-20 years but that's neither here nor there. When we got to the front of the line the elf that came out to get the next "kids" came to get us. She looked at me and Domonique and then down around our legs to see where our young'un had gone off to. "No, it's just us!" we said, laughing. The women behind us thought it was hi-LAR-ious (in a laughing with us kind of way) that we were going to get our pictures taken with Santa. They laughed nearly the entire time while we waited just outside the little room where Santa was. Santa himself was quite amused (as you might have noticed from the picture.) He also assured us that "you can never be to big to sit on Santa's lap!" which was meant only fractionally as sketchy as he could have said it. So, while Santa might not have been 100% pure, he could have been much, much worse. Besides, the poor guy probably gets peed on 5 times a day.... taking a picture with a couple (obviously silly) 20-year-olds is probably a huge highlight in the day. At least, if I were him it would be. :-P

Well, it is well and truly time for me to sleep. I don't want to be too groggy to find my way tomorrow!


Oh, and for those readers who may not have recieved this via email... here's the card I made out of our photo with Santa. (My mom thinks he looks like he's getting a little frisky... eep!)


[Click to enlarge]

:: find earth and reap :: 2:30 AM :: [+] :: | ::

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:: Last Radio Of The Year! ::

For all of you that can tune into listen to my radio show today, the theme is Winter/Holidays and it'll be my last show of the year... potentially my last show at Bristol! Hope you can listen : )

:: find earth and reap :: 4:49 PM :: [+] :: | ::

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:: It's Comin' on Christmas... ::

It's been far too long since I legitimately updated and for that I apologize. Lots of work... sort of. That is to say, big projects that I've put off because I have too much spare time. I know, I know... that sounds ridiculous but its true. Having this little class makes me *so* lazy. I just cannot seem to organize myself... even when I try... it just never seems to work out. Ironically my time will probably be a little more pressed during break (with all the travel etc.), which will probably convince me to get things done in a more reasonable fashion... at least that's what I'm hoping. The last thing I want to do is have people come visit me only to ignore them because I have work. Of course.. we all know that wouldn't happen. In that case I'd still have to show them around and play hostess (because I rather enjoy playing hostess) after which I'd probably just kill myself with work. Except I can't kill myself.... I'm directing next semester. Eep!

Aaaaanyway. Let's talk about more pleasant things than my possible academic implosion in the near future. I've started making my holiday plans. I'm going to be flying to Brussels to visit Charlotte on Dec. 21... where i'll be until I take a train from Brussels to Paris on the 24th to spend Christmas in Paris with Domonique and her friend(s?). After that I'm hopefully taking a train back to London/Bristol early on the 28th. Then I get to spend a few days craming myself full of research until New Years Eve, when I'll be heading to London to spend ring in 2007 with Georgia and Peter. Then I get to see them off earlyish the next morning and kill a bit of time in London before I pick Julie up from the airport and head back to Bristol 9 days of heavy-duty sight-seeing around England (or at least the South West).

Despite the promise of travel, I've been pretty depressed lately. I'm not terribly sure why.... probably a combination of things to be honest. I'm a girl of simply pleasures though... so I went to Boots today and spent a little more than I should have on beauty/skin care. Not only do I feel a little better, I smell great too. : )

:: find earth and reap :: 11:30 PM :: [+] :: | ::

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:: Thanks! ::

Hey... tonight's radio show went very well! Thank you to those that listened : )

:: find earth and reap :: 10:19 PM :: [+] :: | ::

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:: Australian Toaster Biscuits. ::

Remember Australian Toaster Biscuits? I used to *love* those! I was buttering a piece of toast today to have with my breakfast and suddenly had a very vivid recollection of the smell and taste of a buttered Oroweat Australian Toaster Biscuit. It look as though Oroweat doesn't make them anymore (when was the last time anyone saw a commercial anyway?) I tried finding recipes online, but it looks as though most of them are actually for crumpets. I guess this is just another example of how most english speaking nations will always be confused when it comes to biscuits/muffins/scones/crumpets.

:: find earth and reap :: 12:46 PM :: [+] :: | ::

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:: Holiday-themed Procrastination! ::

1. Eggnog or Hot Chocolate?
-Eggnog... no question!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
-The elves probably wrap them for him...

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
-old-fashioned big colored lights on the house, and little colored lights on the tree

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
-You know.. I don't know if one can get mistletoe very easily in Mexico.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
-a couple weeks before hand

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
-the christmas ham, hands down.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
-Getting read-along-with-me books from our cat Charlie, delivered by Santa all the way to our hotel room in Kauii. (my parents had to assure and reassure me that Santa would be able to find me, even though we weren't spending xmas at home.)

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
-You mean how he occasionally likes to wear Mrs. Claus' long johns? just kidding. Seriously though, what "truth" are we talking about here? I'm a total believer!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
-Yep... though this is a fairly recent tradition

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
-Lights and all our gorgeous ornaments : )

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
- Love it... but it does get old pretty quickly.

12. Can you ice skate?
-Of course.... if by ice skating you also include clinging to the railing

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
-Wow, that's really hard. I don't think I could possibly answer that

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
-(as I've realized more accutely over the past few days) being home for all the little things

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? I
'm not sure we have a typical holiday dessert. At any rate, I'm sure I like them all.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
-Bagels, lox and creamcheese for brekkies!

17. What tops your tree?
- Usually the Mme. Alexander angel topper (she sure is pretty!)

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?
-Giving.... but recieving is awfully nice too :-D

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
-I am a christmas carol fiend. I'm not sure I can pick just one.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum???
-Yum!!! Great for decorating too!

:: find earth and reap :: 12:55 AM :: [+] :: | ::

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Clifton Suspension Bridge

This time lapse footage of the bridge (located in Bristol) was listed as one of the Director videos on YouTube. Thought it would be interesting to post ;)

:: find earth and reap :: 5:37 PM :: [+] :: | ::

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