Post-Christmas Day Laziness

Today was a very lazy day, primarily because we took Paul's brother to the airport at 04:30 a.m. so the rest of the day ensued with a mix of naps, TV time, and lazing time. We did get in one laundry session and one washing-up session though. So that wasn't too bad. I'm off from work for a week so I'm making the most of the free time.

Christmas celebrations have come to a close, though lots of left-over food remains. Paul's family stayed with us for 5 days and it was fun having people around the house, especially when two of them are 5 and 8 years old! 

Our house was a flurry of activity on Christmas Eve as we had friends over from 8:00 p.m. onwards. We invited people from different groups who didn't all know each other but it was a good evening with the last people leaving at about 1:30 a.m. There was plenty of food and champagne at midnight and it was a great way to see in Christmas Day 2010. 

Christmas Day was obviously a feast of indulgence, and presents didn't go amiss either. We received some items for the house as 'joint' presents, and I'm waiting patiently for my Kindle to arrive (it's going to take about 3 weeks; although I did receive the European adaptor today!) That's Paul's present to me, while tomorrow we're going to buy my present to him which is the upgrade to the BlackBerry Torch from his present BB. 

Season's Greetings

Champagne Celebrations

Tonight is our engagement dinner :) It's just immediate family - a very small affair, just to mark the occasion more than anything. We're not having any blessing of the ring or anything like that. We're just going to eat at a very good restaurant and indulge in delicious food and champagne.

I did, however, buy myself a new dress. After all it does deserve a new dress. Even if it was bought only yesterday evening, after work, from the one and only shop I went into! But it's lovely and I'm happy with it. Considering I tried on about 11 dresses, it had to be.

Which makes me wonder how many wedding dresses I'm going to have to try on to find the right one?!

2011 Treats

I'm waiting to see what I receive for Christmas, because if I don't get a couple of the items that I want/need, then I'm going to treat myself next week. And hopefully the sales would've begun.

2011 is going to be an expensive year for sure, what with putting down deposits for wedding stuff, going abroad and possibly starting the revamp on the house. But one thing's for sure, I'm buying myself a Smart car! I've wanted one for years and years and I think it's about time that I got it. (Please note that if you don't like them or have heard things against them, I don't want to know! Don't comment/don't tell me/don't criticise my choice and don't ruin it for me.)

I've added this last bit because there are too many people out there who always have to oppose what people say; criticise their thoughts/words/advice; be 'I told you so' kind-of-people or say 'You're wrong about that!' If it's not really going to affect anything/anyone or have serious consequences - let people believe what they want to believe. A motto that I think more people ought to live by (and they'll be happier for it) is 'If you haven't got anything nice to say, then don't say anything.'

Merry Christmas :)

How to beat the cold feeling

The cold spell has hit us. No snow, sleet or frost anywhere in sight (so what kind of cold spell is that?! you might ask), well, it's worse. It's called humidity. We've got sky-high humidity levels which means that the cold enters the stonework of buildings and engulfs the room; it creeps into your bones making you feel as old as Dumbeldore (or Gandalf if he's more your thing) and the worst thing is that you just can't seem to shake out of it.

I call this 'I want to live in an oven because of the cold' kind-of-weather. Obviously I can't do that. I'd need an industrial-sized oven to fit into and it would somewhat disrupt my day to day plans. 'No, I'm not calling in sick, I'm calling in cold - it's worse!'

Instead, I've got a couple of other, less cramping, tips to beat the cold...

• Make a warm drink just to wrap your hands around the mug. Once your fingers are warm then you can type, write, press the buttons on your remote control.
• Ideally, prepare a drink that you actually want to drink so that you can warm your insides too. It's going to get cold eventually, so you might as well have enjoyed the drink, rather than ending up with a cold liquid that can no longer warm your hands anyway.
• Wear a scarf - everywhere! Indoors, outdoors, everywhere. People need not see your neck in winter, and if they want to, charge them a viewing fee. I've got scarves in almost every colour because they are the most versatile and useful accessory that you can have in your wardrobe.
• This also makes it a perfect excuse to go shopping :) And while you're shopping, wrapped up of course, get thick socks - they do actually work. And shoes with a bit of a platform to cut you off the ground and provide insulation. Tried and tested.
• Ideally though, you stay home, wrapped in a blanket on the sofa with above-mentioned hot drink in front of an open fire... one can dream :)

If you have more 'how to keep warm in this ridiculous cold weather' tips, let me know!

Christmas 2010

I'd like to introduce you to our Christmas tree :) It's actually lit up but the lights don't show in the photo.

Mrs-to-be

Those who know me personally already know the news; for you others... I got engaged!!

On 19th November 2010 to be exact is when Paul proposed and I said 'Yes'. Although it started out as more of a visual proposal rather than a vocal one.

OK, here's how it went.

I returned from a business trip to London so he called for me from the airport and waited outside by the car with a large bouquet of flowers behind his back. As I was walking toward him I could see the flowers, given the size of the bouquet and as he handed them to me, I took them smiling and ever so graciously said 'I could see them behind your back you know'!! Charming aren't I?!

Thankfully it didn't phase him and he said 'Ah but can you see it?'

*Huh? What's he on about?* I thought to myself looking very puzzled. -'What?'

'Can't you see it?' he repeated.

So I look into the bouquet and there it was, nestled in the petals of a semi-open red rose, an engagement ring.

I stared at it and then up at him and I said You have to ask me though. My charming self coming through once again. He replied I'm asking you indirectly. So I took the ring out from the rose and I gave it to him so that he'll place it on my finger and he said Is this your answer indirectly? Then I realised what was happening and I was like No, no, that's not what I meant! So then he asked and I replied and there was no confusion to be had.

Oh, and he also asked for my father's permission while I was away :)

This is the bouquet with the ring. And a close-up of the ring.

So now we're starting to plan the wedding which, in Malta, is a rather big affair, although we're trying our best to control numbers. The plan is not to have a typical Maltese wedding, which are stand-up affairs where you just mingle and talk, and if you're lucky, dance. Since Paul is half-Irish we're going to combine Irish tradition with a bit of a Maltese tradition. I won't give away too much right now because it's still early days, but safe to say that it'll be different.

Wish List #1

I'd like to get my hands on a food mixer (or a Kenwood as we call it) to be able to bake yummy muffins like this one. I'll share...

How (not) to set up your Christmas Tree

This year is the first time that we're decorating the house together :) Although we were already living together last year we didn't decorate because everything happened so late in the year. But this year I was adamant that I wanted my tree and crib and Christmas spirit around the house.

I found the most adorable crib where every person is quite round, including the sheep and it was a steal at €20 so I bought it immediately (and it's a good thing that I did because it turned out to be the last one in stock).

I've set that up above the fireplace and they seem content there. I'll probably add a candle for them and a poinsietta for colour.

Next came the tree. Paul thought that it was possibly stored in a chest in the spare room. So we removed everything that was on the chest, opened it, and found... an oven mit. But no tree. At that point we decided that once we had the chest cleared we wanted to take it out of the spare room and place it in the living room. Muscles ready, we lugged it up to the living room.

Once there we looked around thinking 'where shall we put it?' A couple of suggestions later we decided to move the sideboard across the room to the dining area, rotate the dining table, move the TV to the opposite corner of the room, shift the liquor cabinet instead of the sideboard, rotate the sofas and armchairs according to the TV, and place the chest in a corner where the TV was.

And we still had no tree.

Second storage possibility was in the storage area of the sofa-bed, which we use for our laundry; so after moving half the laundry items we lifted the lid and found... tree lights! But no tree.

Yesterday we discovered that the tree was stored in its box in the garage with no hassles to get it out whatsoever. The decorations are also in a box in the garage, though rather high up. So we now have an assembled tree. Undecorated.

Tomorrow, however, is a public holiday here so Christmas fever is going to hit the house :)