Some NYE firsts (for me):

- First NYE I haven't had to work in over 5 years

- First NYE I've not been home avoiding the crowds in 3 years

- First NYE I've not touched a drop of alcohol in I really don't know how many years - probably 20+

- First NYE I've not made any resolutions

Let's see what 2014 has in store... HAPPY NEW YEAR BLOGOSPHERE!

Delicious dinner at Hellenic Republic. As always, the saganaki and peppered figs is TO. DIE. FOR.

(The service could do with a kick up the arse, however.  Asking the waiter no less than three times to bring my wine and waited almost 40 mins before he complied.  Was beginning to think someone was out back stomping grapes in a barrel.)

Am getting into bad sleeping habits. Must try and get to bed before midnight tonight and get up before 10am tomorrow. Joys of staycation? 

For someone who got chucked out of home ec in ninth grade for sewing through her finger (yes, through), I'm not doing too badly with this upholstery malarkey. Boxed cushion for blanket box - finished!

A lazy sleep-in and an afternoon phwoaring over dwarves and elves (aka The Hobbit 2). Staycations are awesome! 

I don't mind at all working on Boxing Day... not when I get paid double time (and I still have three weeks leave remaining from my other job)!

First Christmas in years I've not had to wake up early and follow someone else's mad schedule. Five hour picnic in the Botanic Gardens and a delicious dinner made by a lovely friend, followed by some Griswald Christmas watching. Bliss.

I'd forgotten how good it is to have a family-obligation-free Christmas. Utterly selfish? Probably.

Sometimes accidents happen in the gingerbread world and you just have to work with what you've got... partially severed limbs, completely severed wings and heads... it's all part of the Christmas spirit!

Took advantage of the lack of (badly playing) Salvation Army musicians outside work today to amp up my own Christmas playlist. Much, much better.

All caught up on shows which are now on Christmas break. Time to start catching up on all the movies I missed in 2013.

Must take my writing to the park on sunny days more often. Had lots of snuggles and sloppy licks from all the dogs running about... almost as good as having my own puppy!

I really do have some awesome friends.  A free ticket to this. What a (Christmas) treat!

Just as well it's going to be 40C tomorrow... might give the ceiling in the living room and bathroom a chance to dry out post-woman-upstairs-flooding-her-entire-flat-causing-leaks-in-mine. Grrrr.

Nothing like being awoken from your first sleep-in in weeks, by the estate agent coming to do a flat inspection... sigh.

Staycation Day 1:

Berry picking in Silvan with the munchkins.

We ate almost as many as we collected...

Am excellent hostess/tour guide. Proof? Despite my fear of heights, I agreed to do The Edge Experience with a visiting mate.*



* I may have looked at the sky the majority of the time and not looked down below...

Day spent playing tourist in my hometown... five hours at Melbourne Museum, including the Designing 007 exhibition, up to Lygon St for dinner at Ti Amo and dessert at Brunetti, then a stroll home along the Yarra and through the Botanic Gardens taking in the Music Bowl and the Shrine of Remembrance. 

Last day at work for five weeks! Yay for staycations!

House is clean, laundry is done and Christmas tree is up.  I'd post a pic of the tree, but my iPhone is doing some stupid update which is taking FOREVER.

No one really needs reminding about Ace of Base, Trophy Wife.


(Unless you were intending it to be a warning of the dangers of glögg + 90s music.  Yeah. That must be it.)

Seriously haemorrhaging money right now... and not on anything remotely fun.  Why is it that major bills coincide with Christmas?

Bah humbug.

My last Monday at work until mid-January!  The staycation is almost upon us... woohoooo!

I do wonder about the future of society given the dimwittedness of some of the 'interns' I got stuck working with today.  I doubt they could even spell the word initiative, let alone practice it.

Ugh, that's right... Bon Jovi. Douchebags to work for. I'd all but forgotten.  

Thankfully (depending on how you look at it), the Design Market was full of same-same hipster crap, so my wallet escaped a battering.

Then we decided to go to Koko Black for dessert desgustation. Mmmmmm.  Now in a sugar coma.

Missing some of my most favourite books*, but have no idea who's borrowed them. I'm slightly distressed.


*Said books include: To Kill A Mockingbird; Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas; and Send Yourself Roses. Any leads on potential borrowers, welcome.

Managed to achieve NOTHING on my to do list today, so have double the amount to do tomorrow.  Hmmmm.

Every place I've ever worked, there's always at least one uptight, twitchy, challenging person.  My new work place is no exception, it seems.

(Luckily, the rest of the gang are pretty easy-going)

The home internets is giving me the irrits. Keeps cutting out for no apparent reason... GRRR.

A solid three hours at the library and the book is getting into some kind of shape... or at least to the point where I can figure out what should go where.