Admittedly, with finals and then the inevitable holiday sloth I have been experiencing, things have been a bit quiet on Thrill of the Chaise. And it turns out that once you descend into one of the seven sins, it’s hard to get yourself back out.
It’s not that I’ve just been laying about and staring at things…I’ve actually been quite busy. It’s just that the busy bit has been followed by a lot of napping. I digress. I’ve been up to a lot. So here is a little round-up.
I have not seen my brother since this past summer and though that may not seem very long ago, it feels longer now that I live in the States again. So my parents and I made our way to the airport to pick him up last week and I made him this lovely little sign (yes, it is taped together legal pad paper) after most of my other ideas for the wording were vetoed by my parents for being a bit less than politically correct.
If you’ve read any of my recent posts, you would know that last year I kind of ruined Christmas by not actually making it home until after the actual holiday. What you may not have known is that because of that (I didn’t do this on purpose, mind you) I also ruined a ‘cousins dinner’ that I had actually initiated the planning of, as my cousins very sweetly thought it inappropriate to celebrate our being related without me. A re-do this year and we ended up being kinda fancy, lucky buggers enjoying an 8-course meal at the gorgeous Winvian followed by a tour of some of the cottages on the property. (Read more about my visits to this incredible place here.)
Beyond amazing. There was a ‘pre-dessert course’. My life will never be the same again.
And then Christmas itself actually arrived :)
The table was set…
Gingerbread cookies as 'name cards' for the table
The Christmas paella was made…
Gifts were given…
One of my favorite Christmas presents ever, from a few years back, newly returned from the Jewelry Hospital getting fixed up
The drinking began…
Tequila. Obviously.
Followed by our tradition of giving out rather inappropriate Secret Santa gifts after dinner…
Mum, before it all kicked off
And now I get to spend a few days sitting back, recovering and doing a bit of post-Christmas sale shopping online. Happiness.
I have tears in my eyes from laughing at those photos. Thank you for keeping the memories alive….You’re the best and cute too!!!