Cards and cookies and bows, oh my!

So Bruce wandered off to the mailbox up the street the other day because I'd mentioned that the only cards we'd received had been from our paper girl, the vet clinic and some other business we frequent.  I'd missed the letters and cheery little hellos from family and friends.  And Bruce didn't exactly wander off.  It's been pouring rain for a while here .. the kind that a folded newspaper held atop your head as you dash across the street just won't keep you dry.  The kind that you need rubber boots and an umbrella to go to the car in the driveway .. that kind of rain.  So Bruce hasn't exactly been wandering in the rain much.  As a matter of fact, he drove to that mailbox 100 yards up our street.  Kelly, you'd have been so proud of him .. turns out that Bruce is still an Albertan at heart.  Although in his defense, I'm pretty sure he didn't leave the diesel running for an hour so he could do that .. not that we have a diesel.  Or a truck.  But then, we have to make allowances for BC, right?

The most wonderful thing is he brought back a table full of cards and hellos!  Sandy and John, I loved your letter; Reg and Brenda, yours was very touching.  Trina Beena, perhaps the cheeriest message of all was in your wee card.  Sandy and Mel .. I always look forward to your creation and to feeling like we're standing shoulder to shoulder mumbling the words to Auld Lang Syne.  We look forward to your 3:00 am drunken singing call once again.  Liz and Ian ... we're touched that our tiny raspberry patch lead to your acres and acres of horticultural experimentation and your quest for an ongoing degree, Liz.  We both miss having over the fence chats.  Paula, I got your e-card and the year in pictures was a wonderful idea.  I had no idea you'd been in Peru.  Jim and Ste. Dorothy sent a card again and made us grin (Jim used to be a colleague of Bruce's and his ever so patient wife was nicknamed  Saint Dorothy).  New this year was a card from Kevin and Jenna, Bruce's nephew and  his girlfriend, and was a wonderful surprise.  And DeeWynn and Sam .. if you can believe this .. asked for more wedding ideas.  *grin* Say no more, my niece!  Auntie is here for you.  I'll bring taffeta.  Yards of it.  Peach colored. Or ... ooo I remember seeing some nice lime colored stuff.  I'll go rummaging.

My weblog has been kinda dull lately because ... life has been wet and dull here.  Not only that, but World of Warcraft released their new expansion, Cataclysm, on December 7th and I've been managing the needs of a suddenly very busy guild.  My guild forums have been very active, requiring constant attention.  Our active player base has tripled with a lot of older members resurfacing and their friends joining.  I interview each one and organize guild activities, making sure that everyone has what they need to have a good gaming experience.  With so many new people and older ones trying to remember what their spells do and how Blizzard has changed the game since they left .. well, I've been busy.  Just not productive in a normal fashion.

Now I'm off to move the laundry over and get about the mundane things that require attention.  Before I go though, I leave you with a few pictures from around the house and a shot of the mug that was the inspiration for this month's weblog theme.  Also, I hope your Christmas is spent with loved ones and wonderful things that come from the oven.   I'll be watching "A Christmas Carol" with Bruce this Christmas eve .. it's a tradition here.  And before you ask, it's the one with Alastair Sims .. cause no one does crazy like him.
 

So from the Neumans of Namaimo ... wherever you are ... Merry Christmas!

A cherry-flavoured December

Way back on December 6th, I was a bit premature that the end of the cold was in sight.  I've never before had something hang on this long. I've emerged from the cherry-flavoured haze that colored my days and nights and just last evening had my first night not strung out on some sort of something that would make it possible for me to sleep without coughing. I'm sorry I haven't had much to post during this time.  Creative juices were amazingly low.  

So now it's December 16th and I have done no Christmas decorating, no shopping, no Christmas cards, no baking or planning.  I have a plan for Bruce's gift at least and there's only my dad to fret about as Bruce sent some flowers to Ferdi.  I think a phone call to my niece Myranda might be in order to figure out what to do there.

Coming up this weekend is the annual Orphans' Dinner hosted by a former Bastion Dragons member, Jessalyn.  This has become a bit of a big do that all of us look forward to each year.  Jessalyn cooks a turkey, Kelly makes brussel sprouts, Jennifer is on gravy duty and everyone else brings something to round out a festive meal.  Bruce and  Cecile are putting their heads together on Friday to concoct something for us to take over.  I'll be sure to take pictures!

Speaking of nieces, Trina sent me a shot she'd taken on our ramblings when she visited.  As we were first getting to know the city, we'd have to take trips to various locations to conduct business ... the habit they have here of naming a street one thing on this side of a particular road and yet another on the other side had us constantly referring to maps, alternating with driving around aimlessly.  Bruce told me during one such excursion, he figured he was well and truly lost when he happened upon the corner of Jingle Pot and Jingle Pot.

Code Medicine

As I write this, I have a box of tissues at the standby and Bruce is off updating our stash of cold medicines.  The expiry date on one of them read 2005.  Yikes!!

Came home from Vancouver last week knowing that, after spending two ferry rides with hacking and coughing strangers, one of us would come down with something.  It was me (much better than Bruce) and most of last week was a bit sniffly, but I was managing well.  This week, not quite so much. 

I've been careful about handling items so I don't pass along this wicked little cough and cold, so cross your fingers that I am the end of the chain. 

One of the things about working from home is that you begin to be isolated from the seasonal rounds of colds and flu.   When you do go out, its almost a sure bet you'll be bringing home a new wee beastie to incubate.

Anyway .. not much new here.  The last couple of weeks, Bruce has been battling some dental issues over a root canal and crown, poor guy.  The last of the swelling has gone down and he's back to paddling and being his usual chipper self.

I'm planning to decorate the front of entry again this year once I start to feel better and can find a non-rainy day.  Will take pictures for you then.

Take care.

Hmmm ... not quite there

Forgive the untidy state of my webpage today ... I promise I'll work on it a bit more tomorrow once the creative juices have quit sloshing around and around in my brain, spiraling downward into the toilet.  Too much stimulus seems to be the issue of the moment. I have a great piece of inspiration .. a mug I purchased from Starbucks ... but everything is turning out a bit too busy.  Hold on for another day while I get it worked out.  [Edit:  Fixed!]

Normally this process is all done behind the scenes and I take a few days to work out changes, try this, move  that or simply remove items.  However, I've been fighting with Blogger for the past few days, which had inexplicably quit showing me the engine behind this site.  Turned out I simply needed to update Firefox, but getting to the point where I learned that handy bit of information took some doing.  All I can say is 'thank god for Google.'

Bruce and I spent a rainy Monday in Vancouver visiting with Ilana and Elsa who has become a fan of "a snow."  She was a bit shy around us, but did eventually get to show us how well her new winter hat, sparkly wand and princess shoes all matched.  Ilana had said that getting Elsa to adapt sleeping patterns was quite difficult and during our visit, she nodded off within the space of a moment ... I couldn't resist taking a picture.

The day was soaking wet .. it came down in buckets all day long and made for an interesting ferry ride back home as the downpour increased and winds howled.  I tried grabbing a picture from the car on the way across the Lion's Gate Bridge.  Even with the reflection, I love this picture. :)