Christmas Happiness..

Was really tired after the huge Driving About Week, but rested up on the weekend and went back to work.

Somewhere in there I managed to get the Christmas presents.

I was about to knock off work and go on holidays when my boss rang up to wish me Merry Christmas because she was going on holidays; when I mentioned that I was too; she seemed a bit surprised and asked me if I had booked those couple of days off on the HR online program… I thought about it and realised I hadn’t! She laughed at my blonde la-la-la-I am-an-airhead comments and I was grateful she pointed that out! Hate to lose my job when it has only just started and isn’t really off-the-ground yet!

I didn’t have any students (they were student-free days) so, although I had been looking forward to stopping work, I actually really enjoyed getting some research and tidying/cleaning up done with no-one to interrupt me. The office building manager threw everybody out at 1.00pm Christmas Eve and locked up so I think I got paid for a few hours that I wasn’t working anyway – bonus.

Found out  that after we do our upgraded Teaching and Assessing Literacy Certificate, with my experience of teaching I can go back and finish my teaching degree at third year level at the same Uni I did my first couple years. Don’t know yet if they still offer it Distance Mode, but I assume so. They have added a compulsory module to learn Anangu (Aboriginal Local Dialect) which would be really good.

Anyway. Got and tied on new surfboard to roofracks – got it home – had huge argument with Mr20 on the correct method to attach the fins (it is another SoftLite but an 8ft one). Resolved that.

All went on bikes – except me- mine is still on farm – I had to run-along-behind-puffing-its-alright-I-need-the-exercise to watch the town Christmas Pageant. Mr8 chased Father Christmas (on old red farm truck) all the way back to the town centre, with-me-running-along-behind-puffing-I-need-the-exercise. Several people asked if I was part of the pageant – then I had to walk for a bit so I could laugh!

Mr8 stood in line with his bestest friend to get his chocolate-bar-filled-stocking from Father Christmas and made sure he definatedly knew exactly what it was he wanted left under the tree for him that night. While I was waiting I rang Mr13 up at home (he was too old to line up so went home) to put the chicken on for tea. We, more slowly, and eating chocolate, walked/rode home and wrapped pressies, watched Mr Bean’s Christmas and ate roast chicken.

Next day, we opened pressies (Father Christmas came through with the right Thing for Mr8), I never made it to church, but kid-time was more important, packed up the car, tied on the surfboards and went to my Mum’s. Opened more presents. Had delicious lunch – Mr8 and I ate about 60 prawns between us! Then went SURFING at Fishery Bay. The surf was a bit crap, too small but Mr13 managed to catch a few after hours of determined trying. Dug holes in the sand, made sandcastles – I went for a fast long walk up and back the beach. Then we went back and ATE more for tea, I had a drink, yum and then went to bed. Mr 13 had a bit of a wrenched shoulder and it actually rained a bit the next morning, and surf still crap so we checked on the tourists, looked at the old cottage that mum had decorated up for christmas, made Christmas Greeting phone calls and then went to My uncles’ with most of the rest of the family Clan (some of the old ones are arguing! – senile? –  so not all were there – quite funny really) but most and some OTHER old ones too that came because the argumentative ones didn’t. Ate crayfish and more prawns (and lamb and ham and turkey) and salad and my mum’s perfect Christmas pudding with custard and cream yum.

Two days of happiness and heaven for me – one of the nicest Christmases I’ve had for many years.. 

(and no, the man, didn’t come and nobody even bothered to ask about him as he hasn’t come to anything with me for years anyway)

I can only wish that others had such a lovely day and one day could experience the sort of beauty we have with our stunning countryside and beaches – I can put you onto the tourist people if you need..