'Twas the Week Before Christmas

Ideally posted: 28th Friday - December
 
And we're back to doing a bit of back-tracking once again, but I do plan to be up-to-date soon, with the exception of the reflection posts. I've yet to update/buy anti-virus for my laptop, and so I'm on the work laptop, where blogger's spell checker glitches.

Last week starting Sunday we've been very busy, working 2.5 shifts, wrapping 100s of gifts, going to the library, dinner & opera, dentist, running errands (by PT), buying anniversary gifts, going to the movies. A picnic, the opera again, and buying all the gifts (I love online express shipping), for the exchange on Sunday.

Sunday & Monday...

...were spent at the mall, where we wrapped 100s of presents. The theory that nothing reunites two people better than the hatred dislike of a 3rd person was tested. We meet some nice people. Wrapped interesting things, big things (kitchenaid, did you know they weigh a ton?!), little things (gift cards), and things that weren't too big or small (x3 remote control helicopters). I like to wrap rectangular prisms, books. The biggest thing we (team effort) wrapped was a huge tv screen, it took 4 to wrap and 3 to add ribbon. XD It's most definitely over the size limit, but the guy was very friendly and made a generous donation so we wrapped it.

Sunday was better than Monday. Someone had spoken to miss meanie, and so she was nice, well nicer than average. Which in her case meant restricting interaction with the other team members. We offer the wrapping service for a gold coin donation per item, something some people don't understand, pretend not to understand. Notably an asian woman and her friend had 8 things wrapped and donated $2. Of course I confronted her, at first she pretended not to understand me, and then when that failed she pointed out that she could get wrapping paper for $2. If I was working alone I would have proceeded to unwrap her stuff and hand them back to her.

Good things happen to you when you're nice, a certain guy learned, though probably not. There was a guy with a huge toy car (almost the size of the inside of a shopping trolley - and not the small one), who wanted Andy to wrap it. We said no, and he got upset, went on a rant about shopping at center and something else. Ok... we offered to wrap it if we donated a note and he got even mad, but left. :P Some people are strange. There's a lot of people there world would be better without, but fortunately there's also some very friend and generous people around.

The biggest things we wrapped were that tv screen, a hockey bag and kitchenaid (also the heaviest). Best gift (other than books in general) was a Glasshouse diffuser (IMO). And most $$$ was a Guess handbag and ipad.


Wednesday

Another day of fun gift wrapping, though as I got last minute (for me that would mean after I already made plans for that day) Andy took over part of my shift for me. While he was at work...

I went to dinner with Emily, Butter Chicken & Mango Lassi @ Red Pepper. No pictures were taken as we've been to this place a few times, ^ that's a picture from our last visit). Emily became very sick, physically and went home. :(

I went to the opera, the annual gala concert. As I was late (Emily's stomach's fault) I spend the first 20 minutes in the viewing room, with fellow late commers. And they gave me a random ticket as they couldn't find mine quickly *sigh*. Next time company will be buying her/his own ticket at the door. The opera was great though, even if I lost my A-reserve ticket. Oh and a tip on how to get out fast (in case of taking the train) is to not bring a big handbag, as those have to be checked in at the cloak room.

 The Arts Center at Night. Love the lighting.

Thursday

Dentist, ouch. A referral for a specialist to get my wisdom teeth check out. And a trip to the library that ended in carrying a ton of books home, why is it that according to public transport we live in a remote area where the bus comes only once an hour?!

Cookbooks. The Hummingbird is a piece of diabetic art.

I'm looking for a cookbook to buy, one that I'll use quite often.

Friday

We went to see the advance screening of 'Wreck it Ralph', it was great!

Highly recommended. Though I think I'm now mentally diabetic. :P 

A picture post is coming up soon. 

I can't resist a sale at the art store. This picture failed, there was too much stuff. And I got all the pictured only for $10! I plan to use a majority of the items to make Christmas Cards, there's a few packs of felts, foam, stickers and establishments.

 Macarons to Celebrate :) My favourite is lemon. 

Most were good, but 2-3 had horrible dry old shells.

 
Friday was our anniversary, Lucy & I have been together forever ^^. She's my cute little fluffy white bunny rabbit by the way, though for ages my human friends thought she was my lesbian lover XD.


Saturday...
...gets its own post, coming soon, with lots of pictures.


Sunday

 You know Christmas is coming when you get post on a Sunday.

 Pho

While I do love pho, it's hard to find a places that does it well that's hygienic. Asians aren't exactly known for being hygienic. Haven't had pho for almost half a decade, as back home one time a fly decided to die in it, father simply took it out and made me eat the rest. I haven't ordered it since. And that's also the story of why I prefer to dine with friends. 
 
With Andy's friend we went out to dinner, at an asian place, service sucked (when I ask where the canned mango comes from you're meant to say you don't know, but will find out) and so did hygiene (half the cups/cutlery was dirty). But that's what Andy's friend said to expect, he also pointed out that I shouldn't carry a handbag unless I had a gun, chances of getting mugged are high in that part of town, fortunately an hour away from us. I hate going to asian places in the suburbs. Dismal service expected and they're low on hygiene.