It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Despite a generally bah-humbug attitude towards Christmas, I could never be a complete killjoy. We have a tree... of sorts, and there are even a few pressies under it. I put up fairy lights over the window and along the bookshelf (I didn't take a photo sorry) and I helped Mr Jones make gingerbread men for his work Secret Santa.

Here's our 'tree', a little bit lopsided, but quite sustainable. Only thing missing is that pine smell. But apparently real trees have lost their scent due to genetic modification (see National Radio audio file, called Smell at about 36:36 in the file).

See if you can spot the gangster gingerbread man, the abominable gingerbread man, the corrupt corporate gingerbread man and the Mr Burns "I bring you love" gingerbread man...

I really liked the controversial biblical bed scene billboard put up by St Matthew in the City church this year. I thought it was brilliant AND it worked... if your looking for me on Christmas Eve I'll be at St Matthew in the City (I won't bore you with a discourse on my religious beliefs and why I would go to this church).

I'm dying to tell my Secret Santa story. Sometimes when you have an idea it just takes on a life of its own! So much fun, thanks to Mrs $1 Pies for organising it. I can't wait.

Roll on Xmas... I think.

Anniversary

Happy 1st wedding anniversary Mr and Mrs $1 Pies!

The ghost of Christmas past

Ahh Christmas, how you love to creep up on us all. It got me thinking about Christmases that have gone before...

2005 - Our first Xmas in Auckland. I insisted on having a tree. You can't really tell from the bad photo, but it is decorated with white agapanthus flowers, burgundy and silver ribbons, matching baubles and candy canes. Xmas day was spent apart. I went to Nana's and Mr Jones went to his parents house.

2006 - Xmas together alone at Solscape (comes with my highest recommendation) in Raglan. No need to cook a meal, we just grazed on snacks. Extremely relaxing and indulgent, although I'm not sure if our families have forgiven our selfishness.

2007 - Xmas day at Nana's new house with my immediate family and Uncle. I had a pescatarian feast! Mr Jones at parents. The evening was spent at Mum's and with the cousins.

2008 - Xmas together again. At Mr Jones' parent's for a delicious BBQ lunch. Needless to say the evening was spent asleep on the sofa too full to move!

It can be tricky juggling two families needs at Xmas, but family is important so we keep juggling. This year the plan is:

Xmas day BBQ at Mr Jones' parent's place. Xmas evening travelling down the line for Boxing day celebrations with my side of the family. I would love to have a tree and trimmings but I'm not sure if I feel christmassy enough yet.

Keep thinking and questioning

While we were on our honeymoon we brought ourselves a gift (several actually, but that's another story). We couldn't take it home because it was in an exhibition at Tairawhiti Museum. So it didn't arrive at our house yesterday.

It is by Lina Marsh.

The embroidered state houses (there are 21 in the series, all different) represent a "life of dependency" and if you look beyond the convenience of state housing you see how trapped people become in this lifestyle.

I guess this is not your typical honeymoon 'souvenir'. Instead it is subtle and powerful that I hope will remind us to look beyond the everyday and to question situations we take for granted.

Computer clean up

In a bid to become more organised I have been giving my PC a wee bit of a makeover. I tided the desktop and folders, brought a webcam, signed up to Skype (for my overseas friends and potential international job prospects) and downloaded this new desktop wallpaper for free from Design*Sponge.

I hope it makes my computer happy :)

Urewera National Park School Camp

School camp with my brother and 49 other 11-13 year olds was an experience I will never forget.

Especially the seven hour day tramp! It was 700 metres uphill (twice the height of the Sky Tower) and covered about 12kms in distance.

Honeymoon

Here are some photos from our trip around the East Coast - now officially known as 'Eastland'.