Sunday, December 25, 2005

Happy Christmas!!

Well, it's been a while since I've written. Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.
  • returned from Poland with a whole whack of brilliant photos and met up with the always lovely Mike Morris for a few days of much anticipated last minute London shopping, sightseeing, a football match at Highbury, and ice skating.
  • got invited to quintessential London City Workers Christmas Party. Insane. However, the party gods took my bag as a sacrifice for this madness, including my digital camera with the aforementioned photos on it...
  • after an exhausting 20-hour flight, arrived home via Dallas.
  • became the hermit of North Delta, spending entire days just talking with my conversation-starved mother.
  • my only sister Anna got engaged.
  • said my goodbyes to the super wonderful Gina - another SCARPie spreading her wings.
  • passed my last surgery follow-up with flying colours, but will have to have plastic surgery sometime next year to fix the scar from this operation. (Merry Christmas to you to, Dr. Miller!!)
  • a week of late nights, visits with friends, and probably too much alcohol.
So yeah. There's been a lot of change going on here since I've been back and it's been a little overwhelming. Change-lag is what I've dubbed it. Christmas snuck up on me like a mofo but now that we're in the home stretch I can finally relax a bit (meaning watching 6 hours of Pride and Prejudice with my dad while imbibing many G&Ts). And to celebrate this festive season, as promised...
"English Town Deathmatch: London vs. Sheffield".

Any of you who have seen Love Actually will know that Christmas in London is a much-celebrated and well-lit affair.


The tree in Trafalgar Square;






(nb. I did not take this picture.)






The lights;
















the window displays;










with carollers - and of course, mulled wine - while you're shopping...
However, I was even more fortunate to have been in Sheffield the weekend they had their annual Christmas Fair Weekend, and it quickly became one of the highlights of my trip. I mean, who wouldn't love:


...the way they kept the secret of the artificial snow such a mystery from the children?

(and look at the way the kids stand, like, only 8 inches away from the massive turbine spewing chemical foam into their faces???)









...the super creepy Pinocchio musical puppet show?

(there were a ton of kids - with chemical foam in their hair - plunked on the cold concrete crowded around this "show" while their parents visibly shuddered at the back. And Andy and I ran away quick - CREEPY...)












...homeless Santa




















...and - because no Christmas fair is complete without one - a camel on The Moor!



















We may not have been able to see Postman Pat come out to light the Christmas tree later that evening, but even still...

Winner: Sheffield. HANDS DOWN.


Anyhoo, I am hoping I'll be up to full social-butterfly strength in the next couple of days and will get out to see all of you I have not had the pleasure of seeing since I got home. Keep an eye out for my traditional "new year" cards!


posted by Aleksandra @ 9:50 AM

1 Comments:

At 3:21 PM , Blogger K said...

What's up with this blog???
Waiting for the 2006 comeback!
Cheers Aleks!

 

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