December 27, 2003

I'm playing hookie from work.

Not really. I called and left a message in the morning when I woke up since no one's there today (everyones' away on vacation, Jim might be in but just dropping by).

It snowed this morning, just a couple centimeters (if that) but it is not smart for me to go out driving 35 km to Maple Ridge and 35 km back when they say that it is going to snow more, and when I have basically bald tires.

So it'a unpaid day off. Yaaaay!

I was kind of hoping for it since the past couple days have been so busy, no downtime, no sleeping in, no relaxation and just taking in the season. There was about three minutes on Christmas morning where me, my mother, sister, and brother sat down in the front living room, amist opened presents, and just talked.

My dad wolfed down my Christmas eve dinner again. Three days of preparing the meal, he gulped it down in less than forty minutes, and demanded that I serve dessert, otherwise he'd be bringing everyone down to play Mahjong. I had just sat down to eat, after laying the appetizers and the side vegetables out on plates and carving some ham, so my mother screamed at him, "can she eat first??"

Dinner with Marks' family was much less harried. They took their time and chatted and joked about the size of one of his brother's plates...seriously..the guy ate about four times the amount of food that I ate. There were delicious garlic-honey ribs, turkey, an amazing lychee and duck salad, great mashed potatoes, and yummy desserts.

They welcomed me with literally open arms, lots of hugging and smiles and kisses. I loved it man.

Boxing day was busy. Somehow I say every year how I won't go shopping, I'll go skiing or to the gym or stay at home or just do something else on boxing day, and all I do is go shopping. Yesterday, my mother, sister and I went turbo shopping. We were down on Robson street with a great parking spot in front of Lululemon at 8:30 am. We did our rounds around there, buying shoes at Pegabo, holiday leftovers at The Body Shop, a top at Fila, and of course, dropped in Lululemon.

Then we found a FREE parking spot on Seymour, and took a look at the new Future Shop and Winners, and had lunch at the Creperie downstairs. Off to Sears, the Bay and Pacific Center for Holt Renfrew.

THEN it was Oakridge, to look at Nike, more Bay, more Body Shop, and some purses. And THEN it was to stop by Hills in Kerrisdale for some Paul Frank, Tatula, and some J brand... it's all a haze now.

Knitting on the felted bag is going fast. Yay for stocking stitch. I'll post a pictureu later.

Christmas Prezzies were AWESOME this year!!! A psychedelic candle and chocolate (from Marks' brothers' family), (and I got myself a diffuser and some more candles yesterday :) the rectangular crepe pan I was asking for last year (my dear friend Helen remembered me, THANKS HELEN!!!) a "Chicken Soup" book from my shexxx-say cousin Isabelle, a sweater and scarf set, hair dryer from mom (since mine had started glowing and smoking after I'd used it one day), lots of other chocolate, fruitcake, cookies, and a gift that plain took my breath away...i was speechless when I opened the slim present from Mark and Ewa; it was a large picture frame with a collage of pictures and photographs of us from way back in high school..in fact i think a lot of it was from photos scanned out of yearbooks too, as well as some from Halloweens, birthday parties... it was really heartwarming to know that they'd put so much thought into it. . . and thus made it a very personalized gift. Wow.

Will post some of my holiday recipes later. Off to savour this great snow day.

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