Archives for December 2006

Electrical storm

December 31, 2006 by Jen at Semantically driven

A couple of nights ago we had an electric/thunder storm. This photo was taken at dusk and the colours in the sky were just amazing and the photo pretty much captures that. Over to the right the sky was just really dark and grey.

I was trying to watch Superman Returns and had to put the dog out because she kept barking at every clap of thunder and there were lots of those in the four hours or more of the storm.

We’ve had more thunder storms in the last couple of months than in the last couple of years I think.

This is my last post for 2006. Happy new year everyone – I hope it brings everything that you want it to. I hope it brings us more rain – spread out – not as floods.

My Monty girl

December 29, 2006 by Jen at Semantically driven

I don’t take as many photos of Monty as I used to when I first got her. I had a real child so he takes precedence, but every now and again Monty will feature.

She’s here at the playground keeping an eye on all her charges. She knows I’m safe because I’m sitting right next to her but JJ is not close by so she’s got to keep an eye out for him. I hope I never find out, but if something untoward does ever happen to him I wonder what Monty will do?

She’s getting a bit greyer on her head now, a bit like her mum, but she’s still active and playful. She even held it together this morning during a small thunderstorm. Normally she’ll freak out and bark but there wasn’t a peep out of her this morning. JJ came and hopped into bed with me and I was half expecting to go and get Monty so she could lie next to my bed on the floor but she was fine.

Normally she has her front paws crossed looking very ladylike but I guess she’s not fully relaxed here so they aren’t.

Christmas gone for another year

December 28, 2006 by Jen at Semantically driven

We survived Christmas but I don’t think my waistline has. It’s a time of constant eating and drinking which continues past Christmas and until the holidays have finished. Our family had its Christmas celebration on Chistmas Eve so JJ got most of his presents then. He then had Santa’s visit to look forward to Christmas morning.

Christmas day was pretty low key. My sister, myself and dad went to my cousin’s place to join them for their Christmas drinks etc in the afternoon. I only popped in for a little while and another of my cousins was there who I haven’t seen for a while. We exchanged mobile numbers – and made promises to catch up. From past history, it will be up to me to instigate a catchup but I always enjoy seeing him.

I also took Monty but had to lock her in the tennis court enclosure because a kid turned up who is autistic and has an absolute fear of dogs. I know no amount of coaxing or reasoning with him to say that Monty is ok would do any good so I put her in the tennis court where she just whined and whined until we left an hour later.

I then went to a good friend’s house and had Christmas night with them. It was really relaxing and good fun and we relaxed on Boxing Day too, before I drove home. I was greeted yesterday morning with a flat tyre which ended up being replaced with a brand new tyre, an expense I was not expecting.

Now we have a few relaxing days around home before I have to go back to work next week.

Cactus flower

December 22, 2006 by Jen at Semantically driven

Last night after work I went out and I felt a bit like I’d blossomed just like this cactus flower.

This is the first time for a long time that I’ve been able to do a drinks after work session with colleagues for a very long time (since I’ve been a mum actually) without having to rush to childcare to pick up JJ. And I must say it brought back some good memories of being able to do this type of thing.

My sister picked him up from his vacation care and brought him back here. Mind you this wasn’t done with Christmas love. I was threatened to be back home for a certain time otherwise she said she wouldn’t pick him up.

All the sisterly love aside, it was great to go out after work, chat to my colleagues like I can’t chat to them at work because everyone’s so busy all the time. It was also our last day of work for the year so we were all very merry even before we started drinking.

I could have probably stayed longer but being the responsible parent I am, and mindful of not incurring more of my sister’s wrath, I got home to a house of resentment, waved the resentment goodbye and went through the motions of putting JJ to bed.

Just as well I’d had a few drinks as it didn’t burst my bubble. I think my bubble’s burst now though. I don’t want the sort of attitude my sister has to wash over me whenever I ask her to have JJ (which isn’t that often) and I don’t want it being absorbed by him either. I think we need to sit down and have a chat about this as it’s driving me nuts.

This post wasn’t going to turn out like this. It was going to be more about what a great couple of hours I had last night after work, but this sibling stuff is a tough business. I know one shouldn’t post what they don’t want other people to read, and I’m not. If she ever does read this, then I’m sure she’ll let me know what she thinks as she’s that type of girl.

Bit of a love/hate thing going on

December 20, 2006 by Jen at Semantically driven

Just about all blog posts I read at the moment are themed around Christmas and this one is no different. In short, I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas.

My main hate bit is the hype surrounding christmas and the associated commercialism. Here, the christmas decorations are put out in the shops in early October from memory. Every year people comment about how the decorations are available already and that it’s too early.

Partly, Christmas for me means I buy presents for people because it’s expected of me. I like to give gifts but I don’t like to buy gifts just because it’s Christmas and I feel I should. And it’s really painful going shopping when everyone else is out there doing it. I’m not organised enough to have it all done before the madness starts either.

It gets harder and harder to buy for my parents every year as they have every material thing they need. Ronni over at Time Goes By recently wrote an article about gift giving for elders. I’ll have to try and remember this for next year and consult with my sisters because I’m sure they have the same problem. I’ve resorted to alcohol for them this year and a photo of JJ I took, printed and put in a frame.

Christmas for me nowadays is more about my son than about me. It doesn’t bother me so much about receiving presents for myself or not, but looking at the joy JJ has when he opens his presents. I don’t go overboard on him and spend thousands or even hundreds. Some years I do spend more than others though depending on what I decide to get. He’s looking forward to Christmas and we’re marking the calendar with crosses until 25 December and I remember the anticipation as a kid was excruciating.

I’ve put up the tree, there are some presents underneath and a stocking hanging near the fireplace. The stocking will have to come with us as we won’t actually be home for christmas day so hopefully I’ll remember that.

As I said he’s looking forward to Christmas but then he’s also looking beyond that to the next time when he’ll get stuff at easter. And that’s what I hate about these holidays, the expectation. I alluded to it earlier about being expected to buy gifts for people. I try not to get my Christmas gift recipient list get too long. I used to buy for a couple of friends and we’ve mutually agreed to put a stop to that as it can get out of hand.

Last week JJ and I bought a gift for a boy about his age and put it under the Kmart wishing tree for charity. We shopped together and chose a present for someone who isn’t as lucky as him so they have something to open on Christmas day. He was really great about it but I don’t know how much it sunk in about who might end up with it. I’d like to make this our yearly tradition.

The Christmas card thing gets me though. I send off some cards to people overseas who I have very intermittent contact with and it’s a way of maintaining those contacts. I also send some to people within Australia I don’t see that often for the same reasons. I do not, however, give a card to all my colleagues and friends I see all the time because I think it’s ridiculous. I do feel a little guilty when I get one and I know that I won’t be giving one in return. Is it expected? Do these people feel put out when I don’t send them one? Too bad, because I’m not going to start doing it. JJ got given cards from his school mates. I didn’t go down that path either as it would have been something extra I had to do. When he can write, and when and if he wants to do it, that’s when it will happen. It’s in his hands.

I’m lucky in that I have family to hang out with at Christmas time but that’s fraught with family politics as I’m sure lots of families are. If I didn’t have family I guess it would be really hard and if I knew a Christmas orphan I’d love to include them in what I do. So while my family are all still around I try and make the most of it because I know I’d miss it like mad if it changed.

So Christmas looms every closer. I still have some presents to wrap, food to buy to contribute to the various places I’ll be visiting during that period. That brings me to one thing I do love about Christmas, and that’s holidays. I get to have just over a week off – yee hah!

Little shed

December 16, 2006 by Jen at Semantically driven

This little shed must have been built to serve some purpose but I’m unsure what. Thought it was kinda cute so took a photo anyway.

Am trying to experiment a bit with my camera. Have a way to go I think.

When you want to stop a pointless argument with your child

December 15, 2006 by Jen at Semantically driven

To stop a pointless argument with your child, you leave the room and get a brown paper bag to put over your head then you walk back into the room.

I tried this for the first time last night. It was tea time, he was tired, he was really grouchy and it’s nearly the end of the school term and that’s gotta be getting to him. We started arguing about something so minor I can’t even remember it now but it was just escalating and escalating. It’s really hard to calm down when you’ve got your child just focusing on what their beef with you is at that particular time and won’t be swayed. Add the tired bit in, and it can be very volatile.

I picked up the paper bag idea from my the woman who massages me. I hadn’t had time to cut holes in it but me walking back into the lounge with my arms out in front hoping like hell I wouldn’t trip over anything made him laugh and it made me laugh and hey presto, pointless argument forgotten.

Here’s the famous brown paper bag with some eyes cut out of it and a drawing of an ugly cross face with the tongue poking out. I never said I could draw.