Peter and Nat's Tree

My first picture from my holidays overseas, however, features my brother and sister-in-law's Christmas Tree. You can compare this with my tree lower down on my page, if you want. But, lucky them, they have a real one. Very pretty, I thought, Peter and Nat.

Okay...I'm back

If you people hadn't realised, for the past four/five weeks I've been away from here. I have been in Sydney and all over the world, catching up with my brother, trying to catch up with friends (and failing in some cases), and having fun over the Summer break from school.

For Christmas I got some very nice presents. One, however, will be featuring on this (or another blog just for it) because of the wonderfulness of this present. I received a Tottenham Hotspurs teddy bear mascot for Christmas off my big brother and sister-in-law. Therefore, during my journey across parts of the northern hemisphere, this teddy bear has featured in photos in front of numerous important/interesting monuments and features.

Hence, once I get myself into gear and create pictures at appropriate sizes for this blog, you will be sure to see some interesting things...

Enjoy! Good to see you again.

Oh...and English people into Cricket...Bad luck about the Ashes!!! Australia 5 - England 0!!! Woohoo!!!

I have a new toy...and it's fun to use...

Today I went to my local regional centre, 140kms away. That was because I had my chiro appointment and had to do a little more Christmas shopping. That was good. Things were good. And then I walked into Hardly Normal (Harvey Norman to anyone outside my family). That was a bad move...

I thought that I would just check out their digital cameras, and then I bought one. I was looking at a particular kind, and then I was diverted onto another kind which I found more agreeable to what I would need. I wanted something with optical, not just digital, zoom, which my old digi-camera doesn't have. Don't get my wrong, my old digital camera is very good. And it still works charmingly. But, for going overseas, I wanted something that, when I zoomed in, it wouldn't blur the picture up.

My new camera is by Sony, and it's fairly thin and compact, and I think I'm going to like it very much. I know I'm going to have fun learning how to operate it over the next week before I go overseas. Heck, I've already had fun taking some photos and reviewing them. I've taken another one of my Christmas tree, and it came up very nicely. So, no doubt you'll see some photos from my new toy up on the web in no time quick.

Talking about Christmas trees. If you had read my log about my Christmas tree, you would know I was having trouble with finding a suitable Angel or Star. Well, today I went and looked again in the shops, and again, nothing suitable. I'm very disappointed with the society at the moment. Very...

"Angel, mother, angel..."

One More Week...That's All...

Today was the last Friday of term. Next week, there are only four days of school. This I am happy about. But I'm unhappy too...

I'm happy that there are only four more day...only four more days of seeing the kids, and then I have seven weeks off! Nothing like it. I'll be going away for three of those weeks overseas in Europe and America. That will be very nice. Get to see my brother and his wife for the first time in about a year and a bit. And then I have about three and a bit weeks left over to spend time in Sydney (maybe catch up with some friends) and then to come back to where I am situated to create new programs for 2007.

But I'm unhappy too. I won't be able to spend the evening on Thursday with the other teachers. I am planning on travelling down to Sydney on Thursday night to avoid traffic, to have a whole day at home before spending a Christmas Evening with my Mum's side (as well as my Dad's brother, it seems), as well as catch up with some friends before Christmas. I really would like to spend the evening with the teachers so that I can party with them for the end of term. But I suppose I see them enough at home, and I've 'partied' with them before.

Anyway...I'll be going away in a little more than a week to London. That will be fun. I hope that I don't get jet lag very badly, so that I can enjoy Christmas very much. And also...I hope I don't forget the presents!

My Christmas Tree

Some will wonder why I decided to get a Christmas Tree this year when I will be going overseas for Christmas. Going overseas doesn't mean that I can't celebrate Christmas beforehand with friends and family in Austalia. Plus, it just isn't Christmas without a Christmas Tree, I think. So, I went to the local BigW (140 kms away) and found just what I wanted. I got the lights and decorations at the same time and think that it really looks nice (though not near as covered as the one that we have at home).

I still haven't got an Angel or Star...I couldn't find any Angels that I liked or would work and the Stars were ones that all lit up. I don't want a star that lights up. I just want an everyday looking Star that works nicely uptop my Tree. The Angels are becoming works of art in themselves, also...with nothing of substance to them. I don't want that, either.

I guess this reflects a little on society in that Angels and Stars are not seen as necessary anymore, even though they are pinnacle to the whole Christmas Story. Do people who don't attend Christmas Mass/Services even remember the reason why we celebrate Christmas? I wonder...