Another "Different" Christmas

So, Christmas is over for another year - more or less.

Christmas Day was just Graham and I - quiet and peaceful and a chance to get ready for the "crowd" that we were expecting for Boxing Day.

Jamie & Scott arrived as planned around 7:00 on Christmas evening and Krista arrived about an hour and a half later - just Ryan, Deb and the kids to arrive on Sunday morning.............NOT!!!

The entire household - Ryan, Deb, Austin & Alex were sick for Christmas this year (Merry Christmas) and were barely able to budge from their beds never mind drive to London. So, it was just the 5 of us for turkey dinner last night and then Jamie and Scott were gone. This morning Krista heads back to Brockville and I'm off to work!! (Two days of double-time will help pay for a good chunk of our cruise).

Still have to find time in Ryan & Deb's and our lives to celebrate Christmas together - soon, I hope - my dining room table is still covered in gifts and that is where I usually take my pictures of my jewelry.

I think that we all had a great Christmas - I know that I did. I got an iPad for Christmas and I've been having fun setting it up and getting it synced. Graham has been having fun with his new Wii Tiger Woods game and Krista received her coveted Cricut machine and has been producing amazing cutouts.

Happy New Year to one and all!!

Finally - Another Cruise

After 2 1/2 years, we are finally going on another cruise. We have missed it terribly.

On Monday, March 28, 2011 a t5:00 PM we will sail from Ft. Lauderdale aboard the  Grand Princess. We will be making stops in Aruba, Curacao, Grenada, Barbados, St. Vincent, St. Kitts, St. Thomas, Santo Domingo and Princess Cays. Fourteen days on a cruise ship - can't wait!!!!

Despite our frequent cruises to the Caribbean, we will actually be visiting 4 ports that we have never been to before - Curacao, St. Kitts, St. Vincent and santo Domingo.

Based on our weather so far this month (we have had more than 125 cm of snow in the past 10 days) we will be more than ready for some sun and fun by the end of March.

My First Craft Show

This past Sunday (December 5) was my first foray into the world of craft shows. This was a small, intimate, by invitation only show at a very exclusive restaurant here in town. My table was in one of the small dining rooms with 2 other wonderful ladies. We all had a marvelous opportunity to get to know each other and to pick each other's brains. Actually, since I was the newbie on the block, I did most of the "picking".

The first 2 hours were slow, but pretty steady - some of my work mates and friends were able to make it in. Starting at about 12:00, it started to snow - not just pretty white, drifting snowflakes .... no.... driving, you could barely see the buildings on the other side of the street snow. The customers dried up and most of us were out of there by 2:30. In the space of 2 1/2 hours, about 6 - 8 inches of snow had fallen and getting back home on the icy, snow-covered streets was a nightmare. This, however, was only the beginning of the nightmare. It is now Tuesday morning and the City of London has received approximately 80 cm (that is almost 3 feet) of snow and it is still coming down - up to 20 - 30 more cm of snow by Wednesday evening. The city is pretty much closed!!!

As for the craft show - I recouped the cost of my table and made a modest profit.

My First Craft Show

                                                                                                     

For those who aren't aware, Sunday will be my first foray into the world of craft shows. I am excited and nervous all at once. This is a show that I was invited to  participate in and for those who do not live in London, Auberge du Petit Prince is a small, intimate, very high end restaurant here in town. 

I have no idea who else is participating, however, I do know that there will be only one vendor for each business - ie. I will be the ONLY beaded jewelry person there.

Look for a post after the sale on Sunday.