Best Christmas present ever??

Christmas morning, I'm drying my hair and I hear someone shout:
"LAURA!"

I turn off the hair dryer and turn to see my niece standing in the doorway looking at me.

So I answer, in my usual pleasant manner:
"WHAT???"

Her answer?

"Can you come for Christmas every year?"

Ahhh, it's tough when you're this lovable!!

How could I not share this?

Your Kissing Technique Is: Perfect

Your kissing technique is amazing - and you know it. You have the confidence to make the first move. And you always seem to know what kissing style is going to work best. Sometimes you're passionate, sometimes you're a tease. And you're always amazing!

Are You a Good Kisser?

Why I will always be a foreigner...

To truly be Australian, you need to pronounce the word 'debut' as: day-boo.

Just. Can't. Do it.

Merry Christmas to me!!! - The Sequel...

I am so ashamed..... I decided on a subject to post about and as I was typing in "Merry Christmas to Me" in the subject line, it came up as a title I'd already used.

Bad Laura, bad Laura.

Apparently, what I thought was aberrant behaviour this year, is actual normal practice for me: Christmas shopping is all about me!

So, I have done my Christmas shopping. I even think I mailed Christmas stuff home to Canada in time this year- so I guess I'm one up on last year's post. But I still bought for myself.... It was kind of like: 1 present for someone else, 1 present for me.

Thank goodness I had a lot of people to buy for! Helped justify the following:

• new jean jacket
• linen pants
• new necklace
• hair straightener
• new lingerie
• surf shirt
• new dress
• some dvd's
• books

And that's just what I can remember at the mo...

Merry Christmas to me!!

But really, Merry Christmas to you! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and that people are as good to you, as I am to myself!

Too Dark?

So as a result of the 'incident' (and not advancing years - let me be clear on that...) I ended up with a gray patch that hangs straight down over my eyes.

It can't be ignored.

Trust me, I've tried.

So, I've had to start dyeing my hair. (I've always prided myself on not dyeing my hair. Serves me right.) I did it a few months ago and I've just discovered it needs maintenance.

Maintenance. Ughhh.

So I was quietly wondering to myself when the next touch up was needed; how long I could go before subjecting myself (or is it surrendering myself?) to the hairdresser. Then I jokingly said aloud to a colleague in a crowded elevator that I thought I could see some gray. Her response? No, not the normal platitude you'd expect from a friend. Nope. Too much to hope for. What I got was, "Oh, I'm so glad you noticed, I wasn't sure how to break it to you."

Well, privately would have been a good start.....

So, after receiving that gentle shove, I booked in last Thursday and did the deed. I've done it once before and no one really noticed and I thought I was going the same colour again, but I'm thinking maybe no...

See - Friday, a member of my team didn't recognise me at first. Then Monday, I went out to lunch with some former colleagues - all male - and each one, each one commented. Something along the lines of "Wow, you dyed your hair. It's dark." Now, I know that doesn't sound very complimentary - but they were all men. Need I say more?

The point to note is that they ALL noticed.

And I'm talking men here!!!!!!

So, I was thinking: too dark. But then today, one of the guys I work with said to me "I like your hair. That colour suits you. You should always have it that colour."

Three full sentences. Three full compliment sentences.

I'm thinking its not too dark...

Happy Birthday Santa????

I was walking through the Corso today and marveling that it was only one week to Christmas and I was in a tank top and capris.

How wrong does that seem??

Then I started to marvel at the red and green tinsel wrapped around the palm trees, the pine Christmas tree with the solar powered lights. And it got wronger. About as wrong as using the word 'wronger'.

Palm trees with tinsel? Christmas doesn't have palm trees!!
And the pine Christmas trees? Where'd they get it? Oh right - they grow on every corner.....not.
Solar powered lights? Where I come from - it's dark by dinner - there's not enough solar to power anything!!
And there's no snow!!!!
No snow!!!!

And to top it off - there's a sign in the Mambo surf shop that says "Happy Birthday Santa".

Happy Birthday SANTA????

Now, I know Christmas is different down here - but last time I checked - Christmas was all about a birth - but it sure wasn't Santa's. I mean - does Santa even have a birthday? I mean, the man is ageless. Never mind fictional.... How can someone fictional have a birthday?????

By the time I saw the sign, I'd seen enough. I started to head back through the corso to my flat, when I noticed him.....
watching me.....
following me with those strangely hollow eyes.....
He's supposed to be jolly, but the Santa on the roof of the Mambo shop was just creeping me out.

I miss Canada.

I miss the possibility that there could be a white Christmas.

I miss the cold.

I want a real Christmas.....

Did you hear about the new drinking game?

You're supposed to drink everytime someone cries on the biggest loser.

Authorities have called for a stop to the game as the incidence of alcohol poisoning has skyrocketed....

"Click"

So, I'm busy at work these days. (One of the reasons I haven't been blogging much of late....)

So how busy is busy? Well, let's put it to you this way: the girl who never use to be able to make it to work before 9:30am, now fairly regularly catches the 7am jet cat. (I told a friend that the other day and she started to laugh saying ' I know you said you were busy, but the 7 am jet cat? Now I KNOW you're busy'. Smart ass.)

Now - although I'm getting up earlier - that doesn't necessary mean I'm awake earlier.

What do I mean? Well, let's take this morning as an example:

I get up.
I shower.
I dress.
I dry my hair
I do makeup.
I have no time for breakfast (I opted for 5 mins extra sleep rather than brekkie)
I put on my shoes.
I grab my bag.
I exit my apartment.
I say goodbye to monster as I shut the door.
The door goes 'click'.
I go 'shit'.

What's missing from the above list? The following:
I take keys from counter and put in bag.

So much for starting early - because now I have to leave work early to get to the rental agency to get spare keys. Somewhere along the way I broke my routine.....and when I break from routine, things get missed.

Like keys.

You can hear it can't you?

'Click'
'Shit'

It's still echoing for me too.....

I laughed til I cried

If you haven't seen 'Little Miss Sunshine' yet, go now.

Drop everything you're doing and go.

Now.

Personally, I laughed until I cried.

I need to see it again.

A Monster