Birthday, Christmas, New Year

Busy times, busy times.

My birthday passed, as they do, in a blaze or flaming glory. I realised recently how much I enjoy hearing what people were given, so this post will be a list of a month of indulgence. For my birthday from my parents I got this, which I have to share with Glen, but that is ok since we share everything else anyway. From Glen I received a blinging gold Casio digital watch, which I'm rocking like it is 1987.

Christmas presented much joy, aussi. The kids got a trampoline as well as approximately $10000000 worth of Lego. The tramp is a joy for us all, Santa is one smart dude. The kids seem better able to hang out outside without constantly whining about playing on the computer or Lego Batman, and I occasionally sneak a bounce. It feels like the source of youth.

I got some tickets to the Pompeii exhibition, and a book about Pompeii. We went to see it the other day, however, my tip to you, don't go near Te Papa on a wettish day near a public holiday, because everyone in the world is there, so we'll go back when it is nice and quiet. Town was full of unicyclers. They are not the coolest dudes I've ever seen, but they look jolly happy.

I got other presents too, notably a bottle of Jagermeister (woo!) and the blingingist set of eyelash curlers you have ever seen, as well as some nomilicious chocolate sauce. The kids received some excellent movies, so I've done my bit of catching up on films (I don't think you qualify as having seen anything is about the only film you've watched is New Moon). Coraline is amazing, and most certainly not for children, Up was gorgeous.

Oh dear, I've written loads, and I wanted to not go on too much.

And the new year is almost upon us. I have some simple resolutions:

Write more (blog, memoirs (joking), newsletters, invoices)
Take my family on holiday
Read twitter less
Develop a new product to add to our range. I'm waiting for inspiration.
Focus a bit on making the businesses we already have better, more work on the website, more shop loving and more product procurement.
Possibly get a bigger house. This may mean making the one we have bigger, it may mean moving, but I don't wanna move because frankly we have great neighbours.
Bounce on the trampoline with my children often.
Take more photos.

Your resolutions?

Merry Christmas!

When I grow up I'm going to be Blondie.

Bullets!

Time for some bullet points, I reckon:

• It is my birthday soon, I'm cool with that. I'll be quite old but I have done quite a lot, so I deserve it.
• Lucinda Audrey Mae is almost 1. I KNOW. What happened to this year? She is absolutely adorable. She had an awful gastro thing, and it didn't stop her being adorable at all, which is a true sign of being ultra-adorable. I can't really be arsed with making this bullet point have fewer adorables.
• If you haven't watched it, I urge you to watch The Wire, mos def. We watched 4 seasons in very quick succession, which was a challenge, because strictly speaking we don't actually have any time, it was well worth it.
• The shops are a joy, I just love them. This time of year is what it is all about, lots of lovely customers, lots of extremely gorgeous new goodies and a nice little timeframe which culminates in da da! A holiday!
• We never stop working. The kids go to bed and I'm doing accounts and printing shirts, and Glen is packing up Dishy orders, the lure of a break after Christmas is wicked powerful.
• I am slightly biased (read: very), but I must say, our gallery and our inaugural exhibition is fricking great. Come and see it.