Almost Christmas....... aggghhhhhh

OK well maybe it's not that bad but how the heck did Christmas get so close so fast? I know I've been a bit preoccupied these past weeks but sheesh. I was working away (yes working but I'll get to that in a minute) making phone calls and one lady said to me "Its so close to Christmas that I doubt we will make much headway now anyway, so why don't you give me a call in a couple of weeks in the New Year" ummmmmmmm say what??????? New Year? Holy Cow!

I had done some Christmas shopping but let me tell you if those few wee parcels had been placed under the tree we likely would have lost them! So Lakeisha and I had a couple of "shopping days" Thursday and Friday, and finally it looks like there are a few things under the poor tree. It's still not going to be Christmas to me without having Murray here but I don't want to ruin the day for everyone else...... I say everyone but lets face it there will only be four of us - Mum & Dad, Lakeisha and I.... huge gathering...... don't know where everyone is going to sit! LOL

Anyway, I still have some things to wrap and I have no idea how to wrap some of them. We finally found something for Dad to give Mum. It's been a bit of a tradition really that I need to get him something for her. When he was out and about he would get her something himself but since he had a stroke a few years back, he doesn't drive - he doesn't ask me to get her anything either - but it's a kind of unspoken understanding I guess. She told him they weren't going to get anything for each other this year and then went out and bought him something.... mothers can be strange creatures sometimes I think. But we have a nice gift for her - it's one of the ones that will require some creative wrapping but we'll see how we go.

The tree looks great - I love that tree. Some of the branches are starting to not go where they should so I guess it's probably going to need replacing sometime soon. But it's a nice tree. I haven't taken any photos of it this year but maybe I'll try to snap a few tonight or Sunday night with the lights on. I'm really missing the digital camera. Murray took it with him to Perth so we have his 35mm camera. I really like the pictures it takes, but nothing is quite so handy as being able to delete and reshoot without having to wait and pay for pictures you hate!

And so back to the work thing. I started working for the local Community Radio Station OtwayFM as their Station Manager. It's going to be challenging but I think already there have been some positive changes put in place to lift the professionalism of the whole thing which to date seems to have been their downfall. The only bad thing is that since it's a "not for profit" thing, and it's not been making enough money to even keep it on the air and pay all the bills lately, it's not a paying job either yet. But I'm hoping within a few weeks that might change with some organisation, promotion and a bit of hitting the streets to get some advertising money in. Fingers crossed anyway. I guess the best thing about it, is that it's keeping my mind VERY occupied at the moment - night and day - which is the only thing that keeps me afloat.

I also wanted to share the mini album I made for Murray as a part of his Christmas gifts which I gave to him before he left.

Hopefully you can read enough of it to get where I was going. I also wrote him a letter and put that in the pocket that I created on the inside back cover. Given that he isn't a huge fan of scrapbooking it was probably a stupid gift, but it was done from the heart and I wanted him to have something to take away that had photos of us in it. The fact that it will probably spend it's life in the bottom of a suitcase wasn't important, I guess, at the time.

I really haven't had much time for scrapping anything the past couple of weeks. I haven't really had much motivation either to be honest. I did do a couple of really simple ones for the LSS classes.....
Buried Alive believe it or not aside from being a pic of Me from a couple of years ago {cough} it's actually a photo I had taken off a slide (yes I know I'm really showing my age now....) Thanks to the lovely Em on Scrap Pile who has a scanner that will actually scan the things. Now why wasn't that around when I BOUGHT A PRINTER/SCANNER???? hmmmmm?????? Anyway poor Em now has a squillion slides to scan for me, all some 40 odd year old slides with some pretty ummm embarrassing photos of me to share on scrapbooking layouts. LOL
Washed up was another of the photos I took on our outing to the beach with the dogs back in October.

Plus I guess since all has been revealed now I can share my Photo Swap layout from www.scrap-pile.com.au of the lovely Terri's wedding pic

and my contribution to the Christmas Tin Swap between the Aussie girls on www.scrapbook.com

I'm not sure I will get to blog again before the big day so I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas. Stay safe and make the most of the time you spend with your loved ones. I'll be looking forward to seeing all the photos of those wonderful moments you choose to share.

luv

Maree