Why do my jeans never fit on Boxing Day ?

'Tis the season to be greedy

Faa la la la la, la la la laa

Seems like twenty-four/seven of feeding

Faa la la la la, la la la laa

Too much choccie, sweets and turkey

Faa la la la la, la la la laa

Weight Watchers- again! - for new year

Fa la la la la, la la la laaaaaaaa

Now will someone please hide that bowl of Lindt chocolate balls - NOW!

Skywatch Friday - Steamy buildings

SkyWatch Friday

To see more pictures from around the world, click here ...

Cold, cold skies over downtown Calgary in December.

Photos taken late afternoon with temps at about -18 degrees.

The slightest hint of warm air hitting those cold skies makes every office building appear as if they have their own little chimney - or perhaps it's a conspiracy to send smoke signals, or maybe it's even collaborative efforts to confuse Santa ? As if the guy didn't have enough to do last night!

The setting sun was starting to reflect beautifully in the towers of glass, but it was too cold for my little fingers to hang around with the camera, waiting for the brilliant oranges ...

But this is what was going on just to my right ...

Have a wonderful Christmas everybody and

my very best wishes for a peaceful and kind 2010.

Pooped ....

So I started my new job this week - five days of commuting down, and I'm mentally and physically knackered! This work lark is not for the feint-hearted.

But I have really enjoyed it.

Each day commenced with a rude alarm call at 5.30am. That's after disregarding an earlier, even ruder alarm call that my husband had set for himself at 4.30am, as he was working early shifts this week. (And that is what has led to such a long and full day for me. It's been one of those passing-ships-leave-a-message-on-the-fridge weeks. Long time since we've done that.)

So after stumbling half-asleep into shower cubicles, muddling up shower gel and hair conditioner, forgetting towels and freezing my arse off as I dripped across the bathroom, whereupon a dozy but enthusiastic dog commenced licking my wet feet, I finally woke up.

I then went downstairs to dry said soggy but lovely smelling and tangly hair and by about 6am I was throwing various foodstuffs at three different lunchbags, emptying or filling dishwashers or washing machines (ah, domestic bliss) and serving doggie biscuits to two mightily confused canines who basically just sat on the bottom stair looking at each other saying "WTF is she doing up at this time of day?"

At 6.35am, with pure military precision, I awoke two startled daughters, gently nudging them awake, giving them a little kiss and then bombarding them with 'get up and get dressed' instructions - which they had to complete but the time I had taken those two confused dogs around the block.

I couldn't possibly contemplate my day until dog bowels were emptied. Yes, maybe I have to admit to being just a little bit odd.

By the way, this is what happens to dog fur in the snow. It's delightful as they melt and de-snowball themselves all over the house.

I should add that Day One of Week One was a cool -30 degrees and didn't actually get much warmer all day. Now that is a test of Alberta commuter-suitable clothing for anyone.

Talking of suitable clothing, I should not be complaining at all - this is a sample of what my husband looked like this week! All sympathetic or piss-taking comments gratefully received. Perhaps this picture could be my caption competition this week?

Anyway - back to me. At 6.50am after circling the block, I returned to the fold to (thaw out and) bark more military orders to the two young ladies who were sitting bleary-eyed at the breakfast table, playing with unloved Rice Crispies and abandoned dry toast.

They also exchanged those glances that said "WFT are we doing up at this time of day?"

(Poor quality - drive-by)

At 7.11am precisely, I drove away from the home to set off for the big scary city, then sat in traffic jams admiring all the other lunatics embarking on this world of employment.

I skidded into my new office on Day One, three minutes late and just a little harassed. I had the good grace to look embarrassed.

I arrived home by 5.30pm. Hubby had already got home by 4pm and had walked the dogs, de-briefed the girls on their school day, and failed to provide me with my evening dinner.

Two out of three ain't bad.

Day Two to Five - rinse and repeat - with me leaving a few minutes earlier each day so that by Friday I had the manoeuvres down to a fine art.

My children were in as much shock as me. Firstly, they were having to get up half an hour earlier than usual because mummy had got a new job. So how, exactly, is that fair? Secondly, they had to be responsible for getting themselves on the school bus on their own, not before putting the dogs in the kitchen, turning off the lights and locking the front door.

On this occasion, one out of three ain't bad. Hello would-be burglars.

(This is not my photo - thank you Gord Pennell - but I aim to take the camera next week 'cos I have a stunning view of the city at dawn, from my new workplace. My photo will, of course, rival the above excellent pixels!)

I may comment on my workplace and the personalities in it when I am feeling more knowledgeable (and brave) but suffice to say they have been a welcoming team, with a good sense of humour and I was even taken out to lunch by my boss. So all in all, a good first week.

However, you will have noticed it is Christmas next week, and I am not ready. This employment game sure gets in the way of useful and fun stuff, like life, doesn't it?

Hubby has the next week off work so I can relish in the luxury of getting just one body out of the front door on time (just like him for the past few years!) Wonder how that will work... I'll probably be late.

Have a great week everybody.

Need I say more ...

This picture was taken 13 months ago - but the gauge in my car was exactly the same today.

Brrrr.

A quick trip back to the UK ...

A morning out in Kingston-upon-Thames on the Surrey/South London borders reminded me once again what great buildings there are in the UK. I am sure I pretty much took them for granted when I lived there, but having been starved of much architecture more than 100 years old, these styles and shapes just slapped me in the face.

The street market was in full swing, complete with cockney geezer flogging off cauliflowers at bargain prices.

As usual, my eye was drawn to flowers and this colourful market stall allowed me a wistful sigh at such variety plunged into a bucket.

Talking of flowers, good lord - it was December and there still so much colour and texture in the landscape and gardens. This camellia was in full bloom in my father-in-law's south London garden.

I was overcome with sheer jealousy actually - the vibrant hedges, luxurious laurels, (admittedly squelchy and sodden but oh-so-green) lawns and the sheer variety of evergreens - purple hebes in flower - sigh.

Even the modern style at Heathrow Airport's new terminal 5 was interesting to me - though one doesn't hang around with a camera when there are so many armed police officers close by, not that I think I look like a terrorist, but you never know.

A rainy day in central London is essential viewing on any trip back to the UK. The Christmas lights sparkled in the dull, cloudy afternoon light.

Stunning efforts were made to illuminate little side alleyways.

Carnaby Street was awash with love.

Oxford Street displaying a rather large ode to the new Christmas Carol film release.

Ah ha! and finally, the main reason for hitting central London anyway - a trip to the theatre. Wow, what fun - we all thoroughly enjoyed this show - a prequel, if you will, to how the "Wicked Witch of the West" got her name. Clever story with superb cast. Highly recommended.

Even the detailing in the architecture in the theatre prompted another camera outing!

I return from this one week mini-holiday delighting in the abundant space and lack of humanity in my chunk of Canada, having felt constantly rushed, pushed along and claustrophobic in southern England .

I am shivering at the prospect of going outside into my current minus 21 degree snowy landscape; dressing in several layers to shovel snow off the driveway yesterday will soon lose its appeal after the tenth time. And realising that only a few days ago I was wandering around in only a hooded fleece in 8 degrees of dull but damp easy-to-manoeuvre mild weather.

The contrast in landscape and colour is startling. The UK offers a rich, green, damp and fertile vista but under a dullness to the light of day. Alberta currently offers a bright high sky with a white snowy view, but if there is no snow, there is no other colour until May.

Hmmmmm. And that's just what it all looked like.

I can't even begin to comment on what I feel like. These trips back consolidate so much, and unsettle completely in other ways!

Skywatch Friday - A Lethbridge sunset

To see more SkyWatch pictures, click here.

I'm getting in early this week (or late depending on your point of view and time zone) and posting my SkyWatch effort today as I will have to unfasten my safety cord and leave my computer alone for a week or so. Flying solo - scary thought!

This was the sunset at Lethbridge, Alberta last Sunday evening and it had "blog" written all over it - I slammed on the brakes of the car and skidded to a halt at the side of the road, much to the amusement of my front seat passenger and fellow road users. Well, OK, they probably weren't that amused.

I then opened my friend's side window, allowing the cool Lethbridge breeze to come in and gently tousle her hair.

An alternative point of view, I suppose, might be that when I opened the window, a Force 10 gale burst through the vehicle, whipping up bags, maps and small children, and which trashed any idea of a maintaining a hairstyle for any of the occupants. People say Lethbridge is the windy city - flippin' heck - they aren't kidding.

Anyway, then I delicately leant across her, shoving my elbows in her face, just to capture these beautiful colours. She was suitably impressed with my dedication to you guys - just after fishing her hairbrush out of her bag.

Again, apols for the grainy quality - it's the point-and-shoot mini camera again - but you get the idea.

Have a great weekend, everybody.

Back in a while!

SYTYCD

... only if you are a dance and TV lover will you know what the above initials stand for.

"So You Think You Can Dance" is a TV series that I reluctantly have to tuck under the "reality TV" banner - most of which I class as car-crash television full of truly awful wannabe's that should not be given the time of day, let alone a whole series of airtime. I think SYTYCD airs in the US, Canada and Australia and Malaysia so far. The UK would love this show.

Disclaimer on really poor quality of photos - explanation / excuse coming right up ...

Simply put, thousands of dancers across the land audition for a spot in the Top 20. The ten chosen males and ten chosen females then pair up each week, learn a routine or three and then are judged on their performance. Each week one guy and one girl are eliminated from the show, until you have a winner. Simple, eh? The prize now stands at $100,000 and a new car!

My children are now addicted. Literally. Daughter Number One especially. She is 11 years old and does three dance classes of her own and assists to teach at two others. She just assumes the TV series will still be running in 7 years time when she will be old enough to audition! Daughter Number Two is 9 and although she does not know it, has great skill and poise at ballet, but prefers Jazz.

The TV franchise has recently concluded it's second Canadian series - and the Top 10 are currently on tour.

So guess who took a three hour drive south to Lethbridge on Sunday night to go and watch these dancers girate for an evening. Yep - yours truly.

Two mums and three hyper excited young girls in a car - ooh what fun. And it was. The show was good, albeit too short - and at $70 a ticket, it needed to be worth the journey. (And if you already know that the tour are coming to Calgary tomorrow night - yes, I knew that too and it would have been soooo much easier - but we'll be on board a flight to Heathrow by show-time, so that wasn't going to work unfortunately.)

The girl who won the last series, Tara-Jean, was actually a Lethbridge native anyway so you can imagine how loud and chuffed the audience were to see her. Several standing ovations and deservedly so.

Photos for you taken on the point-and-press camera that was snuck into my bag. The tickets categorically said "no cameras or recording devices" so I assumed we would get a good rub down and be searched on the way in. Nope. So after hiding my disappointment that some fit doorman didn't need to pat me down, and taking our seats, and then watching every other attendee take out large cameras from bags and pockets, my friend though "sod this" and walked back to the car to get our little cameras... If I'd known I was going to be such a rebel and buck the camera laws so wildly, I'd have brought the decent Pansonic with me!

Modern dance can be dirty these days. I mean reeaaallll dirty. I mean getting down and filthy. Not something the eyes of the 9 and 11 year olds in the audience need to see really, nor understand thankfully. Costumes are strappy, stringy and raunchy, movements are very sexy, sequins are flying and hips are doing things mine could never do in a million years.

I am my mother - I have morphed, unseen, into the "middle years" where I swing wildly from being a mum who wants to cover her daughter's eyes - to tilting my head sideways to get a better look, thinking "Cor, I wish I could wear that, and I wish I could do that - with him".

Of course, I know other people that just hate musicals and dance. Why, in the middle of a perfectly good film, does someone have to burst into song. That's just stupid.

Ahhh, that's my bliss.

We're seeing "Wicked" in the London West End next week... Yay!