am off to investigate Mendeley

wow looks good

Some interesting info there KJ.

I like the area around Luzern and Grindlewald in particular.

wake me up when Chrimbo is over

Not a great fan of Christmas. Join the club.

I like Christmas. It's just a bit strange here with it being hot and having no family. This year it will just be LittlePlum, DestructoPup and I - on the plus side, there are unlikely to be family arguements and if there are as mum I will win anyway , on the downside there is no family - but we'll make up for what our gathering lacks in size with nonsense. I might set the table for lots of us and we can just rotate places in between courses, hmmm I might use name cards and we have to play the part of whoever's name tag we sit at That should make LP laugh!

I like everything to do with Christmas except the organising part, which I hate cos I'm not organised! Once all the boring wrapping and writing is done I'm happy as Larry; it's the run-up to it I can't do with.

Plummie, there'll only be me, Mr M and Melony at our place for Christmas. It's cosy, honest!

cosy three here too

*grump* not getting thread updates

Here it will be us four plus my dad. Boxing day it's off with the inlaws for the day. Grass is always greener... I'd love to be somewhere hot right now

I am ploughing my way through the accumulated washing of two students, and making tea for an indeterminate number of people. Such fun. Myself, am out for a meal this evening and looking forward to the good company of three great friends - it's keeping me sane, in fact

Am off to the sun Thursday a.m. Can't wait. Proper escape from Christmas this year. xx

...on the plus side, the Christmas show is coming together and will be all over by this time tomorrow!

Where are you all? I have been at the hairdresser most of the afternoon becoming a dumber blonde - it hides the grey better.

Christmas shopping is done but hasn't all arrived from the various online places and it will be too late soon.

Despite this I don't feel remotely stressed - how fab. Not totally sure why but maybe because I'll be too far away to care.

Hope you're all stress free too. x

cheers Amica

Greetings from Warsaw. Only -8 at the moment but set to get cold.

Plum, when you next reply, tell us the local time so we can work out when it's Christmas Day down under.

8:07 AM
Wednesday, December 19, 2012 (EST)
Time in Canberra ACT, Australia
8:37 AM Kingston (NFT)
8:07 AM Lord Howe Island (LHST)
7:37 AM Adelaide (CST)
5:07 AM Perth (WST)
4:07 AM The Settlement (CXT)

My hair colour.

Well jell.


Amica - also jell of you, would so love to get away for Christmas, just the once....

I'm just waiting for stuff I've ordered to turn up, and beginning to panic about getting it all wrapped on time. Have just returned from delivering stuff to the daughter - panicking to meet a deadline - she was less trouble when she was living here

Tomorrow I have to work, not looking forward to that

Best get to bed I s'pose. Raise a glass of that lovely raspberry stuff for me, BG

KJ - I'm on the same time as Brisbane, QLD, we're 10 hours ahead of you, so when the clock hits midnight on Xmas Eve/Xmas Day here it will be 2pm there (UK) on Xmas eve.

I've done all my Christmas shopping for LittlePlum bar a little remote control car that she wants and I'm getting her a ukelele as well, just a cheapo one, she was learning it at school for a few weeks. They have a ukelele festival here each year and they just missed getting the world record for most simultaneous ukelele players playing a song in the one place. Next time they give it a go LittlePlum and I might go and join in

I decided to do my food shopping differently this week and I've bought all the nice stuff for Christmas first and we'll just have to manage on student rations in the run up to Christmas. I refuse to do without this year, Christmas with all the trimmings!

Batty, I hadn't realised that you were doing another Warsaw dash - hope you have a good trip! Have a vodka for me - do they make Plum Vodka? they should!

Amica hope you have a lovely holiday in the sun! It's very strange not being cold on Christmas day.

I should be wrapping presents to make sure I really do have everything, but I think I will do what I do best and procrastinate There's nothing quite beats a massive panic on Xmas eve!

I dropped a bottle of plum brandy at Pula airport in 1986

I was full before it fell, yet the floor had only broken glass. Spooky!

Amica I hope you have a fab time away, you deserve it

hello my lovelies! I visit seeking advice rather that FB'ing it...

do I ignore instinct and invite my brother for xmas grub, despite having suffered at the receiving end of an ugly and hurtful outburst of his a few weeks ago! he said some really hurtful and uncalled for things for which he has not apologised. he managed to say 'sorry for texting anger at you' which didn't really cut it tbh considering the vile outpouring he volleyed my way

he never 'got around' to getting a many times promised xmas present for little m last year - little m gave up waiting - this year he did ask me what he could get little m. so showed willing (!) and has now offered to chip in to help fund an expensive minecraft lego set i wanted to get but couldn't justify the expense.....

gut feeling says having him here will not be much positive and i am still shocked and hurt by the thigs he said! other goodwill side says yes but it is xmas and he is your only family within 2000 miles and little m would probably enjoy seeing him........................................... :/

Hi grumpies

*waves to faraway and busy peeps*

Christmas show is finally done, so now I'm free to focus on the not-done stuff, like cards, wrapping, finishing off the decorations...

mal - Invite him for tea, rather than dinner. That way Little Mal can see him and you're being seasonally appropriate, but he can't muck up your celebration dinner!

very good advice from handy there

been sent home as have sore throat with no voice lurgy

Handy is the advice-meister Mal, I'd be all Peggy Mitchell but I'm not a good yardstick in these situations!!

Bats - get me vodka, lots of. Any/Every flavour

Plums - you are my hope for the future, you still exist therefore I do too! Good times

Did I ever tell you I love you all?