Did I ever say an engagement was an elephant, madam?

So excited about going home.

Excited about seeing parents and sisters again.

Excited about Sinterklaas.

About CC-Christmas lunch tomorrow.

About going on the payroll and feeling like an actual employee.

About more and more Christmassy London.

About going to the Royal Albert Hall to sing Christmas Carols with Nicky and her mum.

About Nouk coming over her for New Year's.

About spending New Year's in London.

About Matt moving to London in the New Year (yay!)

About lovely people coming over in the New Year, like Hsins and Roes and Steef and Rooz

But.. most of all, I'm well excited about going to Montreal in TRHEE WEEKS! Wooohooo.

..nowhere better to get into the Christmas atmosphere. Especially with an account full of euros waiting to be spent on VATless 1,12 euro pounds. I've already bought so many beautiful things I'm a tad embarassed to admit it. Off to Manchester tomorrow, for a curry at Matt's, but not before a hearing some beautiful carols in York Minister. I've missed Manchester so much! So excited to be back there, and starting to be a bit freaked out about the ceremony now.. what if I mess up the protocol?

Monday's Steve's and Tuesday I'm meeting Emily in town. She's been so eager to have me staying at her parents' in Knutsford that I might give in.. if Steve won't be too insulted I'll only stay at his for one night. I'd love to see her old haunted house she's been bragging about since I've known her.

Oh, and I saw Chaucer's a Knight's Tale and a Merchant's Tale tonight, starring the fabulous Hsin-Chi and Merel, in a gorgeous tiny little church. Oh so lovely.

5 December - Nouk's Sinterklaas gig. Hopefully I can make it! Don't want to miss Sinterklaas in Sesame Street though..
6 December - Sinterklaas pressie and surprise night! :D 't heelijk avondje is gekomen..
8 December - Acda & de Munnik live in Gouda theatre. Woop woop!
10 December - flying to Leeds Bradford! Staying at Hsins's for a coupe of days, experiencing the life of a York student and maybe even go and see the Bronte house!
17 December - Before then I go and stay in Manchester for a couple of days, and maybe even pay a quick visit to Ian and Emily Liverpool, but on the 17th my parents, sisters, brother in law, aunt, uncle and cousins come and join me in Mancs.
18 December - grad ceremony!
20 December - back to Dutchieland.. :(
.. and then it's the Christmas holidays, in Holland (unfortunately), but it can't be all tha bad with a stack of fresh Waterstone's books and HMV dvds. I received 100 euros worth of vouchers for my translating job, know where that's going! :D I don't think I'm going to bring a lot of clothes either. Let the shopping commence!

All I have to do is figure out how I'm going to spend 10-17 December. I know I can stay at Steve's (he's got a spare room) and hopefully Matt'll still be around as well. I'm thinking comedy night at Bar XS on Tuesday, like old times!

- went to the pub and midnight mass (Anglican, of course) the night before, and then we..

- woke up to find pressies under our tree
- spent all day unwrapping them
- had a big Christmas brekkie
- went for a long Christmas walk
- watched Christmas telly
- prepared Thomas the Turkey
- had an amazing English Christmas dinner
- pulled crackers
- set fire to the brandy on our Christmas pud
- ate my majestic trifle
- watched the Queen's Speech
- watched more Christmas telly
- went to bed really late woke up really late and spent most of boxing day eating leftovers and slouching around in our Christmas jammies!

How English was our Christmas?! :D

Hsins and Roos have gone shopping this afternoon, time for me to get some work done on these essays.. Going to the cinema tonight though, and on a day trip to Knutsford and on a Canal Street night out with Bruce on Friday!

And then.. back HOME on Saturday. Anouk might just squeeze me to death when she sees me, judging by all the cards and messages I've received this week, bless her!