Where has 2006 gone?

I can't believe it's almost 2007. I've been sitting here wondering what I achieved in 2006, and came up with nada. Sometimes I feel like a mouse on a wheel... maybe I've hit a rut because work has become difficult and painful. It's nice to have a long break, but a long break means distancing yourself from everything and seeing how pointless it all is.

What does 2007 have in store for me? Well, I will be getting married, for one. I don't think our lives will change much once we're married, except maybe the legal aspect. It's a very strange idea that everything I do from then on will probably directly affect Chris. I'm so used to just doing things without much thought about ramifications, and I'm lucky that Chris is quite tolerant of that. But from then on, we will have the same name, and will be seen by law as the same entity. Scary stuff. Do I think marrying Chris is the right choice? Well, a long time ago, I heard someone say, "You know you are still in love with your husband/wife when your heart skips a beat when you hear their key in the door." Well, I can't say my heart skips a beat, but there is no better sound in the world than hearing Chris coming home. I think the cats agree because we all run downstairs to say hello when he comes home :)

Hmm.. maybe this is what I've achieved in 2006. In 2005, there was a lot going on in my life. Mainly moving to Sydney, then moving back against my parents' wishes, starting a new job, all the while wondering if I'd made the right decision. There was a fork in the road and I took one turn over the other, but my mind was still lingering on the other bend. But moving into this lovely house with Chris and the kitties, I think I'm finally home. Things aren't ideal with my job, but most other things are in place - not many people can say that.

To put an end to this melancholy, here's a picture of the two kitties grooming each other. I think it's so cute that they do that :) They really are like brother and sister.

Oh and before I forget, our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were both enjoyable. On Christmas Eve, Chris had his regular roleplaying during the day. I sat in with the guys till it got too boring... then Chris cooked a roast dinner and we had a lot of wine and food. Before we knew it, it was time for presents. I bought Chris a Claymore sword which he loved, and he got me a shopping spree, hehe.. actually it was $400 that he put on a card for me to spend any way I wanted, because he said the last few Christmas presents he got me had been misses. I am pretty hard to shop for, because I always want jewellery, but am very picky about what I wear. So.. I ended up spending it on.... wait for it.... jewellery! I bought an antique-inspired diamond band for my right hand. It had to be custom-made to my size (stupid small fingers!), can't wait for it to be ready! I also plan to buy a pair of earrings to go with my wedding gown with the rest of the money.

On Christmas day, Chris's mum Gaye and her partner Derek came round at around 4pm. We put the turkey in the oven with some roast veggies, then nibbled on crackers and homemade dips that Gaye had made. One of them was a delicious tzatziki, and the other was made with roasted red peppers, cashews and pomegrenate molasses all blended together. Mmm.. yummy. Gaye had given me some pomegrenate molasses to try on its own.. it was strange, almost like Chinese vinegar, but with a sweet aftertaste.

For entrees, we had cold prawns, smoked mackerel, smoked salmon, and fresh avocado. The smoked salmon was delicious, velvety smooth and smokey. I'd never had smoked mackerel before, it was really nice, and nowhere near as fishy as I thought it would be. We had this with champagne and sparkling rose from Cleveland winery. For dinner, we had the big roast turkey, lots of roast potatoes, sweet potatoes, brocolli, and peas. By then, we were pretty full.. but there's always room for dessert! Gaye had made a Christmas pudding from scratch and it was yummy! I really enjoyed it, never had homemade pudding before. It was much nicer than anything bought from a store. It was full of fruit and nuts, and incredibly moist. We ate ourselves into a stupor that night ;)

And.. that was Xmas. My new year's resolution is to get my driving licence (finally!). A happy 2007 to everyone :)