Just Like Christmas Eve

It feels like Christmas Eve tonight. We've each opened gifts, shoes for Chris and books for me (thanks John & Judy!). There are appetizers in the oven...a Kuckleburg family tradition, the only thing missing is oyster stew to make Chris feel like he backs in Springfield. I'm going to watch one of my favorite holiday movies, Love Actually, later tonight while Chris finishes reviewing a journal paper.

Tomorrow we fly to Barcelona and we return from Lisbon on New Year's Day. The forecast isn't quite as warm as I had hoped but it will be about 10-15 degrees warmer than here, so a bit better. Cold weather is hard to pack for when backpacks are your only form of luggage, as warm clothes are quite bulky. I think we'll end up needing to do laundry at some point during our 11 day trip. Planning and packing for this trip reminded me of why I love tours so much. Of course the biggest advantage is that they're the cheapest way to travel, but also they take much of the worry and stress out of traveling. Unfortunately we couldn't find a tour during the dates I have off work, so we have to do this trip on our own.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas! We're very much looking forward to being home next year to celebrate with friends and family. One more Christmas card to share with you...yet another brussel sprout card, which I still find bizarre. We've received lots of cards this year, partially due to my participation in a UK-Yankee (Americans living in the UK) card exchange :)

Christmas Cards and Music

I love Christmas cards, especially those that contain photos and/or long letters...you know the type that give highlights of the family's year. I suppose I'm most excited to see photos and read letters from people that don't keep blogs, aren't on Facebook, etc..


I've picked my favorite card of those that I've received so far and it is one that says..."Blimey! I went out to celebrate after work on Christmas Eve and got totally bladdered, yet this morning I don't seem to have a hangover," though Jackie, not realising it was now the 3rd of January.

No doubt you guessed it was from a British co-worker. The words they choose to use and their pronunciation of certain words never ceases to amuse me. One that makes me laugh everytime is the word controversy, here it's pronounced con.tra.va.see.

The strangest card I've received (also from a British co-worker) says...Give a sprout a home this Christmas (and has a picture of a brussel sprout).

Another aspect of Christmas that I love is the music. As I was riding the bus home tonight listening to Christmas songs on my MP3 player I was thinking about what I'd consider to be my favorite Christmas albums and songs. Here's what I came up with (it's a long boring bus ride)...

Favorite Albums -
Singers Unlimited
Martina McBride
Alabama Christmas (vol 1)

Favorite Songs -
River - Sarah McLachlan
It Could Happen Again - Collin Raye
God Bless The Child - Shania Twain

I miss having my binder of Christmas song lyrics which I created a few years ago so that I could sing along to every verse of my favorites (it's currently stored in my Mom's basement). I imagine that sounds quite lame, but I did have a lot of time on my hands when I worked at Weather Central :) The best was when I had one of my Mom's pianos in my apartment and I could play and sing my favorite songs!

Office Politics

My department at work shares office space with two other departments and like most offices, everyone does not always get along. The latest saga revolves around Christmas decorating. This morning my boss (who normally stays out of these things) came in with bags full of Christmas decorations because the other two departments had decked their areas last week and left us out. Due to our placement between them, if left our area looking quite bare, but my boss fixed that today with banners, garland, and a tree. I had to take a picture of what our department tree ended up looking like after my 3 male co-workers finished decorating it :)


People here seem to celebrate Christmas at work more so than I experienced in the States. In addition to Christmas decorations throughout the office, Christmas work parties are very popular and planned months in advance. Unfortunately they tend to be quite expensive because restaurants only offer set menus for work parties (kind of like dining out on New Year's Eve in the U.S.). Another example is that everyone exchanges cards. It reminds me of Valentine's Day school in elementary school :)

Shut Up and Sing

I watched a really interesting documentary tonight called Shut Up and Sing, which tells the story of The Dixie Chicks controversy. The Republican hubby had no interest in watching it with me. I didn't realize how bad things had gotten for them, until I saw the footage of their police escort into a Dallas concert due to death threats. One letter actually said the date and time that their lead singer Natalie would be shot to death.

Back in 2003 I didn't realize that Natalie's comments were made during a London concert. It's no surprise to me that she got a very supportive reaction after telling the crowd "Just so you know, we're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas." I have yet to meet a Brit who has anything good to say about Bush.

To date many radio stations south of the Mason-Dixon line still refuse to play Dixie Chicks music despite their most recent album debuting at number 1 on the charts. It would be quite an experience if Chris' job took us to one of those states. Either way, I just pray I'm home in time to vote in the next presidential election. After all, everyone knows overseas ballots have a way of disappearing :)

My favorite song from their recent album is "Not Ready to Make Nice", specifically the following verse...

I made my bed and I sleep like a baby

With no regrets and I don’t mind sayin’

It’s a sad sad story when a mother will teach her

Daughter that she ought to hate a perfect stranger

And how in the world can the words that I said

Send somebody so over the edge

That they’d write me a letter

Sayin’ that I better shut up and sing

Or my life will be over