NYC and Christmas

So, here's another layout. I did this one a while ago - about a year I think, and it's to showcase some of the pictures I took of the Bethesda fountain in Central Park. It was such a wonderful day I spent in the park with 2 friends. Can't wait to return to New York.

As far as Christmas goes, I've signed up for Shimelle's Journal Your Christmas class. As I've officially left home now (instead of the fake kind of leaving home one does during university terms) and got a job and a mortgage and all that jazz, I feel it's time for me to start some of my own Christmas traditions. Some will be adapted from home, such as watching White Christmas and singing along, or lighting candles and then pointing out that the room is suddenly incredibly warm in an hilarious fashion. This is what my family will be doing during December!

I shall head home for Christmas itself but, until the end of term, I shall be Decembering it in the metropolis, and I'm really looking forward to finding out what makes Old London Town tick come Michaelmas. Twinkly lights ho!

This is an extremely long way of saying that I've never made a minibook or a Christmas LO and taking the class will mean I accomplish both, whilst being able to keep a little record to refer to (and add to) in future years.

In other news, sooooooo much marking this week. Am drowning. Fortunately going to a sleepover this weekend so can relax. That and second flat viewing!!! V. excited, especially as I can hardly remember what it's like.

Layout the first.

May it be known that I drink more tea than anyone else I know. My parents think it is probably bad for me, but they got me started on the whole lark so really I don't see what they've got to complain about. Anyway, then I found Whittards and 178000 cups of tea later, I still crave this lovely stuff and it just keeps on getting better. I love that now that I work full time, I can fit in more cups of tea during the day in the office. What better accompaniment to work!

However, my devotion to tea is something I would like to scrap more about. This is a LO I'm coming round to, but don't completely love and yet can't figure out why. The premise is simple - I really enjoy a good morning, afternoon or, when the luxury of time permits, a whole day lazing in a coffee shop. And saying a tea shop doesn't conjour up the same image. It makes me think of places like Betty's that are lovely but you don't feel like you can take a book and read all day, or type your dissertation for six hours and only order one drink because you have no money. You can curl up and relax properly in coffee shops and even though I hate coffee, I adore lovely, cosy, stay-all-day-and-have-the-carrot-cake-twice little venues where you can eavesdrop on life as it wanders past the window. Especially when the tea comes extra large and it's still cheaper than the coffee.

And here's hoping my tech-savvy skills are good to go. What I'd like to do is take some more photos of tea itself, especially my cute little teacups and saucers. And my tea collection. But things like that will have to wait until I move into my flat.

Then all I'll need is a photo printer...

With What Porpoise?

Because, at heart, I am a list maker, here is a list of things that I'd like to do with this blog:

• Post scrapbook pages... Need to develop tech-savvy in order to accomplish this. Also need to find better way of taking pictures of LOs. This is in fact my primary purpose.
• Things at work that make me laugh. Could even categorise posts. Especially as privacy issues dubious. Could make some stuff invisible. See tech-savvy.
• List goals, mini or otherwise. Nice to then tick them off. Part of the lists thing.
• Write in full sentences with connectives and pronouns. Starting...soon.
• Books. We'll see where that one goes.

So, I have perfected my hot chocolate-making skills. I have determined to keep the recipe secret for a while so I can get some mileage out of it this winter. I harbour Nigella-esque desires to be the perfect hostess and whip up some deliciously thick, wintry Ho-Cho from scratch at a moment's notice. Occasional lump notwithstanding. Egotistical? Yes. But oh-so-much fun.

And so now I can. The perfecting process took a lot less time than I thought. Exactly 2 batches. So now I need to think of something else that I'd like to make really well. And I can repeat this process ad infinitum, or at least until I have a whole repertoire of delicious, drop-of-a-hat gorgeous comfort food guaranteed to please.

Cupcakes seem to be everywhere at the moment. Sounds like a project!

NB to self: Also soup.