Hello again after my silence!
I do apologise but I have been extremely busy and looking at the dates- realised that it is not too long til Christmas .Life has been in the fast lane for both Marc and I and it is rushing away! Marc has been extremely busy with normal work, up-skilling his qualifications in Obstetrics through visiting Lismore Base Hospital every Thursday and Saturday since August, plus taking on the normal amount of meetings and extra meetings and extra obstetrics calls when needed. I have been busy with 3-4 days at the surgery plus preschool work and meetings and getting ready for the end of years concerts- not to mention the end of year for staff at surgery. Oh yes, It has been quite an interesting year! Marc tonight is on call at the hospital and will be home about midnight. We have had a lot of changes happening or will be happening in 2014 at the surgery but shall save that news for then…
However Christmas is almost here and on the 7th December we leave for Europe for 6 glorious weeks away. Marc is burning out and this will be chance to recuperate. This is the longest holiday we have had in 5 years – the last was our honeymoon when we were away for 5 weeks..up to now it has been a week here, a ling weekend, 2/ 3 weeks max but that is about it. It will also be the first time we will be away for Christmas and we will be in Salzburg Austria for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and in Vienna for New Years Eve. I am so looking forward to Salzburg as the Christmas Mass in the town cathedral is the highlight- they have 12,000 people attend on Christmas Eve with a full choir and a full service and then they end the evening with candlelight only with Silent Night being sung with a guitar and three men- the original version- as it is the original place where the song comes from- and yes it will all be in German! Then the evening mass ends with the pealing of the bells and this is followed by the 12 other churches int he city pealing their bells so you leave the church with Christmas greetings to the serenading of bells! It will be amazing….but 12,000 people, I have never been in a church that big. Apparently you have to start lining up around 9.30 to get a seat for the 11.30 commencements…I am happy to sit on the floor if needed just to be there!
Christmas Eve is where they also have their traditional dinner instead of our Christmas day, so the hotel where we are staying sent up a menu and locations of some nice restaurants and so we have booked a Christmas Buffet and dessert complete with musical accompaniment, mulled wine etc….and so this again will be something new. I am so looking forward to that- we will be halfway through the holiday by then and I am sure you will have heard from me before then.
On 23rd November, I am having my family here to celebrate Christmas dinner. we will gather for Christmas at night as everyone -Marc Tanya and Matt are working and so they will not be here until 6-7pm, but that is ok as we will eat outside and have a nice tome. Lauren Adam and my gorgeous grandson will be here for the whole weekend, mum and dad and my best friend Margie and Warren are coming too- so a nice family gathering 1 month before. We will also have the tree ready and up as well…after all it is Christmas!
Next year will be different as we will celebrate Christmas at Tanya’s house – there will be a 7 month old and an 8 month old baby and an almost 4 year old as both Lauren and Tanya are pregnant- one month apart. We are honoured to be grandparents again- and will have three grandchildren to celebrate with! I am so excited. Tanya at the moment is 13 weeks and Lauren 17 weeks….this is their 2nd child and Tanya’s first!
I love love love being a grandparent!
On the 4th December we will have the staff Christmas party here at our place. This is the first time that has happened and everyone will bring a plate to share and Marc and I have supplied the alcohol. We had to do it on a week night as again time is rushing and people had various things on during weekends so it was decided this was thE date- it is the last week we are there, we all have to go to work the next day=- but will be a fun night! I have been busy wrapping up the gifts for everyone and we are going to finish the night after some games with singing carols around the piano…that will be something new and different not done before! I have all the carols from my teaching days- and I can sightread music quickly or hear it and play it, so it will be fun and different. Got to keep thigns different!
Exciting news re my book is that I have received the proofs for the cover of my book and the interior and it is now being readied as an e book as well as published in hard copy ( paperback). It will be here before Christmas but we are leaving it until we get home and then shall have a party to celebrate and launch the book. It has been a joint affair in publishing and another milestone in this year. I have already started another book with two chapters written- that one at the moment is called ( Temporarily) “Step into my world”…
Marc and I completed 12 weeks in Italian lessons early this year and we have been busy practicing that as well. i can read it fluently, Marc can speak it better than I, i can remember phrases etc- so we will muddle along together. Nana Bussa has also been writing to us in Italian and we her- and last weekend I received a letter and I read it in Italian to Tanya ( who can also speak Italian) and then translated it in English to her..I was so proud of myself and did not use any references except my brain. I am sure we will be able to understand it when we are there- German and Greek will be a different kettle of fish.
That’s about it for this blog- again my apologies for lack of writing, but I am assuming that you will gets lots of these when we are away- so shall make up for them!
Love and hugs to everyone !!