Theme song for xmas 2006 and snow and shoes, no toilet humour, or at least not much.

The two year old nephew is obsessed by one particular cartoon. Like many children, he wants it over and over and over and over again. His parents just want peace in their house while all these visitors are here. The Pat and Mat music has become the theme song of my Christmas 2006. I am frequently seen escaping the room as it comes on the tube, although I am now developing a certain nostalgia for it. Just thought I'd share.

On another note, the toilets here have this neat feature. Two flushers, all put together attractively, like overlapping elipses. (Oh for a digital, I could give you all an image.) The two buttons are different sizes, the large button for a large flush...etc etc etc. I described it to my kids as...one is for a big job, and the other for a little job. This adds a certain stress to flushing though. Instead of the usual mindless routine, you now have to contemplate things. Yes, you could just mindlessly flush the big job every time, but in the interest of water conservation which is the point I assume, I find myself pondering. Was that a really big job, a medium big job or a not so big job. Which flush to use? If I decide it is a little job and then it doesn't all go away like the nightmare at the boss's christmas party when the damn thing just WILL NOT disappear. (Why don't they fix their fucking toilet...?) you then need to use the large flush, thereby wasting more water than you would have if you had used the big flush in the first place. Or, you could try the little flush again, thereby not wasting quite as much water..... I know, pathetic, but I do find myself debating this with myself in the wee small hours of the early morning...

Later....

IT SNOWED!!!! The faintest gilding of snow, but it had my kids jumping on me very early this morning and we were out having snowball fights - very slow and very small balls since the only available snow was on the cars. We also made snow mice. Really there was very little snow, but they were thrilled. I borrowed the sister's shoes for this event. Sandals would have left a few toes behind in the cold. We had cocoa when we came in, even though the snow was less that amazing.

Later still......

Had one of those rare and miraculously good shopping trips with the sister. Found TWO pairs of shoes, for about 5 Euros each, birthday gifts for the girls _{sssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhh}, and a little something for myself too...two hair chopsticks, one with a carved bird on the end, and one with a lizard, both jet black, and a raw unpolished amber bracelet..it is unusual and interesting and I love it. Weeeeeee. Warm toes. Ohhh, I also saw the most amazing underwear...took a pic with the sister's camera, when she sends me the photo I'll post it and tell ya more.