1.1.11

I've been telling myself all day that I need to ensure I post today, the first day of the New Year.
I'm certainly got my fingers crossed that today does not set the trend for the forthcoming year. I'm feeling quite miserable. Not sure if I have a cold or hayfever or some kind of allergy. I've taken Codral Cold and Flu tablets, I've taken a good dose of Polarmine, Panadol and Nurofen and I can't say any of it has improved my aches and pains, has only made me feel very dull in the head and quite sleepy.
I really get quite down whenever I am not feeling well. I would dearly love to trade in my ailing body for a new one. Probably something high on my list of wishes for 2011 would be better health.
The Christmas celebrations in our household were just as Christmas should be, all about family. Christmas Eve Geoff's Aunty Helen flew up from Sydney. Its the first time she has been to see us in Queensland since our wedding. She has spent most of her life caring for Geoff's elderly grandparents after his father passed away and leads a fairly quite life.
It was lovely to have her here with our family for Christmas.
She spent a week here, and left to return to Sydney on New Year's Eve.
My mother also came to stay with us on Christmas Eve and left only today. She was happy to stay here and we were happy to have her. She didn't want to spend Christmas time on her own and I can understand that. I think my youngest son is sad to have lost his roommate. My mother also brought with her, her current housemate, Dash, who is the puppy of a friend of mine currently holidaying in the US. The kids have loved having Dash here and has made me realise a dog would be a welcome addition to our family, but I'm just not ready for the added responsibility to my long list of things to do.
I've been very lucky this Christmas holidays to have Geoff home. He is taking extended leave from work as his long service leave is well overdue. He won't return to work until the end of January. I must admit it has taken a lot of stress from my shoulders knowing that he isn't returning to work in a few days. We will be driving to Sydney some time in the next week or so to see his family down there.
Christmas has been a very relaxed affair for us. We had a lovely Christmas lunch of our traditional roast pork and veges, trifle for dessert and Mum's Christmas cake. Mum also made a yummy cheesecake.
My older brother Steven came for lunch with his girlfriend Sam. My younger brother and his family were supposed to come but didn't arrive until nearly 4pm in the afternoon so they missed out on our lunch.
The weather over Christmas was rain, rain and more rain. Lucky Santa had gifted the boys with some lego as it was perfect lego building weather.
As I said Helen departed New Years Eve, but my mother stayed. I also had my niece Shanti over for the night as my brother and his girlfriend had a party at their house, as they have done for a couple years as its also Matthew's birthday.
I didn't quite make midnight to stay up and watch the fireworks. Shanti had an unsettled night though so I spent most of the night up anyway.
I won't be making a list of 'new year's resolutions'. I'm sure if I went back to check over what my resolutions were for last year, I may not have achieved too many of those.
I can only hope that 2011 is full of good health and happiness for my family and friends.
Cheers everyone and best wishes for a fabulous New Year.