Mixed Blessings

Well, we're a way into the new year and not much has changed.

I'm back in Johannesburg, and so my connection to ADSL has gone once more. I'm still bored and unemployed - growing steadily broker by the day. Even the freelance work I had to keep me afloat last month has dried up what with all the businesses closing over the festive period. However, it's now a far better time of the year to be looking for work, so I'm somewhat optimistic.

Christmas was excellent. Three days of family as we combine the European tradition of Christmas eve supper, with the South African tradition of Christmas day lunch and then my gran has her birthday on boxing-day. This year it was her 90th, so a little more effort was put into having a lovely celebration lunch. And she's holding up faily well for her age, despite being mostly wheelchair-bound.

I do still persist in feeling a little saddened by how much our present christmas 'routine' has altered from my childhood - it's still enjoyable, but much of the magic has gone. Although much is salvaged by the fact that we still have a big christmas tree at home every year which I get to decorate!

I decided to return to Joburg for New Years, I though maybe this would make for a more, well, exciting one, but I then I never have much luck with NYE parties, and this year was no different. I landed up having to go to one house party, leave than and then travel to another which was miles away, and then head back to the first.

I hadn't really wanted to go to the second party, but it was combined with a friend's birthday, so I felt obliged to show my face. Along the way, despite harldy touching alcohol, I managed to land up feeling extremely nausous by 2am due some seafood paella I'd had at the second party coming to disagree with the large quanity of very artificial ginger cordial I'd swallowed. Food poisoning is not your friend.

I'm also hoping that it wasn't an indication of the year to come...