Christmas and New Year

We had a really quiet Christmas this year. I don't really have a big family any more so for most of the time it was just me, mom and dad, with my sister and her fiancé popping in occasionally. 

Still it was nice and relaxed. Especially as the new sofa did finally arrive so we didn't have to sit on the floor any longer. 

Christmas

In fact the whole Christmas/New Year was quiet. I "helped" mom and dad out in the garden, replacing the fencing which had all fallen down. 

Me helping.

One of the main things I did (other than lots of work) was shop! I now had a full office set up in the spare room. Me and mom getting the desk from Ikea was interesting - neither of us could shop giggling when the GPS got confused and got us lost. Though as I was by crushed by the desk at the time, looking back I am not sure what was so funny!

And I also brought a car yesterday! My first car. It is so cute and the perfect color. It's only little but in great condition and perfect for me. So I am now mobile! 

My new car!

New Years and Moonshine

We didn't do much on New Year Eve. Both mom and dad were at work during the day so I worked and went out for lunch with Sarah for a catch up. On the evening we stayed in and mom cooked an amazing meal. We also started on the Prosecco mixed with a raspberry liquor.

Posh dinner again

We never made it to dessert - we were just too full. We chilled out, watching TV and listening to music until midnight. And of course drinking a bit more wine. We had probably too much. Ok, definitely too much but it doesn't happen often.

A little merry

Happy New Year selfie

Dad also decided to start a new New Year's Eve tradition - whiskey and chocolate log. He was very happy with this decision. :-)

Chocolate log and whiskey tradition

Today, after a visit from my sister and Oz, we went to visit my aunt and uncle, taking the moonshine with us. I managed to bring back 3 different types of moonshine with me from the States; classic, strawberry, and peach. Moonshine is an experience. 

Moonshine

We only did little tasting as everyone had over indulged the night before. But they do say hair of the dog.  The peach was my favorite. The strawberry, not so much. And the classical definitely has a warming feeling. They are all 40%, 80 proof. I still have the rest of the jars back in Blacksburg. (They are from heavy mason jars so I put them in more portable plastic ones for the trip.)

Sort of enjoying it? 

Before tasting

Dad after tasting!

The expression after the first taste is the best bit. We all moved to more sensible tea and coffee after though. Turns out I am not a fan of the Hair of the dog method!

New Year

The past week has been great. I have spent it mostly chilling out, working and going for runs. Basically being a hermit. Not everyones ideal week but it did me good.
New Years Eve was also relaxed. I skyped my parents around their midnight, though they didn't quite make it until midnight. Cissi came over and we made pizza. I used to do this a lot but with the whole gluten problem, I haven't had the chance. But recently I found a GF option. :-) And I taught Cissi how to properly load a pizza. She was much too conservative with the toppings! (Normally mine are much more loaded!)

New Years Eve pizza Feast

We also opened a bottle of wine we brought ages ago and have been calling the Naked Man wine. It was very nice. And a few glasses of a hot spiced apple wine I brought from near Penn State in June. And I got to use my really cool (and geeky) pizza cutter I got for my birthday last year.

Enterprise pizza cutter

Naked Man wine

We watched Despicable Me 2 and wrote bucket lists, which sounds morbid, but it was really fun thinking about all the fun things we wanted to do. And for me, all the things I am going to get to tick off that list this year.

I was in bed and asleep before midnight. :-) Happy 2014!