Run up to Christmas

The run up to Christmas (and Christmas) was pretty dull this year. 

I went to our Christmas party at work this year. It was impressive but I am just not a party person so left early.

Girl band

Dinner entertainment. 

Also spent a weekend with Matt, El Clare and the lovely little Livvy up north. 

Parties

During my week at home, I popped into Olivia's 2nd birthday party. She actually likes me now so I didn't get much time to sit down. She seemed to have a good time and all (adults and children) alike seemed knackered by then end. I also got to catch up with some others friends I haven't seen in ages which was great.

Birthday cake.

Happy little birthday girl.

We also went out for a meal for mom's retirement.

Dad's birthday and retirement party

Dad turns 65 this week and officially retired on Friday. And he was so happy! 

I went home for a long weekend, travelling home Thursday. I had hoped the traffic would be better than on a Friday. But no. The M40 was a nightmare. 

On Friday we started the prep for the party and I got a hair cut as my hairdresser is awesome and it is crazy expensive in London. On the evening when Dad got home, we had a take away and a few bottles of wine to celebrate.

The party was Saturday afternoon and carried on into the night. And we had so much food. I forgot to take a photo (I was too busy getting drinks and refilling the food) but I did get some of the cake.

We did a little decorating, mainly putting up photos of dad around the house. He was such  cute kid.

My dad as a kid.

The weather held out for the most part (it started spitting a little at about 7pm) so most people were sitting outside for most of the afternoon. Everyone showed up so we had to dig out some extra chairs.

Birthday boy blowing out the candles. 

It was a great night. Everyone left with food parcels and we had to pour one person into a car at the end. (Thankfully as it was mom's car, she did not need the supplied puke bucket.) Dad had a great time and is already planning things for his spare time. 

I also got my latest project framed and picked it up this weekend. Due to the weight and size, it's going to have to stay at mom and dads until I have a house where I can put some holes in the walls. They are quite happy with this and I'll be lucky to get it back! It turned out better than I expected. 

NOTHS Christmas Party

This week was a really long one with the NOTHS Christmas Party on Wednesday. Getting there was a mission as it was in Shoreditch, the other side of London from the NOTHS office. But I changed at the office and ended up at a friends house for an hour before hand.

They had people making balloon hats and brackets and wings. There was a photo booth downstairs and a karaoke booth upstairs. The choir (I am a member) sang at the start and we started having fun.

My hat

I asked for something discrete

I was really sad when my hat got popped! :(

Betty and her wings.

The guys were not as impressed.

Photo booth!

The party was fun but got packed and after a girl slipped her G&T own the back of my dress I decided to give up. I then realised I had left my house keys in the office. Thankfully Ruth lives near the office and has after hours access. And she wanted to leave early. (At least she said she did - I brought her mince pies to say thank you anyway).

IAC Christmas party

The weather in Tenerife has been amazing over the past few weeks. Last weekend I intended to work but it was just too nice, so headed into town to finish my Christmas shopping. (I may have over done the number of things I brought. My suitcases were slightly over the limit!).

Pretty

I was lucky to find a table at my favorite restaurant, a lovely Turkish place down by Concepcion. While having lunch, as group of men showed up in some interesting outfits and started singing. They seem to be singing and drinking their way down around town. 

Some very secure men.

Music

No idea why.

I am already missing the weather in Tenerife (back in the raining UK now).

Love December in Tenerife

Friday was the IAC Christmas party. It started at 2.30pm and carried on until midnight, though I left early. It was in the cafeteria downstairs but much better than the normal food. And there was roughly a bottle of wine each. To start. They kept replacing them. Quite a few people were very drunk. And I will admit to having a few glasses! :) 

Friends

The cafeteria often gives us interesting food. And the only place I have even been where the normal choices could be squid or rabbit. The finger food was interesting. No one really knew what is was. And as this is Spain, the starter was cuttlefish with Mojo sauce.

Starter - cuttlefish

And they have the IAC 'famous' bingo. No idea why it is famous but still. Everyone was quite excited about this. And to be fair, when I had only 2 numbers left and found out the prize was over 500 euros, I was getting a little excited too! I didn't win. :(

Getting ready for raffle and 'famous' bingo

Getting into the bingo

But I did win one of the raffles prizes. A giant box of things. It contained 3 bottles of wine and a stack of Spanish treats. I ended up giving over half away, including the wine as nothing else was going to fit in the suitcase.

I won!

After the raffle and bingo, they moved some of the tables, and started the music and dancing. But I was done. I ended up going into town with a couple of friends for coffee (well hot chocolate for me). La Laguna is really pretty and I will miss it.

La Lagun centre

Leaving party and Sangria

It's a little early as I am not leaving for another month but a lot of people are going away in July. So Saturday night Debbie throw me a little party at her beautiful house. It was mainly my friends from the wine club and a few from Uni. It was the usual, bring food and wine and drinks will be supplied.

My food contribution - balsamic strawberry and goat cheese nibbles.

 Debbie even got me an amazing GF cake from Bollo's. It was so good.

My pretty (and tasting) cake

 And Jan spelled my name out in peppers on the salad.

Me

We got some lovely group photos too as I don't have many of the group.

Cait, Jan Me, Betty and Debbie

Walt, Richard, me, Bob and David

The wine club

With David 

Debbie and the amazing food display

Cutting the cake.

And nearly everyone went home with some of Richard's fractal pictures, which are seriously cool. Here are mine.

fractals

More fractals.

It was a lovely night, very relaxed and a lot of fun. Blacksburg hasn't been the kindest to me overall, but I have been amazing luckily and blessed to have known such a lovely group of people. :-) So definitely not all bad.

On Sunday evening, I went with Debbie to a Sangria workshop at Zeppolli's. It was fun even if some of the concoctions were not so good. I did like the one with jalapeños which was different but had some heat to it.

Make your own

Stephanie had made a bunch of pitchers which were very tasting and we got glasses to make our own. Mine just tasted like fruit juice, so were very nice, but I imagine very easy to get very drunk on.

My concoctions.

And it was not as easy as you would think. One of Debbie's, which sounded like it should work, really didn't. They looked very pretty though.

More colorful concoctions.

It was a lot of fun and put me in the mood for Tenerife as I can now officially say I have accepted a job there. It's only until December I think but still. Ready for Island living!