Hang on, shouldn't it be Cherry Helm Nissan?

Cheers for the amendment though - I'll forward it to my bro, who will at least get it!

some day......some day....and we WON'T be open during our Christmas Party

oh, and thanks for taking the pic!

Today, as I was on way out with Dotty for trip to vets, I met my mail lady, with what she "said was a box of bricks." Not so. Seems as if J&J from Pa. has sent me a box.
Photos later, sorry no cookies ate them. Thanks a bunch. J&J Best chiristmas present ever. bb

Merry Xmas buster!

What did postie bring for me today I wonder?
Oh, a four foot Christmas tree... move along please, nothing to see here...

Yes, Big Sarge sent me a real, honest-to-goodness 4 foot potted tree. How amazing is that?

Sadly, we don't have the room inside for it. Mum was getting herself into a bit of a tizz about where it could go. We compromised on the garden, and everyone is very, very happy about it now. I always was of course - it's a Christmas tree!

Then again, the 'rents are out and haven't seen who I've decorated it yet :) It's... peppermint. And purple. Purple was Jebus' favourite colour you know. Picture in the Christmas trees thread because I am excited and want to write lots of posts about the same thing.

From J&J in Pa
 

From left. Bacon dressing. 4 bags of great looking soup mix. Nuther dressing.
Tastykake. and the last of homemade cookies.
Thanks so very much. Made my day after returning from Vet.

glad you enjoyed. props to jinx. how bout them oatmeal cookies? HUGE! one makes a great breakfast.

Good haul Buster !!!

I got a amazing pacage from Dana today.
Received, opened and appreciated before all the (family) shit went off. Not photographed in time though. I went to collect my prescription and by the time I returned a slanging match was in progress between my sis and niece.

Sorry to bang on about it, but it's a horrible sitch to be in at Christmas.

I took photos after (and some during consumption!) so please don't think you'll be forgotten Dana. Just waiting to do you proper justice, which can't be achieved in a grim mood. A mood temporarily lifted by dessert tonight - Cherries, Brandy Snaps and cream. Photos to follow. Oh, and the broken snaps were scoffed watching Noel's Christmas Presents, which gave us all the outlet we needed for a good cry.

Why, that's the only way to eat broken brandy snaps!

Hope things are starting to settle down a bit over there, hon.

We're getting by. Dad & I can put it out of our heads, but Mum can only forget for a while, then it hits home again and there is more sniping. She shouted at my Dad in the street today, "GET YOUR HANDS OUT OF YOUR POCKETS!" like he was a 3 year old. He was looking for his hanky to wipe his glasses. I know it's because she was worried he would slip and not be able to break his fall, but doing it in public with such a level of venom shows she is on edge.

Anyway. Onto more fun things.

Just when I thought I had received all I was going to, and already far more than I deserve, a HUGE box comes to the door. I mean it's a really big and heavy box! I answered the door this time, and the postman checked his address, because I had such a look of slack-jawed amazement on my face. "What now?!" said Dad jovially as I staggered in with it (how did you get it to the Post Office, babba?)

On opening there was gift upon gift.
A loan of 10? 12? books - too lazy to go to my room and check. A veritable feast for the likes of me, and I haven't asked for any books for Xmas, so this fulfills a real seasonal need. Oh AND a handwritten mini-critique of each.

Then the geographically appropriate gifts - Parkin and locally purchased brandy snaps. Then the name-specific jar of Cherries in Kirsch (Kirsch is my real name). Then the amazing and flamboyant carnival mask (closest she can get to a cock - I know the feeling) and UV body paint to go with it. Then a turkey dinner for the Diz cat.

I have no idea how I lucked into such largesse this year. I honestly can't believe it. And neither can the 'rents - Mum was giving her own side to the story over the fence this morning to our neighbour. "They must all think we're poor!" Sigh. Trust Mum to find a negative. Then again, the alternative is saying I am loved by other people, which I know pleases her immensely, but she could never say because it's too much like boasting.

I didn't take a photo of the Parkin, or the books, sorry.

Photo of me capering in mask will certainly be taken!

So. Reading the above and my surprised joy at getting goodies on 23 December, imagine my surprise at coming downstairs on Christmas Eve to this.

I know you can tell it's a hamper.
But to me it might as well have been John Barrowman in saran wrap and a ribbon around his cock, I was so pleased and surprised.

No clues on the outside - delivered from a local depot, nothing to state what was inside. I swear Mum and Dad are suspecting I order this stuff for myself now.

Nope, when I opened it there was a card. It's only from our own Aliantha! Major treats, not from Australia as we know that's not eco-friendly and anyway could never be fresh, but ordered for me from a UK supplier.

I won't patronise by listing the fruit - you can see it, you know what it is. But for me, unwrapping the tissue paper for each layer, each item was a lovely treat. Mum was next to me, squealing at the choc. Dad was trying to pretend he is bored by all this present opening, but sidling up to the pears (he adores fruit).

The grim morning we were having was raised by the shared experience of opening a hamper - something we used to do years ago. In fact my bro later remarked (see Happy Thread) that sadly it wasn't a real hamper as it didn't have tongue or hotdogs in brine in it. As a joke of course - it's a ref to the hampers of yore, when every year they would arrive with those two inedible items. Til I hit 15 and realised I adored tinned hotdogs.

Thanks again, Ali, and everyone who has put in so much time, effort and money this year. And also to the people who sent PMs. I've been amazed and touched with every delivery and well-wish and had a good old cry - in a happy way. You're amazing.

Wow!
FSM bless us, every one.