Happy New Years Everyone!

I started a post a couple days ago, mostly dicussing my lack of posting and some thoughts about the new year, but got stuck halfway in and gave it up. Despite having a great desire to blog daily, I seem to lack the skill to do so. I won't appologize, even though I do feel bad, because I'd like to try to cut down on the guilt in my life.

Before I get onto the financial matters, I would like to wish everyone a Happy Christmas and a Happy New Years! This was my first New Years and Christmas both outside of Canada and away from my family. Fortunately I had some of my closest friends visiting and keeping me company over the festive season, and thus wasn't completely alone.

Christmas here in London felt odd. There was no -20C temperatures to avoid, no snow/ice on the ground, and little gift-buying. I cooked my own turkey with stuffing, potatos and gravy (and it was surprisingly good!), wrapped my own presents, and watched very few festive movies. I lacked the general merriment that my house radiates over the season, where my mother bakes constant cookies and listens to christmas music as the dog hops around the oven, watching the turkey cook. It was very low key. It was lovely, though. Just different.

New Years here in London was chaotic. We decided to head into central London to watch the fireworks. Yes, I know what you're thinking - most Londoners told it to me too - I'm crazy. But, I'm only here for two New Years Eve's, and I figured that I had to do this at least once. We got down to Lambeth Bridge about 10:50 p.m., and wiggled into a good spot to watch the fireworks. By the time midnight fell upon us, we had gotten ourselves to some good positions. We 'oooed' and 'ahhhed' for the 15 minute duration of the fireworks then spent the next 3 hours trying to get home to Southfields Tube Station. As far as people have told me that is standard, but when I read in the papers that 700,000 people had come out to watch the fireworks, it was still pretty amazing.

Told you it was a pretty impressive view.

All in all, it was a good festive period. I ended up catching a pretty nasy cold, which made working as much as I did rough. I am still riding the tail ends of it, so I'm not 100% better, but working on it. I enjoyed having my friends here with me, it was nice to chat with people that you have a history with, rather than my flatmates, where I have to explain a lot of things. Splitting cooking and grocery bills was cheaper(ish), too.

Other than that, I'm still working on my new figures for the rest of this year. When everything is calculated I will post again. Hope you all had lovely holidays!