It's been a long time...

Blimey!  It's been ages since I posted a proper update.  Quite a lot has happened.  I will attempt to summarise below:

• It was Christmas.  I was given: a stir fry pan, some very fluffy slippers, a calender, a diary, the original Star Wars trilogy on DVD (theatrical and re-mastered versions), Zelda for DS (stuck already, haven't even managed to complete the tutorial level), lots of chocolate (nearly all gone) and probably some other stuff which I've now forgotten.  Spent Christmas Day and Boxing Day with my parents, uncle and sister.
• Went out to dinner with MBFFS and another friend.  MBFFS still with very decent sounding boyfriend.
• It was New Year.  Spent New Year's Eve at friend's flat in Tooting.  Wasn't last at Wii Mario Kart (was second last) which I thought was quite good as I was the only person there who'd never played before.  Failed to convince anyone to come with me to see The Prodigy at Wembly Arena.
• Gave up drinking.  Again.
• Finally caught the stomach bug lurgy straight after new year.  Spent two days in bed feeling awful.
• Went to see a very amusing play called 'Mary Goes First' at The Orange Tree theatre in Richmond.
• My future brother in law fell over a chair and broke his arm.
• It snowed twice, but not enough to settle very much.
• Have been very, very busy at work.
• One of the other Brownie Leaders retired.  She gave me a bunch of flowers as a thank you for my help over the years.
• Went to see a friend from work appearing in an amateur production of 'Hay Fever' at Questors theatre in Ealing.  It was much funnier than the professional production we saw of the same play a couple of years ago.
• Had my hair cut.  Bleach is nearly gone now.
• Attempted to teach the Brownies to 'read a simple map' for their Brownie Skills badge.
• Was given another bunch of flowers at Brownies as a birthday gift.  Had to tear all the leaves off of the first bunch of flowers and put them in a narrow necked vase so I could fit the new flowers in the other vase.  Decided I possibly need another vase. 
• Turned 28.  Now officially unable to deny being in my 'late 20s'.  Had cake at work.  Went to Giraffe in Richmond with uni friends in the evening.  Ate ice-cream.  Was given: a necklace adorned with lots of butterflies made of shell, a make-up bag, four little bottles of Next perfume and a scarf.  Still awaiting presents from family.  Had a nice day but a bit disappointed by the number of people who didn't remember. 
• Entered fangirl nostalgia overdrive after seeing The Tribe 10 year reunion party photos pointed out to me by hestia8 and Mr Mole.
• My Great-Auntie May died.  She was very old and had been suffering from dementia for several years.  Still rather sad though.  She was married to my paternal grandmother's older brother who died five years ago.  My grandmother had five brothers and five sisters who all married.  Now they are all dead.
• Spent £25 in about 10 minutes on the 1911 Census website.  Realised they had transcribed my maternal grandmother's name incorrectly (she was 8 months old in 1911). 
• Survived my appraisal at work.
• My work colleague's niece finally had her (very overdue) baby.

So that's it.  One month in the life of i_just_hide in a nutshell.

Tomorrow I'm going out for a curry with my parents, sister and future brother in law to celebrate my birthday.  I haven't had a curry for ages so I'm really looking forward to it.  I'm hoping that future brother in law is feeling a bit better now as his broken arm was causing him lots of pain last time I heard from my sis. 

Before going out for the curry I need to sort out my new venetian blind.  I've cut all the slats but the thread had fallen off so it all needs re-threading.  I am aware that this is not a very exciting way to spend a Saturday.

Next week is going to be a great TV week.  New series of both Gossip Girl and Skins.  Yay!