Christmas domesticity!

I successfully made mince pies, look...

I am feeling very proud of myself. They even taste good despite the fact I forgot to add any salt to the pastry. This comes in the wake of me making biscotti last night. I managed to salvage some good looking biscuits from the carnage that ensued in the kitchen but also went to bed with a very full stomach after having eaten many bits that fell apart or were a little on the overdone side. Aren't my friends here lucky to be receivers of such gifts?!

I've had another interesting week with Monday night being a highlight. Sarah took me along to the Choral Arts Society's annual Messiah sing along. We entered a packed church in Portland full of people with thick manuscripts and a dressed down Southern Maine Symphony Orchestra. Sarah strode straight to the front to sit in the Soprano section and I meekly followed behind. There weren't many non-singers in the audience. What followed was beautiful. It really was amazing to be able to sit there amongst all the singers and just watch and listen, especially when the whole chorus were belting out the hallelujah chorus. Wow wow wow! The experience was slightly marred by the fruit bat standing behind who was as deaf as a post, chomped on her gum rather loudly and didin't necessarily hit all of the right notes in the chorus. She made me feel guilty for thinking bad things when she declared at the end of 'hallelujah' that she would never forget being part of it.

This week was also the christmas party at work. For me, the best things about having a christmas party were missing from the very beginning. I couldn't dress up as the party was 4-6pm after school on Thursday and as a result of this bottles of wine and the silliness that usually follows were also absent. Home by ten past 6...in the evening. Needless to say I didn't wake up in the early hours of the morning and wonder why my ankle was throbbing, see anyone do the splits from standing, hear any renditions of 'ice ice baby' or see anyone dancing on chairs. Roll on next year!

It did, however, allow me to experience a Yankee swap. Everyone takes along a gift and leaves it under the tree. You then pick a number from a hat to determine the order you will pick a gift in. Number 1 goes first and unwraps their present. Then number 2. If number 2 likes 1's more than theirs, they can steal it. Number 3 then has choice of their own, number 2's or number 1's and so on. I was number 4 - not great as you want a high number to have the best pick - and unwrapped something that was really not my cup of tea so quickly swapped it for a strange back to front clock which, oddly enough, no-one else wanted. I, however, think I got the best deal!!! My class are intrigued so think we're going to put it up to disconcert visitors to our room!

Anyway, this time next week I should be home on British soil. Very excited. Fingers crossed heavy snow holds off for just a little bit longer. I just hope that all of you are ready to tell me how much you like my accent several times a day to keep me from being Maine-sick!