Almost feeling festive

I had a mince pie at morning tea today. It was the first time I've felt remotely festive. I suppose tomorrow lunchtime, when we have some sort of office Christmas lunch thing (they had a spit roast a couple of years ago I was told) that I might begin to feel Christmassy. Especially at the end of the lunch when I can come home and not think about work until 3rd January. Other than a couple of public holidays I've had half a day off since I started at the end of August. I am definitely in need of a break. How do people survive in this country with only 20 days holiday a year? It's a big drop after I had 28 in the UK.

Last night my department (plus partners) all went out to dinner. I was unsure beforehand, with Thai food not being my most fave (due to the heavy use of noth lemongrass and coriander), but in the end the food was fantastic. Hardly a whiff of lemongrass or coriander to be found.

I guess last night will the last time we all go out together like that. In the New Year things are going to be very different. Lisa is leaving to set up her own creative design company and my boss is heading off to Perth to manage our new venture out there. There are all sorts of plans afoot to restructure the marketing department once he leaves at the beginning of Jan, but we're not privy to them at the moment. In theory we'll be told tomorrow before we all head home, but I'm not holding my breath. There are sorts of rumours about who will be reporting to you and the department being split up between different managers and stuff. I guess we'll find out at some point, eh? The uncertainty has definitely caused some unrest recently in the department though. For various reasons there are people with a lot to lose or gain depending on the outcome of senior level decisions being made.

It was so good to be able to play football again tonight. It's the first time for ages. It's just happened that the past few Thursdays I've had something on. I've certainly missed it. We won again tonight, 14-4. We're really playing some nice football at times.

I've just been reading Ruth and Keith's blog about their trip around the south island. It's great to find out what they've been doing and seeing so far. Although it sounds like they've had a bit of vehicle trouble.

So, one more day or work and then we fly up north for 8 days. It'll be good to catch up with all of Jo's folks. Gabi has offered to give Joanne and I a lift to the airport on Saturday morning. How lovely is that, eh?