MERRY CHRISTMAS!
I'm at Michael's parent's house for the holidays. It's my first time away from home for Christmas and it's kind of sad, but it's good that I'm getting to spend it with Michael and his family.
He got my beautiful blue and gold glass earrings and I got him old fashioned mustache wax and a beard comb (which unfortunately is still in transit). His parents got me a really warm bright colored scarf and matching magenta and purple and black suede gloves. They look so like high fashion! And got Michael a really nice robe, which was hilarious because he just recently bought himself a new robe. That's why he's impossible to shop for! He buys his own stuff when he wants it! His Nan got me reaaaaally beautiful acrylic yarn, that's all fluffy and stuff, I'm so excited to play with it (after my paper and dissertation proposal are in). Ash and Daniel got Michael a fancy metal ballscratcher, I jest not and a bottle of Belvedere vodka and me a beautiful silk scarf with an impressionistic iris print, it's sooo pretty! Oh and they got Michael's mom and dad this HUGE christmas cracker. Like the size of my head! And it was full of fancy chocolates and like really nice silver crowns and stuff. The coolest christmas cracker I've ever seen!
Oooh, and we're super looking forward to seeing Ash (Michael's brother's fiance) and her little girl, Eva's reaction to her present. We got Eva butterfly wings and a headband with antennae on it, because she's OBSESSED with things that fly, and for her belated birthday present I made her a little hat with a butterfly made of buttons on it. We haven't got to see her yet this trip, but Eva's the cutest little thing, I can't wait!

Besides the holidays, I've got quite a large amount of work to do. A paper that is 100% of my grade, which has basically gone wrong at every turn, I swear I'm cursed. And my dissertation proposal which isn't graded, but once submitted you're not allowed to stray far from that concept because you get assigned an adviser based on that idea, so I need that to be pretty well thought out.
I worked all day yesterday on going to yet another museum to try to find an exhibit I could do my paper on. I sort of found one, but I don't have enough time to find yet ANOTHER one, so I'm just going to do my best. And the rest of the night I wrote and found more info. Going to pretty much do the same as much as I can, without being totally antisocial during the holidays.

But, besides the work, everything is going well! It's VERY cold inside, but not snowing or anything outside. In fact, most of the time, it's colder in the house than outside, but usually it's raining outside, so opening all the windows isn't a good option. It's a bit strange, I guess I've gotten used to how christmas goes at home, but it's good here. I miss my family so much, but I'm hoping that the phones will be sorted out so that I can call everyone today. I'm so looking forward to talking to my family!

Anyway, I'd better get started on my stuffing for christmas lunch. Merry Christmas! Lots of love!
Audrey <3