Monday, December 08, 2003

Thursday and Friday I spent at a research writing retreat for our academic staff, helping them with their database searching. It was very successful and S and I were extremely busy. The academics were mightily impressed. A few more brownie points for the library and a couple of excellent bottles of Yarra Valley vino for us. All good.

My renewed enthusiasm for Christmas has waned. I spent several hours on Saturday at Chadstone and a couple more on Sunday in Brunswick Street looking for gifts, excitement and the meaning of life. Didn't find anything.

Our tree does look wonderful though. All the decorations we have bought on our overseas visits are out of their wrappings for their annual airing. This year there are two new ones: the kiwi Petite Soeur bought and the Cheshire cat which has a grin that's much more than a smile. It is a classic, textbook example of a lear.

The main problem with Christmas is the monotonous regularity with which it comes around. It should be tied to some irregular astronomical event. Every few years the astronomers would announce,"Hey! There's going to be a Christmas!" THEN, I'd get excited. Maybe. Briefly.