In Soviet Russia, cat iz lol you

Originally uploaded by Nick Douglas

Not sure if any other wordpress people are having this issue, but Akismet is picking up dozens of spam comments in Russian every day! Comment on this mofos!

Isn’t this just the coolest! Baa!

This was shared on Plurk though and I thought I would share it here. It is pretty cool!

Little Dot surveying her kingdom prior to execution… Lucky for her she got a few more minutes outside the freezer so photos could be taken to commemorate the occasion. We are still waiting on the telegram from Regina QEII.

Not sure how many we will catch for the year. I know we tend to get less in the cooler months, but I still wonder if we will reach 500. If we do we will have a huge party with party food- toad in the hole, toad in the pond and no doubt some cocktail invented for the occasion. Suggestions?

Oh and no canetoads were harmed in the filming… But they are in the freezer (or garbage depending on when you are viewing this!) now!

Last night MIML™ and I met up with Karen and Ajay (aka funkycoda) as a kind of Cairns Twitter meetup (aka HOTTUB!) as Ajay is in town. I chose one of my favourite haunts- Mondo Café Bar and Grill at the Hilton Hotel. There is usually a breeze there and you can look over the inlet and it is purdy! And the food is excellent! I have been to Mondo’s for work farewells, school mum dinners, lunches with visiting family members from overseas and lunches and with the kids and my Mum. Oh and with MIML™! It has never failed- one of those old reliables that you know will be a hit.

No exception last night! There was a duo playing live music and they were brilliant! Must remember to go back on a Friday night and hopfully catch them again, or find out who they are in case I ever need a band! There were a few groups there, including the one sitting next to us.

They were having their staff Christmas Party. Apparently not all companies and organisations are as miserly as the company I work for. Anyway- at one stage the leader of the group (I assume he was the boss) got up and donned a Santa wig, beard and hat. And produced a sack! It was Secret Santa time. One guy seemed quite pleased with the miniature spirit bottles he received, the pregnant member got a baby book, one person really cracked up when she got a muffin tray and box of muffin mix (hint?) and another when she received something in a bag that she wouldn’t bring out. But the hightlight was the boss. He received a mankini. There may have been a story behind this, but, as Ajay tweeted, much hiarity ensued! Off came the Santa costume and on went the mankini- over his clothes (thank Ceiling Cat!)

I remember my ex brother-in-law being horrified at receiving an, er, adult novelty item in his Secret Santa one year (those Navy guys!) and not being able to find out who it was from.

The kids did Secret Santa at school- Immy got some nail polish and Jasper some whacky colouring pens or something (or is that what he gave- I forget!)

I don’t have to buy a Secret Santa this year, but I do have in mind some things I could get for my colleagues… One of them told me during the week that they would love to give some massage slippers to someone, with a message that they must be used on wet feet. Mwahahahahaha!

I thought, hey, there might just be some readers out there who have no idea what to buy, usually with a $10 limit, for that special colleague, the one you rather would give a bottle of Giardia laced water to but need to find soemthing more specific…

For girls, nothing says ‘I have no idea what to buy you’ more than bath salts or napery. Heck- a friend gave me bath salts for Christmas last year knowing I don’t have a bath… Napery- yes tea towels. I have received a few tea towels in my time too- no I did not buy all those tea towels MIML™! Another option for girls is to go the novelty item, you know the chocolate willies, or fluffy handcuffs. Make sure you either know the recipient really well and that they will take it as a joke, or it really is a secret santa (and like the BILs novelty item) no one will ever find out it came from you.

Guys can be more tricky, or easier, depending on your point of view. I mean, let’s go stereotype. bar ware. I actually don’t know many people with a bar, but bar ware is very popular. Again novelty is very prevalent. I am sure The Drunken Goat specialises in Secret Santa presents. Heck- I just looked and they sell Mankinis. If not bar ware, then most blokes receive booze. $10 worth of beer (4 bottles of Aussie Beer or 2 of Imported I think!) or a combination- stubby holder with a stubby.

This year, I am calling for everyone to step away from the stereotypes. Or at least reverse them. Give the macho bloke bath salts and a lip gloss. Give the prissy girl the stubby holder (bonus points if it is tacky and suggestive). Or be sensible and do the movie voucher or coffee and cake voucher from the nice coffee shop in town.

The last Secret Santa I participated in was when I worked for Weight Watchers. I received two Christmas Baubles (which from memory I hung from my ears as earrings). As much as I liked the baubles, I think I would have preferred cake!

I suppose it is the thought that counts. Or at least having the ability to make everyone laugh in the office. What Secret Santa’s have you received and/or given that have been memorable? Or are you more the bah humbug?

Bah humbug does have a lot going for it after all…