the changing constitution of entertainment

I now sit here a full 16 hours later in the same cozy spot in the wind-down portion of the day, free to indulge in the intoxicating lure of sleepiness while enjoying my Christmas Eve White Christmas viewing a full week early.

Which brings me to my point. I love this movie for its complete retro-kitschyness, and it always leaves me baffled what constituted entertainment back In The Day, not to mention the blatant ignorance of Danny Kaye's penchant for menfolk over women. I don't care how good a dancer Vera Ellen was, he would have rather gone home with Bing. But, such were the times I suppose, when two men could prance around a stage singing and dancing around each other wearing sock garters with no one being the wiser. That's not to say that nothing but the best of talent is captured in that move; Vera Ellen has/had the best legs in showbiz and boy could she move them. A pinnacle of grace and perfect thighs I will never reach, should I live to see 1000. The vernacular is a laff and half too... how many times can you use the word "swell" in a movie? And did people just simultaneously burst into song Back in The Day?

Today was was GREAT! Even though barely completed ANY of the shopping tasks set out for me. Ahh well, got the most urgent one and the rest can fall into place. Lunch of course was Crunch-tastic! PLUS got possibly the best hair cut and highlites of my stay in The Netherlands this afternoon at a great new salon, will definitely return. My gut feeling was right - can't go wrong with a hair salon staffed with stylish French-Dutch imports. One of the shampoo boys was literally wandering around INSIDE the salon in an ascot and sunglasses. I never wanted to leave.

The most interesting event of the day was definitely the purchase, acquisition and delivery of my KERSTBOOM (Christmas Tree!) So there I was walking back from hair appointment and by Crunch again and subsequently by the new flat and then a big supermarket where they had the CUTEST trees, like alf a meter tall and was only 5 euros! I'm all GET OUT AND GET BACK IN! So the lovely Konmar Christmas Tree Lady packed it up for me and handed it over, and it was THEN I realised sweet onion CHUTNEY this is freaking HEAVY, like 20kilos, and I have to walk home! Or at best tram!
Needless to say after one block am DYING with this stupid tree in my arms so I jump on the tram where it is SO full I have so stand holding my tree as there was nowhere to even set it on the floor. So I finally get to my stop and decide, ok, well, I can either walk the 4 blocks home or stop to get tan and warm up AND give my arms a break
So I zip in for a little fake 'n bake but it became immediately clear that that was the wrong thing to do, as afterwards I had MAJOR jello arm and could barely carry the tree down even half a block more.

BUT I must have done something right in another life as when I turned the corner almost at this point dragging the tree behind me there it was - someone had left a shopping cart in the middle of the street!! In a movie it would have been bathed in a heavenly light. So I dumped all my shopping and tree and assorted other acquisitions of the day and like an OLD LADY wheeled my stuff home in a shopping trolley, which has since been left in front of the neighbour's door in the untimely event the Shopping Cart Police are out in full force this evening.

But now my place has a lovely little tree adorned in cute red star lights, a few hot decorations, and even has presents underneath. This lovely little number combined with a flat full of candles has made for a most warm and snuggly evening.

Well Bing and Danny are almost about to bring us all home to a White Christmas so I'm off. I hear that it's quite the white holiday season back in the Homeland as well...but I my thoughts are focused on the 17 degrees in Porto I heard about!