Back to haunt you

I'm back. First of all, a Happy 2006 to all of you! After 11 days in KLU, Turkish Delight and I returned to VIE on 1 Jan. We definitely got "value for money" on the journey which lasted forever due to snow, rain and congested roads. Speaking of snow - there was plenty back home:TD perfected his snow-shovelling skills and I went skiing with my Mum as planned but the annual two-country-daytrip-combo (to Kranjska Gora and Tarvisio) was cancelled because of the weather. Predictably, we pretty much spent our days eating (lots!), watching crap TV, going for walks and boosting the Carinthian economy. We braved the snow to eat some more at friends' in Villach who conjured up a 4-course meal for us and went to the cinema for a bit of culture. New Year's Eve we celebrated at the Pampered Princess' weekend retreat, a stylish apartment overlooking the Wörthersee.

Christmas with my parents and maternal granny was very nice and I can't complain about my presents either. Although I had already got my "big present", the trip to Copenhagen with Mum, I got lots more from my parents. I told you I was a spoilt brat, didn't I? I got the green bag (which I had picked myself on a trip to Italy with my parents in October) from Mum and the bike-courier-bag from a friend who's an artist. It features a still from one of her videos and is definitely one of the coolest bags I own. And I own...a few. TD insisted on taking the photo of me behind the "sale" sign as it shows yours truly in action. I actually found a very nice, 20-ies style knitted top for an incredible € 2,90 where that picture was taken, at C&A, a rather tacky and overwhelming store I usually avoid but went that day on the search for opaque tights for my granny.

Yesterday (which like today was a holiday for me; having Japanese employers does have some perks after all), I spent all day catching up on lost shoportunities in the Viennese sales. I did not buy anything for myself (well, almost, if you don't count 4 dramatically reduced plates and a bowl) but managed to find some birthday gifts. Incredibly, 7 of my friends' birthdays are - like my own - in January. A rather expensive month...

Klagenfurt-purchases: Two tops (the cheap one, and another one from MEXX) scented tea lights, chocolate (gifts), various materials (sequinned and velvet) for making belts with, underwear, socks, more gifts for birthday girls, etc.

Today's shopping spree: We spent the greater part of today at places which are unbearable on Saturdays when we would normally frequent them, a designer outlet store a 20-min-drive from VIE airport, and IKEA. I had to redeem my € 5 birthday-voucher sent to me by IKEA after all... Even though it was a normal workday, the shops weren't exactly deserted. In any case, this was a real project. We left home at half 10 and got back shortly after 6 p.m. I bought 4 (!) incredibly cheap and gorgeous bags at the BREE outlet store, 3 of them presents for others, 1 (canary yellow!) as a little token of affection for myself, lots of chocolates at the Lindt outlet a funny poncho-style knitted thing from InWear (again, bright yellow. I think buying the bag might have triggered off a "yellow phase" or something. I wouldn't usually buy odd-shaped tops, shrugs or foulards at all, but it looked dead cool with my jeans and only cost a modest €15) and a retro anorak (with a belt and those kids' style mittens with a ribbon through the sleeves so you can take them off without loosing them. I got very nostalgic when I spotted those and simply HAD to have the anorak) from S.Oliver. It was only € 25 so I didn't feel too guilty for buying yet another jacket. After having bought half of the Body Shop outlet's stock (they sold body scrubs for €1 which are about € 16 in their regular stores) we left the premises to grab some junk food to fortify ourselves for IKEA. There, I only bought some bits and pieces, failing once more to find the coffee table of my dreams.