Shopping spaces, christmas hams, manicures

Hello and happy weekend to you!

I am spending a quiet Friday night in. The fella is at a conference in Auckland. Good bit of time to do some....stuff.

I've been a bit under the weather over the last couple of days - my sinuses are staging a rowdy protest at the wacky weather here in Melbourne, and all the pollen that bursts forth. Hence today was a bit of a go-slow one.

Over the last few days I have been actioning some Christmas things, and thinking a bit about the season. As I have said, we are having a Kris Kringle type arrangement, but I wanted to buy a few bits n bobs for my family.

So off to the shopping centre I went. And you know what? I found it very overwhelming. I tottered around a few shops, just feeling at a loss, and then ended up making a beeline for the body shop, and buying some gifts there. And then getting the hell out.

I used to love shopping, hoofing around shopping centres for hours on end.

Now increasingly I find it difficult. It may sound strange but I feel a bit...inadequate. And don't even get me started on one saleslady who yapped with another customer for 10 minutes about gel nails while I was waiting to be served. Otherwise, I am a bit scared of the salesladies, and their sales pushes. I feel guilty for saying no to their higher pressure sales tactics...

Though some such tactics made me buy a pair of uber flattering boyfriend jeans, very similar to these.

I cannot lie, they are super comfy, and flattering. Win and win.
I am loving Witchery Jeans lately.

I have also had to buy a bit of work-appropriate wear - almost 3 years in PhD and nursing home land has made my armamentarium of power work couture dwindle somewhat. I am doing some more work in another environment.

In fact, on lazy data-entry days, I have been known to come to work wearing tracky daks. (But only my good ones. My outside tracky daks).

I think I like going to funky shopping strips rather than shopping centres, if the weather is good. They have better cafes and it is less claustrophobic. I like little independent stores, and I like to support small businesses. But I do sometimes wish they would put a Witchery, Country Road and Veronika Maine on Brunswick St Fitzroy or High St Northcote....

I quite like Chapel st but parking is a bit of a nightmare, and I risk being poisoned by the ambient levels of fake tan and hair bleach.

The other thing I have been giving a lot of thought to is Christmas ham. Today, on a visit to Woolies, I summonsed the butcher out of his den to interrogate him about the hams on offer. In my paws I had a free range, private schooled, triple smoked behemoth. The independent stores sell even more expensive hams.

He said "you know which one I go for?"
He pointed at the lower end ham and said "it's juicier". He pointed to my fancy schmancy ham, claiming it to be dry.

This is some food (or swine) for thought...

Clearly I need to do some more independent research on the issue.

But I did manage to purchase some cloves. You know, just in case.

In other news, I have allowed my nails to grow - see?

I now need a manicure
I will post photos when I have attended it.

Well now I had better go to bed. I want to go to training in the morning.

Pump some iron etc. Plus I have engagements following this which involve eating.

Now - a few questions

Do you retreat to the comfy world of online shopping?
Which christmas ham do you recommend?
Where do you like to buy your clothes (Ruth if you are reading I already know the answer).
Which Australian clothes brands do you like?