Caught

Winter has been here for quite the while now and to prove that it is, we got not one but two snow falls already.  The first was a nasty blizzard that thrashed about throughout the state on Boxing Day.  The second happened yesterday and while it gave us about 5 inches or so, there was not much to speak of.

With 8 days well into the Year, we shall now bid farewell to Jack and his prey.  They've been caught.  It's over. 

 Now let us not dwell on the carnage that happened here but instead, say hello to Snow.

Say hi to millions of flakes as they huddle together for support, for creating blankets, and for being a general often pretty mess.

Here they are pretending to be friends with a fallen branch from a nearby fir.

We're on to you, snow (and snow bughs).

We know you're coming this Winter to give us more of your sneaky attacks!

Happy New Year!

And Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit.  Hare, Hare, Hare.

Good luck to us all this month and all year.

Currently listening to: "Expiration Date" by Pomplamoose.  These people and their blasted Hyundai Christmas commercials! Ear worm! But...they're actually pretty good.

Old Year's Night 2010 with The Cheat, Diderick, Gnomey-Gnome and The HOchieS

The festivities are only now beginning, so I will update as to the happenings some time soon.

Will there be potentially incriminating photos?

Yes, probably.

It's already 2011 somewhere in the world but here in our little corner, we're still waiting to usher in the new year with the rest of you.

The update will come soon!

Here's the Update! (01/01/2011):

There was much scandal this year.  Yes, much indeed.

The Cheat and Diderick dined on mince and slices of quince, or what we HOchieS like to call, all of this:

piggies in blankets

The End of Year Review I: Video Games 2010

What.  the.  hell.  happened to me.  I took a look at my video game list and was shocked at the length of the list of games I played this year.  Really, it's not that much, I suppose.

Many of those hours were spent on the train and why not? Two hours of commuting daily gives me plenty of time to play! It also, unfortunately, has started a disturbing trend.  My habits are changing - I'm starting to enjoy gaming on the go rather than on consoles.

There's just so much effort involved with a console!

Who am I? I'm scared!

Ridiculousness aside, there WAS a reason why I did not play as many console games this year other than the convenience of portable gaming.

That reason is number 15 on my list of the many games I played this year.  As per usual, there were games I played that I did not get to last year or whenever they were released.  Some of these will be counted and sorted anyway in my review list of favourite games I put my hands on this year.

Obsessions of the Week(s): 10/30/2010 - 11/23/2010

Final Fantasy: Four Heroes of Light (DS, 2010)

After the debacle that was FFXIII, and the long time since I played an FF installment, I forgot how to level up. Rather, I forgot that I MUST level up. It's annoying being killed by random imps and lamia. It sucks being weak. Other than that, this game's art style reminds me of Wind Waker. I like it, the music is a mix of old school midi, and the whole game right now feels like how old installments were. That's not a bad thing, but I'm wondering if the story will be anything fabulous or just your standard fare. I'm not far along, so I'll just have to see....

Update:

Since 11/23/2010 there has been one major obsession that I will write up here and it was the Uncharted series with special mention to Nathan Drake, of course.  I won't swoon over it here because I've already done so in the forthcoming End of Year Review: Video Games post.

Merry Christmas to All My Frenemies

Christmas morning is here! I am in my new reindeer very red Christmas Eve pajamas, gifted to me by my Boobey.

I hear he has been awake since before 6 a.m., and I will go over to see him soon.

The cats are sleeping, and Momma HOchie has gone off to work.  We will not be opening presents until she comes home but in the meanwhile, Merry Christmas to everyone! I hope your day is full of all the good stuff - food, family, friends and presents, Kyle.  Presents.

I will be sure to put up the Christmas Pyo List later complete with updates as to the festivities.

Oh yeah, and the Doctor Who Christmas Special is at 9 p.m. tonight.  As if today wasn't awesome already...

Update @ 7:40 p.m.:

The Present List! Thank you to everyone - for well wishes, for love, and for presents.

Happy Birthday, Pandy!

Oh Pandy, were your Christmases full of extra presents for your Birthday? I hope so and that no one jipped you.

Happy Birthday!!!!!

The Airing of Grievances 2010

I have been pondering this for quite the while now, and yesterday it dawned on me that while you peeps are jerks, you really haven't done anything to warrant a grievance against you this year.

TD5 does think we are mean to MC and he should mind his buisness! But...that doesn't really mean he gets on the list either for his defense of MC.

H1 did miss Muse with me this year at Wembley Stadium and I was cranky because Muse sent me my Christmas presents and I saw what fun we missed, but Matt went ahead and started dating ah duttyness, so if anyone's to be on the list, it's not H1 but Matt.

MC did come to my house and ate up my food, but he also gave me presents, so I can't hate on him for that.

Frass brought pastelles...

Beetchie...hm.  She could possibly make the top of this list.  She really hasn't been very nice to me lately! What with her besties! But that wouldn't be true, would it?

X... X moved away to Bim, had a Baby Moodou and I have not seen her in some time.  She does call me, and it is funny that Moodou is always fighting with the cow...  I guess there really is no real grievance against her.

Bughie J. sent all manners of music and brownies.  The brownies we suspected were 'sauced' but really it was almond extract, so that's okay.  Ah! And he sent music...

And this brings me to my true grievance this year.

1. Electronics. 

My PS3 kicked the bucket earlier this year.  I handled it well, until it was replaced by a newer model.  I'm still sore about it. 

And now this morning? My 2nd hard drive has kicked the bucket.  I'm not in panic mode yet even though that's all my damned music.  ALL OF IT.  But I'm trying to remain calm until I speak with Luuuuuuiiiiiissssss, to see if he can save my data.

I knew I should have bought that bloody back up.

Psh.

Merry Frickin' Festivus.

Almost Here

By this time next week, if all goes according to plan, we would be stuffed up on pastelles, ham and homemade bread.

It's been a really long friggin' month, what with my crazy cough, cold and stomach issues.  Yeesh.  I am really hoping I am 100% in time for Thursday evening.

There have been zero stories to write because well, I've been sick, damn it.  And who wants to come around to see another complaint about how I didn't sleep because the cough jolted me out of sleep and out of bed.

Who wants to read that now?

I am however, finally ready to decorate the blog a little for Christmas.

So here you go!

Say hi to Jack, as he stalks some unsuspecting fools riding a polar bear.

Now go forth everyone and stalk whatever's hiding under your tree while the family's out! But please, try to be discreet and no tearing open presents until the 25th!

Sissons in Every Room? UPDATED

Today, Boobey and I had secret plans and clever tricks.  We wrapped presents for some and had a good time!  Now I need to re-evaluate who on my list I am finished with and who needs presents still.  No peeking!!!!!

Update on 12/11/2010 - yep, last week was a success but there should still be no peeking!!!! X, stop it.

Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit. Hare, Hare, Hare.

We've already come to the last month of 2010.  How did this happen? I know, it's called "Time" but it sure seemed to have gone by really quickly this year.

Good luck to everyone this month.  I hope it's wonderful for all, as The HOchieS start getting really, really busy.

This month, I want to give a special bit of luck to our Clownie over there in Edinborough.

We're sending you some good luck, Japanese style!

(Happy?) Thanksgiving

This year The HOchieS spent Thanksgiving with 18 friends and family.  Two turkeys were made, along with all the regular favourites and a couple of newbies: pernil, ham, saffron rice, stuffing, sweet potato souffle, corn bread, spicy corn pudding, macaroni pie, collard greens, green bean casserole (with bacon!!!), sweet potato cheesecake, apple pie and key lime pie.

I'm certain there are more things I have forgotten but it was delicious as usual, and wonderful to have so many friends with us (MC and Kimpossible came! but no TD5 =( ).

What was and is not wonderful is that I have been holed up for two reasons.

The first is that I am sick.  Another wonderful cold that will not go away on its own and requires antibiotics.

The second is much more crazy a reason... Gobblor sent a Thanksgiving Warning to my house this year.  Bughie J. suspects he got some sort of electronic scrambling device at last year's Black Friday sales hence the lack of photos.  He's up to something huge, so huge that he did not make an appearance this year and has a plan two years in the making it seems!

Not wanting me to forget (as if I could), he did send me a little scare which was waiting for me on my doorstep on Thanksgiving morning.

Terrifying! Look at this thing...watching me with its beady eyes!

Happy Birthday, TD5 and Bughie J.!

TD5 - you were missed yesterday but here's hoping you fully sedated, so you would not have to miss us too much.  That way you can avoid any production for your birthday too.

Bughie J. - I would re-post the Futurama birthday song for you but just know it's the one I'm singing in my head for you right now (Fry part included)! Happy Birthday!

Ruining Christmas

How old was I when I ruined Christmas?

I must have been pretty young when I was gifted that doll.

I crept my way to the presents lying all pretty under the Christmas tree, and tried to unsuccessfully garner a peak inside at this rectangular box that captured my eye.

Back then my secret planning and clever trickery skills were not developed, and fumbled my chance at a clean escape.

I ripped the wrapping paper - a long strip of it actually, right on the front of the box.

"What is it? So what did you get?", a stern familiar voice called.

"I don't know...?" I replied.

"You don't know and the big dolly eye watching you?" was the retort from Momma HO.

I reminded her of this story this past week and she told me that she should have slapped me for opening the present.

"Wait," I said, "you would smack me for opening the present...."
"Yes! You ruined the surprise for Christmas morning!"
"...but you wouldn't smack me for lying?"
"Oh...uh, Yes! For lying!"
"Seriously, Lady! Where are your priorities?!"

Hilarious.

Also! Happy (Yesterday) Birtday, Momma Ho! I wonder if your sons remembered your birthday...hrrm? TD5, Frass, and MC?!?!?!

Worried

If I can no longer hit high notes, how am I supposed to carry the band?

The Oxtails may have a very rough road ahead of them - J.C. indeed!

Calling Shenanigans!

There's sad news to report - my PS3 80gb has been deemed unrepairable, and the peoples in charge of sorting out its issues have been authorized to send me a new 160gb.

Unrepairable, they say?

I call shenanigans!

Was it really D-E-D? Or just a sweet piece of manufactured brilliance that can no longer be bought but easily kept?!?! Hmmmmmmmm?

::sniff::

I hate you Square Enix!

Now how the hell am I supposed to play Persona 4 and finish 3?!

Happy Birthday, Anj!

Hi Anj,

Are you reading this today? Are you at work? Whatever it may be...Happy Birthday!!!!!!

Lots of love,

H1 and Or 2.

A Good Deal

On Sunday, I found Baby Jeebus hanging out in the Little Tikes section of our local wholesale club whilst we were out shopping.

No really, I did.

Look and be a believer in Jeebus Feever!

Upon further inspection, it appears that while prayer will net you a Baby Jeebus, $249.00 will guarantee His presence, if you wanted a more tangible form.

I was thinking about this at great length and have decided that for $249, that's a pretty solid deal for Baby Jeebus and Crew.

And it looks as though Baby Jeebus knows he's doing you a solid too.

Happy Birthday, Angelo!

Well if it isn't the birthday of Angelo today.  We hope you enjoyed your banana cream birthday pie.  We sure did.

Happy Birthday!

Not An Epic Fail....Or Was It?

If it may be considered an epic fail, it is only due to the fact that we prefer our kurma to have a hard, crunchy texture.

Aside from personal preference, our first attempt at Kurma making was a great success.  They were crispy, flaky, rich and extremely yummilicious when fresh.

The 1/4 Indian residing in these HOchieS thereby making us 1/2 Indian when we combine our forces, worked to our advantage.

It may not look like much now, but stay with me.

Stay...

Very  hot oil.  Dangerous!

It gets better, I assure you

KAPOW!

A Trini from work ate some.

She loved them.

Kurma of this kind can now be marked off the list.

Kurma
Kurma (we prefer)

Goolab Jamoon
Parasad

I may still need Sons to make things for us, though.

For now, MC, you may not have any so do not ask us to make for you.  We would faster make for Frass than we would for you.

Ooo, low blow.

What's in the Box?

I got a pleasant surprise on Saturday via the Post.

A familiar box! Full of coins? A 1 up mushroom, perhaps?

No! Better! It's almost the entire crew!

The best: Luigi

Mario oppressing Yoshi (as per usual), Toad and a cute Goomba to stomp on

Peach with some brain crushing power on the part of my new favourite -

Bowhahaha.  Bowser's truly bad-assed.

More awesome from behind!

And so, that was the my Elite Reward Status from Club Nintendo for the 2009 - 2010 Year.  Pretty cool, I must say and much more awesome than the Mario Hat of last year (although Mari Ho was fabulous).

I am uncertain if I will make the Elite status for the 2010 - 2011 year.  It's looking a little bleak right now, but with more than half the year to go, I am not too concerned.

In the meanwhile....

No, Thank YOU, Nintendo.

Halloween with The Cheat

Just in case anyone was wondering, The Cheat did dress up for Halloween this year.

He was a Fairy Prince, and was out scaring kids with his extreme cursing.

Epic Fail

It was an epic fail on my part for not being at Nintendo World today.  Shigeru was there to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Super Mario Bros.  And there was cake too but mostly it was impressive that Shigeru Miyamoto was there...  =(

Ah well, I will be happy that I at least met The Man once, he shook my hand, signed my Link and laughed at me.

Good times.

Goooood times.