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Do you need to take the PCR in order to fly to the UK, @James? I'll fly to Porto in the next Monday and they're asking for a test as well, but if taken 24h before the flight, it can be an antigen! 

Good Monday, guys!! How's everything with you? I hope you had a nice weekend! I'm here in Germany drinking coffee and getting up to speed with everything that happened in the Community during the weekend! What about you? How are the preparations for the holiday season? @john.desborough @Paulo @Michaela @belinda_long @TFJunkie :blush:

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@James - hope you folks can make it home.. I have some friends down in Denia who are planning to head for Brighton (driving) and that makes for a logistical challenge for them as well. 

 

@Gabi Amaral - we are hoping to see just our ‘immediate families’ over the holidays but that is starting to get tricky even here in Canada: Ottawa, where I live, has a number of omicron cases and we are seeing the number double every day here.. still under 100 in total but starting to see community spread. The little one has had her first shot so we are better prepared but.. My son in Montreal is tested every day and sometimes multiple times a day as he moves between movie sets and commercial shoots for his film business. He has started packing a set of self tests just in case the locations run out of tests on site..

 

other than that, the tree is up, the lights are going and the little one has tidied up the Barbies (and other toys) so that Santa can make it to the tree!

 

Hello all! Sorry for the hiatus and thank you all for the kind good luck wishes!
Now that the moving is completed and I'm warm and cozy in my new room/workstation it's time to share some pics from the moving day!

 

One month before the moving day, they gave us these cute boxes to pack.
Bonus: Check out the area for one to write where to put that specific box in the new place.
 
As the streets are narrow, they used a small truck and made two trips to avoid disturbing traffic and neighbors.
 
Look at this cute little truck! =)
 
This blows my mind every single time! They cover the stairs with blankets to avoid damaging the flooring!
 

And the same rule applies to the walls, they cover up everything!
Bonus: In Japan we never enter a house with shoes on, but they took it to the next level. They change to new socks before entering the new house, due to both hygienic and superstitious reasons. (Unfortunately I couldn't get a pic because they changed socks it inside the truck)

 

What do you think this big blue box is for? Believe me, this is what I love the best!

 

Behold! The hanger box!
No need to put all the clothes in the suitcase and then have to put everything back in the closet. You just take it from the closed and put it in the hanger box (with hanger and all) and you’re done!
And we’re finally here! Now the girls can feel safe with the auto lock system and I can work in the peace of the fourth floor.

 

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@Paulo - ah the joys of moving. But that is done and you are now in the new place. Incredible sense of care they showed during the move.. here, with some of the movers, if the box is marked ‘fragile’ that just means you are supposed to kick it with your ‘other foot’.. 

glad you are in and hope the set up and finding of everything goes well. 

 

cheers

 

des

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Welcome to the Barception, [CEST Time zone] @Liz How was your flight? Jet lagged? 

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@john.desborough Yes, I guess this season will be better than the last one (yay, vaccination!) but still tricky with the new variant. But I hope you get to see your immediate family and have some fun with them!

@Paulo FINALLY THE PHOTOS! So happy to see them! They're so careful! Moving is a nightmare but with all of this structure, I'm sure it was not that bad and now you're in your brand new house in time for the holiday season. Congrats to you and your family! :heart_eyes:

Welcome to Barcelona @Liz!!! Can't wait to see you! 

@Paulo -  here, with some of the movers, if the box is marked ‘fragile’ that just means you are supposed to kick it with your ‘other foot’.. 

:joy::joy::joy:

Thank you @john.desborough! There’s a couple things to be organized yet (as always...) but we can call it home already.

@Gabi Amaral Thank you! Their carefulness certainly helps reduce the burden that is moving houses. And we got a new 1Gbps dedicated internet at the new place, so I guess I’m not leaving the house until mid January...:joy:

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@john.desborough Oh, I miss barbies!! Does she have polly pockets, too? Those were my other favorite toys!

@Paulo yes!!! You included photos! It’s so cool seeing the process for moving over there. I LOVE those boxes! They seem like a fantastic moving company, especially considering they cover up everything. Similar to Des, over here in the US, they just throw things wherever they like and you have to hope they don’t damage something. :joy:

 

I made it successfully to the office today, and thankfully I’m a professional traveler so I’m not jetlagged, but the regular ol’ tired. It’s SO weird seeing the office after COVID. I miss the plants! It’s very quiet here now in comparison to years ago. It is nice to see folks in person, especially those that have been here as long as I have, which is very few. :joy: 

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@Liz - My older daughter (30 yrs old now.. man i AM old!) had a huge collection of PollyPockets and yes, they are in Mikaela’s possession.. they are worse than Lego to step on.. they hid better on the huge playmat.. 

glad you made it into the office! at least the coffee is better there than in the hotel room lol

 

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Wow...I'm jealous of your internet speed, @Paulo! Is it expensive over there? 

I'm in the office today and guess who is this person besides me??? Hahahaha Hi @Liz!! Yesterday we had lunch together and I was shocked to see that Liz is an actual person!!! :joy:

Everyone here is getting tested because we'll have an event tomorrow! It's very weird to see everyone in person! Super nice! 

What are you guys up to? I hope you enjoyed our little gathering yesterday @john.desborough and @Michaela! Very nice to see your pretty faces in the video! 

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@Gabi Amaral - working away here on keeping all the boxes of christmas gifts that are arriving for the little one hidden.. it’s tough work being Santa lol.. 

yesterday was great! it was good to see everyone and glad that we were able to open up the treasure chest in time.. James and I have to work on our jitterbug dance moves before the next one tho.. 

 

enjoy the day and I hope that everyone can participate in the festivities tomorrow.. 

cheers

 

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HAHAHA wow, sneaky with the photos, @Gabi Amaral ! I didn’t even notice you took this. :joy::rofl:

 

Oh!! @john.desborough I’m so glad she still believes in Santa! Sometimes it’s ruined so early for them (like from TV or an accidental reveal from someone else) and it takes all the fun out of giving gifts to the little one. Did she create a list this year? 

And yes! You and @James will really need to work on your dance skills. It was so nice to see everyone, including you, @Michaela ! I think I might have been the last one here on the Community team to actually see you live. :joy:

 

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We definitely owe you one, @john.desborough! If it weren't for you, not sure we'd solve the puzzle! :joy: And yes, it was really fun and a great way to celebrate the 10,000 members and the holiday season! (And guess what? Of course I got some screenshots of you and @James dancing around! Haha). 

It was a shame @Paulo was not able to participate! I'm sure he would've helped us a lot!

I couldn't agree more with @Liz, believing in Santa is so nice! I still remember when my sister was suspicious of my dad and then in one Christmas we pretended we were asleep and then we saw him putting our gifts in the house! I was heartbroken! :broken_heart:

Passing by to wish an amazing week to all of you! :blue_heart:

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@Gabi Amaral - don’t you know that parents are ‘drafted’ each Christmas to become unofficial elves so that all the extra gifts that Santa has to give to the children can be wrapped and put under the tree?? 

sometimes the elves and Santa are soo busy with the ‘one gift from Santa’ that they ask parents to help with the little things.. 

I swear it’s the truth!!

 

happy hols to all

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How did the escape room go today, @Gabi Amaral @Gabriel ?! Sounds like it was a tough one! 

@john.desborough I hope you’ve been wearing your elf clothing while prepping the gifts!

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@Liz - i put on my elf hat.. but sorry Will Ferrell and I look the same in the Elf costume.. ie ridiculous lol.. 

@Gabi Amaral A dedicated internet costs about EUR 50,00 for month in Japan. The one thing I can't complain about the internet in Japan is the speed of it.:sweat_smile:

I'm happy you guys had a great time together! Someone made a gif from those screenshots of @john.desborough and @James dancing?

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Oh, it was very fun, @Liz! We made it on time so that's what matters! Hehehehe @belinda_long was there, so she can confirm what I'm saying!

@john.desborough Hahahaha, oh yeah, my bad! Of course the parents have to help Santa, too much work :joy:

I can imagine @Paulo! I used to pay 35 euros in Portugal and it was not even that fast!

How are the preparations for the holiday, guys? I'm getting excited for all the food I'm going to eat! 

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@Paulo I would die for that cost/speed in the states!! I used to have service in Minneapolis for fiber around that price, but they don’t have it in the neighborhood I live in in Chicago. :sob: Do they have that kind of service all over Japan?

@john.desborough you know we need pics of the elf hat!

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Oh guys, I ate so much! My auntie make amazing rabanadas (Brazilian french toast) so I've been eating that for the past 4 days! :joy: Here a photo of it:

Now, I'm trying to eat healthier to make sure the pants I bought for NYE will fit! :upside_down:

What are your plans for NYE? @john.desborough @Liz @Paulo @Michaela @belinda_long @TFJunkieThis is a very special date to me, I usually spend it with close friends! This time, I'll go to Lisbon to meet my extended family (aka friends) who still live there! :blue_heart:

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@Gabi Amaral - omg .. that looks amazing.. tho it might be a little late to ‘eat healthier’ lol.. BUT you will be fine! 

I think this year i am taking the ladies of the house snow shoeing on NYE in the evening and then watching them fall asleep from the exercise… then i can watch MY movies lol until the clock strikes midnight .. 

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Hahahaha you're right, it is late! But I was on track before and I don't do diets! :joy: If I want to eat something, I will. However, I try to exercise and eat healthy throughout the year! It's working well for me! @john.desborough 

Ah, that sounds like a good plan! Do they do fireworks anywhere close to your place? What movies are you planning on watching? I'll go to a party with my friends, we all have to test tomorrow or on the 31st though. I'm getting excited for it! Let's see! :eyes:

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@Gabi Amaral That looks so good!! If you have a recipe, I need it!

@john.desborough what movie are you planning to watch? 

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 @Gabi Amaral - good for you… being healthy is a mindset.. and with all the travel that you and @Liz do, and i have done in the past, i know just how hard it is to keep the right balance. 

@Liz - Black Widow and Shang-Chi and the legend of the 10 rings… that’s my movie list.. i have been waiting to watch them but it’s impossible during the regular daylight hours lol.. 

 

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Of course, @Liz! It's like a french toast but a little more greasy (it's fried!) Hahaha Amazing taste! Did you have any special dessert for Christmas? 

@john.desborough Why is it impossible to watch them? Are they long? 

I'm still looking for plans for my NYE! The party I was going to go was cancelled, so now I'm trying to find something else. Let's see what happens! :eyes:

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