We’re heading out of the door in an hour to the yearly “Christmas surprise”, organised by my other half - only it’s not so much of a surprise any more after she deleted the tickets from her email by accident and had a meltdown about it last night. In the middle of the meltdown my middle daughter borrowed her laptop, and saw the emails going back and forth - so the secret was out.
The thing that makes me laugh? My daughter saw the laptop screen for a few tenths of a second - which was long enough.
We’re going to Warwick Castle - replacement tickets were emailed through this morning. Let’s hope the incoming storm - that now has a name, and is rampaging across the country from the west - doesn’t completely and utterly ruin the day out.
So. It’s been a few days. How did Christmas go?
Christmas day was good. Although hard work - cleaning the house to within an inch of it’s life - it was a reminder that Christmas at home is SO much more relaxing in a way than going out. Ever since my late father-in-law died we have gone out for Christmas lunch - mostly because my mother-in-law couldn’t face Christmas at home. Our eldest arrived mid-morning with her boyfriend, who ate lunch with us. Eight at the table! We won’t talk about me washing up sink-fulls of dishes, cups and glasses perhaps six or seven times during the day. I think the dishwasher ran full-loads twice too.
We missed ALL of the “Christmas Special” TV shows and movies. I expect over the coming week we’ll finally get around to watching a few of them.
Yesterday morning - “Boxing Day” - I got out of bed and went for a run. The first run in a couple of weeks. The only people out seemed to be walking dogs - only where normally you might find one person that’s pulled the short straw to walk the dog, the footpaths were filled with couples. I couldn’t help playing out scenes in my head where they had fallen out with their family, so were walking the dog to avoid everybody for an hour.
While running past the back of the Church I saw an elderly black Labrador out for a walk with a lady with long blonde hair, and did a double take - half expecting it to be a friend - and then remembered that her dog passed away recently. It’s so strange - him not being around any more. Every time we leave the house and see somebody walking a dog on the green, we half expect it to be them - and then remember.
Last night I sat down with my middle daughter and started constructing and painting some “Warhammer” figurines with her - or rather one figurine. It took ALL NIGHT. Oh. My. Word. I bought a “starter set” before Christmas - so we could have something to do together (she’s been collecting and painting them for years). I thought it might serve as a stress-reliever from everything else from time-to-time too. Who knew that constructing and painting tiny little plastic figurines would be so all-consuming?
Anyway.
I better go find some warm clothes, waterproofs, gloves, a scarf, and so on. I imagine the role-call will start being shouted around the house soon.