So.....I swore that this year I would NOT get swept up with the Christmas frenzy and would use the season of goodwill to reflect on what has been quite a frantic year. It started well. But then I made the mistake of confusing being reflective with being ineffective which resulted in being swept up with the frenzy on Christmas Eve. Well, actually that might be a slight exaggeration since I only needed an alarm clock for my 96 year old grandmother and a roll of wrapping paper suitable for wrapping all the presents for the kids that I swore I wouldn't buy. ( I do a lot of swearing.)
It took exactly 3 hours to buy 2 items. And one of them wasn't wrapping paper.
I had to have my first sit down after about half an hour as I was not only dealing with the MS tiredness but also with a back injury I'd picked up whilst trying to persuade Ben to put down the toy hoover he was using on the stage at church during the nativity whilst dressed as a donkey. (He was dressed as a donkey not me.) He stole the show. I was torn between being mortified and bursting with pride. Anyway, we (Ben and I) had a half hour sit on The Rows in Chester listening to the Sally Army Band play festive tunes for the shoppers. I kept welling up and Ben was rooted to the spot in absolute wonderment. It was beautiful to watch his little face.
I found an alarm clock in a jewellers but made that time old fatal error of thinking I might see something better in another shop. I didn't. We went back there 2 hours later with a stupid grin, a limp excuse and a limp.
Between the first and last visit to the jeweller I bought a plum pudding in Lakeland (not on the list but it had a Gold taste award and I thought it would be perfect for one of my neighbours) and had another rest on The Rows, this time at a little cafe and ended up being joined by a lovely lady called Ann who, it turned out, was spending Christmas at a hotel in Chester and was being collected by a neice on Boxing Day. We got chatting, as you do, and I discovered she was a widow of 2 years and hailed originally from Wigan. Being a St.Helens girl we had a good laugh about the local rivalry (our 2 rugby teams were always battling for various league and cup glories) and used the phrase "Isn't it a small world" on more than one occasion. (My mum is also called Ann and a widow of 4 years. I miss my dad so much it hurts.)
We bid our farewells and as I paid my bill I decided to pay for Ann's aswell. It was only a latte but I think it was this little gift that gave me the greatest pleasure of the whole of Christmas.
Christmas day was lovely. Ben has still not quite grasped the whole present concept and was more interested in watching the telly than opening the mountain of gifts that had mysteriously appeared under the tree. (Not all from me and The Husband I hasten to add.) We spent the day at mum's and since I was still suffering with the back I was driving so not having a drink made a huge difference I have to admit. Begrudgingly.
Then Boxing Day.
To cut a very long story short and avoid lawyers getting involved I saw my own backside Big Time. Let's just say we had to be out by half ten and we left at 11.10 and that in the time it took The Husband to get ready I'd got the boys up, dressed, breakfasted, done some ironing, made a sugar syrup stock and got myself ready. I was ready to hurt someone very badly by the time we left in the car. It still has the ESP warning light on by the way. I think I spoke 2 words to him all day. (We were at mum's again)
Anyway, the energy it took being annoyed all day wore me out and resulted in some spectacular acrobatics when my legs gave way coming down the stairs after putting the boys to bed. So now I have some quite decorative bruising on my left arm and down my left side.
We've made up since then. And he's done loads of housework. Note to self. Must see my own backside more often.
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