Our week of jaunting is now over. It has been really, really great to see everybody, but I was so glad that Jason was not at work today and could take over the driving duties for a bit.
Yesterday’s journey was not great. It’s motorways nearly all the way to my friend’s house, and although the journey is not long in terms of miles, there are four different motorways involved, and getting around the outskirts of Birmingham is a task and a half, even on a good day. The freezing fog from the day before continued with no improvement, which meant that it was not a good day to be driving, and it was all a bit exhausting.
It was worth it to see my friend and her children, and all the kids kept each other beautifully amused while we drank coffee and polished off a tin of Quality Street. We congratulated ourselves, as did my friend who I visited earlier in the week, that we can tell what each and every chocolate is without having to refer to the menu once.
We are Quality Street connossieurs.
It is important to have skills in life, and along with the ability to sniff out somewhere decent to eat, the ability to moan constantly without drawing breath and the ability to read even when walking along, this chocolate recognition skill is one of mine.
It is not to be sneezed at.
Christmas is now over, and we are currently enduring New Year’s Eve. I hate New Year’s Eve more than Christmas, but for entirely different reasons. I shall not rant and rage about them here, as I am too tired to clamber onto my soap box. Plus, it hardly matters anymore, as New Year’s Eve when you have children and have not booked a babysitter 11 and a half months in advance is a total non event anyway. In fact I am glad that we have children as an excuse not to go out and party. It makes things so much simpler. Nor do I resent my children for spoiling my fun, because I never found it any fun in the first place.
This evening we have had greasy takeaway food for tea. After a week of well cooked, delicious and nutritious meals and lovely Christmassy food treats it was wonderful to slob out and eat things fresh from their polystyrene cartons. We know how to live.
In a minute we are going to slump on the sofa and watch Jeremy Clarkson and his gang beetling all over the Middle East in the Top Gear Christmas special we have saved from Boxing Day. Jason will be impressed by the driving skills. I will nurture my peculiar and mostly secret (except to you) crush on James May, and we will all be happy.
Then we will probably all go to bed, early, and get to sleep before the entire town starts setting off depth charges at midnight. If we are lucky we will be so deeply asleep we will merely dream of World War I trenches and being under heavy mortar fire.
If we are not, I may well blog my top ten reads of the year.
We shall see.
Just before I go I shall post a few belated photos I have been ,meaning to put up for ages.
Firstly, my new haircut and colour:
Secondly my thoughts on Christmas in general:
channelled via the power of Sharon’s splendid gift of a new hat.
Thirdly, my best Christmas present, ever:
OOh, nice hat ! Where can I get one? I’m super happy today coz Christmas AND NYE is over. I used my dog as an excuse not to go out and she was very happy about it when all the fireworks started, especially when some were still going 45 minutes later. (Some councils must have lots of money.)
And, the cut n’ colour is very fetching.
Bet you never believed at the beginning of 2010 that you would be zooming all over the countryside without a chauffeur, and now look at you!
Great cut and colour – and, before you ask, no I still haven’t had mine done. Perhaps that should be my goal for 2011?
@ Josie – the hat is from Spotlight, there must be one near you – and they probably have them at half-price or less now.
Josie
Dogs are as good as children when it comes to excellent anti social excuses.
Sharon
I know. Frightening really! That sounds like a good goal, a nice easy one that won’t get you down too much if you can’t be bothered with it!
Thanks, since I’ve just made plans to leave the country for the Christmas and NYE celebrations next year I will no longer need to attend my local Spotlight- imagine that, we have them in Oz too. Good stores, hey?