Your calm in the midst of Christmas chaos is..

[Britpopbaby]

Drinking coffee and eating a Black Forest cookie pie in a local cafe.

Going to the gym walk off all the swears in my head. Dearest H has been in his dressing gown of doom "ill" all week. This hasn't stopped him from annihilating the kitchen cooking for his sodding running group's Christmas party, going to the party or pissing off to ramble the countryside all day. It has however made it impossible for him to clean up after his cooking adventure or clean and tidy the house in preparation for his mother's arrival this weekend. He recovered enough to start the roomba off right next to my desk this afternoon. I turned it off as I was trying to work. He then got the handheld vacuum cleaner out instead until I pointed out that that was equally annoying. He returned to bed in high dudgeon, because this meant he couldn't possibly vacuum or clean any other room in the house instead. FFS. I finished work, declared I was going to the gym where I wouldn't be annoyed by mess or noise and am now sat in the car fuming before I hit the treadmill.

4 🦊 ache

@IcouldbutIdontwantto I'd wake her up if I were him. She'll be up till midnight now

After cleaning and sorting bedrooms - even putting a little xmas tree in adult DS 2's room for when he tips up too late tomorrow night, cos I'm so people pleasing thoughtful - I'm slumped on the sofa and DH is playing quiet Christmas music on the piano a room away whilst I have a cuppa and a Christmas Colin Catterpillar.

A brisk dog walk for an hour, stress free apart from when she started to chow down on what looked like human poo (thanks fishermen)

I love that there isn't any chaos anymore. The children are self-propelling young adults, the grocery delivery was booking 8 weeks ago, wrapping was done to an audobook last weekend and I have nothing to do but watch Christmas specials and drink cocktails.

All Creatures Great And Small Christmas Special came out last night, by the way. Lovely stuff.

It seems there are some benefits to middle age after all.

Open my Kindle.

Lots and lots of yoga

Packing a flask and biscuits in a backpack and heading to the woods with my dogs.

@Lifeinlists I'm not sure that's going to be a problem - she woke up an hour ago and still seems very tired, bless her. Still rather him than me, though 😆

Church and carols.
It gives all the madness and expectation some perspective. There's security in generation after generation following the same/ similar traditions.

I went to do the big food shop at 6.30am this morning - took a big thermos mug of coffee with me and played Classic FM on the way. It was lovely. Hardly anyone in the store - time to browse at my leisure and no crowds. I was literally stood alone admiring the cheese selection and taking time to choose. It is my christmas tradition to do an early morning food shop and I find it gets me in the festive mood and I feel very accomplished when I come home.

Shutting myself in my room while my adult children amuse themselves, reading my kindle and listening to heavy metal carols.