Walking in a Crepey Wonderland!

[MrsSchadenfreude]

I couldn't see that anyone else had started a new thread, after Stropps carelessly finished the old one without starting a new one, so here you are.

I have Tesco booked for tomorrow afternoon, but am bracing myself for a mass of substitutions and a Christmas Eve trolley dash to Budgens. At least this year I remembered to put festive stuff like brandy butter and stuffing into the trolley early enough - they close the door on such items a few days before Christmas, as I found out to my cost last year.

I am working tomorrow, but I think it will be a fairly relaxed day. I have set aside a few non-taxing tasks, such as spring-cleaning my desk drawer and setting up my new "Madonna" phone headset (no more cricked neck), and I am strongly considering wearing DH's Christmas jumper and some festive earrings.

I haven't wrapped the DC's presents yet, and the tree continues to cascade needles every time someone breathes nearby. Apart from that, we are pretty prepared.

And on a cheering note, my limoncello has been filtered and bottled and is now in the freezer. I may have had a sneaky glass already, for quality control purposes, of course.

MI, that thought of your grandmother's is festering. What is the 'so much in life' that we've missed by being clever?

I wonder if there's something of this behind DM's attitude, along with the axiom that it's always better to be poor but honest than rich (and, by implication, dishonest).

Think my revenge on DSis will be to impound the car keys and say you're not leaving unless you take DM with you for at least a week.

Bought more baubles for the tree today. 'If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing' (Kate Fassett)

Hmm. My parents, on the one hand, only approved of Being Clever. Along, obviously, with Being Thin and Being Stunningly Beautiful, but those two were supposed to be even more effortless than the cleverness. And that was not easy to live with.

My grandmother was in fact saddled with a very good intelligence of her own and would have been rather happier if she had given in to it...

In other news, the report I edited last week was on the Today programme, which was gratifying - not least as I could yet again point out to DD1 that I am not entirely unfamiliar with the workings of national news.

At all the bizarre dreams! But must admit am enjoying the lack of Christmas stress - but before you all have a go I am arriving home at 7.30 on the big day and will be cooking Christmas dinner (mum will be directing operations from the doorway...)
Could be interesting.....

On my way home from two days running around London with the kids. Climbed the Monument today

I'm going to do the turkey Nigella style, in brine with spices.. Off to dig out the home brew bucket to submerge it in.

I'm fantastically behind and will probably hit a frenzy about 1pm tomorrow!

Well I have done most of my jobs for today, including 2 visits to the tattoo/body piercing shop inside the hairdressers where everyone was getting their Christmas weaves, etc - the piercer wasn't there first time, but DD is now the proud owner of a cartilage piercing.

I am hoping for a quietish family evening watching a film, but DD and her friend have brought some large boys back (schoolmates, not randoms!) and they are all playing Fifa in the loft... Is it time for a festive?

And well done MI on Today piece, and beachy on climbing the Monument!

EGADS.

I am NEVER going to a Santa's grotto again. Met a friend at a recommended grotto today. Had to queue TWO HOURS before getting on a, admittedly cute, 'train' ride, to be deposited at the end of another 30-minute queue. Then in with Santa, who was a right grumpy bastard. Told DS to speak up, then asked me what on earth he was talking about when he said he wanted 'woods' for Christmas (I haven't the foggiest idea).

We had to wait for the photographer to arrive, and instead of making jolly, Father Christmassy smalltalk, he asked how long the queue had been, and explained the wait for the photographer by the fact there were FOUR SANTAS ON TODAY. Way to explode the myth, you arse.

Herbs, that's even worse than my nudey appearance at your party.

We have been to see the Hobbit, DP is frying up ham and eggs and I am drinking red wine

God Herbs, that sounds spectacularly crap Have a baileys!

I have to say that the only Santa's the DC ever saw were the ones in the church/school fairs. DD used to be scared of going and sitting on his knee!

DS didn't like him much. And there was no sitting on knee business. Paedophiles, you know. There was a little seat in front of Santa for the children to cower.

And I have no Baileys.

I may need to purchase some Aldi Baileysalike.

My great aunt Irene (always sniggered at rather nastily for being 'common') used to bring her own 'baileys': Sodastream bottles filled with a mixture of Bells and TipTop.

Yay - I'm pleased to announce M&S double cream worked - perfect orange parfait. Mrs S - I do not understand why the French love that Chantilly crap so much.

MI - I enjoyed the Hobbit - inspite of it straying rather far from the book - I think the compensation was Bard the Bowman.

DH is sitting on the sofa beside me flossing his teeth - I am going to kill him!

Oh lord, Rudy, wtf??

Rudy at having a DH who takes control of the domestics.
And the lights!

Herbs - aunt Irene's baileys!

All presents wrapped here. Cake iced and various bits made. DD babysitting next door. DS is being particularly nice and asking me what I want to watch on TV

BTM - I hate DH suddenly invading the kitchen, moving stuff around so I can't find it and generally not doing things as I think they should be done. It's one control freak invading the realm of another.

I today, have bought a turkey - tomorrow I am on the hunt for sprouts (not very popular in France).

Rudy - omg my dh has taken over the kitchen too. He is on his third batch of Choux buns. I think he's aiming for a Crocambouche. Sp?
( I have just deep cleaned the kitchen in the manner of a Fly Lady)
There is going to be spun fucking sugar next isn't there.

Wilbur, my meltdown approacheth.

The dishwasher is still bolloxed too.
On the upside The Child has hoovered her room.

Well done MI

Couldn't sleep last night, so got up at five o'clock and started cleaning the oven. Managed ok at work, struggled through crap weather to shops for last odds and ends.

Was just ready to wrap presents for work tomorrow, when DD picked up automated phone call - flood warning from environment agency. Kid Brooke has risen over a metre in a few hours.

We've spent last hour moving presents, boxes of music, photos, CDs, carpets etc up a few feet. So my beautiful (if shabby) Christmas-ready house now looks like a top-heavy jumble sale. Can't move the two pianos, one of which (Mum's) is valuable. Everything else is, frankly, tat, though admittedly we're fond of it all.

DH glued to EA website. Dare we go to bed?

OMG Auriga! I didn't realise there was somewhere with a risk of flooding so near Has it actually flooded before? How worrying.

It is a risk area but in the lowest category. This road hasn't flooded in years (didn't flood in '07). River level currently falling but a lot more rain on way