I came downstairs a few minutes ago, made a cup of tea, gave a slice of bread to the dog and made myself a slice of toast with loads of Anchor butter spread over it (well, it is Christmas!) and turned on the oven in preparation for the mince pie onslaught. I went to turn the lamp on in the lounge and - the bulbs blew. It's one of those lamps with a reading light and a standard lamp so a two in one job and neither would work so I assumed it was the fuse. I was wrong but I only found out after I had changed the fuse. I then changed both bulbs and now all is well. All a bit unnecessary for this time of the morning I feel.
So here I am, typing away with Radio 2 and a dog on the sofa beside me keeping me company.
Are you all ready for the festivities? If you're anything like me, you will think that you are but then, like the advert on the TV, you will randomly think of something that you just have to have and, before you know it, there will be yet another list on the go. My latest list, composed an hour or so ago, contains just about every vegetable that you can think of, the odd bit of fruit and some cloves plus bread, croissants and pan au chocolate. Quite why I feel it necessary to have all of this 'just in case' is beyond me but it's the same thing every year.
I have spent the last week since work finished visiting friends and chasing my tail. The visiting has been lovely. I have caught up with several old clients who have long since become friends. I have indulged in tea, coffee, mince pies, hot chocolate and the odd lunch and I been so touched by people that have given me gifts and cards. People are so kind.
Saturday was a lovely, if hectic, day. I picked up my daughter and we went to catch up with some of the family at what has become an annual event. My sister hosts it every year and it's always lovely. Lots of food and drink and good company. Although we are a big family, or maybe because of it, we don't get together very often so it's always nice when it happens. There are always a few who can't make it but there are enough of us to make it worth while. There are always lots of children which is great. There is also quite often an addition to the family too so it's great to catch up and see how much the little ones have grown and how all of the adults are surviving!
After the catch up and via a visit to my brother and his family who were about to host their own street party, my daughter and I set off to London where we visited the South Bank and their winter festival. Oh, it was magical...and very, very busy. We indulged ourselves with mulled wine while we wondered around and looked at the various stalls and then went to pick up our tickets for a show at The Royal Festival Hall that I had booked earlier in the month.
Once we had picked up our tickets, we attempted to find somewhere to eat but everywhere was full so we grabbed a spiced lamb wrap each from one of the vendors and sat on a bench and watched the world go by while we enjoyed our food. I then fancied some candy floss so that was my next indulgence which I thoroughly enjoyed and then we grabbed a mulled cider each that had a toffee vodka shot in. Now that was good.
We took our hot drinks back into the crowded Festival Hall and listened to a group who were playing hi energy gypsy songs to rapturous applause for the hundreds of people who were scattered throughout the building. We found a corner to sit for a while and it happened to be a knitting corner! People were invited to sit and knit a square. Wool and needles provided. All of the squares were going to be stitched together to make blankets for the elderly. Well, I couldn't resist and had a go. I'm not a great knitter but I'm happy to have a go. I really, really enjoyed it and I will most definitely go back to the Festival Hall again. I've walked past it so many times and never set foot inside.
Then it was time to go to the show...The Slava Snow Show. I had no idea what to expect but the word 'snow' was in the title, it's Christmas, so why not? Well, it was really the most bizarre show I have ever seen. It was basically clowns! It was funny, sad, bonkers and memorable. I think there was supposed to be a storyline of sorts but, if there was, it was totally beyond us.
My brother had already seen the show when it was in Woking and he said that it's impossible to describe what it's like to someone who hasn't seen it. I think he is right. It's a visual experience more than anything but mainly it's bonkers. We loved it though and we laughed our heads off at the end because it was so weird.
Well, I had better go and make some mince pies as the oven has been on for an hour.
I wish you all the happiest of Christmases. I hope that you get to spend it in the way that you want to, be it surrounded by family, with friends or quietly on your own.
Much love to you all xxxx
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