That's Christmas cracked

OMG Christmas is over and it’s almost a week since I last posted a blog.  Starting to get withdrawal symptoms and actually hate it when I leave it so long because the memory is not what it used to be.  I am glad Christmas is done and finished but for the sake of the blog I’ll try and give an accurate account of what we did over Xmas. I warn you in advance it wasn’t terribly exciting I’m afraid.  On Christmas Eve I drove over to MK to pick up Vanessa and we went in my car to clean her Buy-To-Let flat in Shenley.  Her tenant had vacated and left the flat in a bit of a state.  It wasn’t too bad, I have seen far worse.  It was a lovely spacious flat with terrific views.  Chris came over to do some electrics and the three of us scrubbed for a few hours. It happened to be Vanessa’s birthday on CE and I’m not sure she should have been spending it cleaning but all hands to the decks and all that.

After cleaning, I went to Harriet’s flat at Caldecotte to wait for Phil.  The original plan was that he would come to MK with me so that we only had the one car.  But he couldn’t be bothered so he drove over at lunchtime and the three of us went to the Hungry Horse at Broughton for steak and chips.  The pub was packed which was not surprising because it was Christmas Eve after all, so we had a little bit of a wait for our lunch.  Harriet gave us our presents which she insisted we open; for me a pair of black leggings and a rather lovely pair of fur boots.  Phil got a pair of long sleeved pyjamas which he has practically lived in this last week.  Lunch over it was back to Overstone.   We had said that we would go to the clubhouse to listen to the Salvation Army sing carols but we couldn’t be arsed in the end, so we stayed home in front of the fire, stuffing our faces with chocolate in front of the telly.

We were up early on Christmas Day because we had to be on the road by half seven in order to get to Phil’s mum and dad so we could get the capon in the oven.   I don’t know what I was thinking ordering such a large bird from the butcher and not giving a thought to the cooking time. Phil nearly had a fit when he went into the butchers the day before to pick it up.  The capon cost 28 quid!  I did point out to Phil that it was organic but it didn’t stop him going on about the cost of all day long.   The roads were empty so we had a good run to Melton but it still took us an hour and it was nearly 9am when we arrived.  First job was to stuff the capon and whack it in the oven.   Poor George was already asleep in the chair and didn’t stir for quite a while.  He hadn’t had a good night and looked really knackered when he came round.  Phil’s mum and dad like their lunch spot on midday but our capon wasn’t cooked and it was nearly 1pm by the time Phil served.  It was a delicious but quiet lunch, I had taken down a nice bottle of Chardonnay, the old folks had a glass and I had polished off the rest.   There were no crackers or party hats and no Christmas pudding; after we washed and wiped up, we had a cup of tea and a mince pie whilst listening to the Queen’s speech and then we hit the road to go home.  We had phone calls to make and take when we got back to the caravan and then it was feet up in front of the telly.

For a girl that doesn’t dig Christmas, I did quite well in the present department.  Phil got me electronic cigarettes but he hasn’t quite worked out how to use them.  I’m not certain they were on my wish list but I suppose they were novel!   He also got me a Kimble which took me by surprise. I have been talking about getting one for ages as it will be great for when we go away.  I don’t think I shall give up my paperbacks because I have got a very good supply here at Overstone and nothing beats the smell and a feel of a real book.  Phil did me a homemade card which was a photograph of himself wearing nothing but a Christmas Santa Hat and a bow tie.   It cracked me up when I opened it!  Jan gave me wine and I got a Sanctury spa set from G which is always handy for the gym.  Mads gave me a very soft luxury throw for my bed and a cardigan from Next.  And as always mum and dad gave an envelope full of cash.  To be honest I felt a little guilty because this year I received far more than I gave.

 

On Boxing Day, I had every intention of going to the gym but Phil persuaded me to walk with him around the lakes.  Unfortunately one of the lakes was fenced off due to maintenance works.  My boots got really muddy and I wished I had gone to the gym after all.    At lunchtime we drove over to Mads & Steve’s cottage in Olney for a Boxing Day lunch.  Mads had her mum, sister Ali and nephew and niece Hannah and Dominic staying for Christmas.  Lunch was meant to be cold meat and mash and pickle but it was a 3 course very posh affair, totally over the top but very, very nice.   We stuffed ourselves silly and the boys ended up on the port.  I was the designated driver so I could only have a couple.  It was good to catch up with Mads & Steve and Ali and Iris whom we hadn’t seen since May.  Phil loved playing with Bella, Hannah’s little dog.  It wasn’t a late night and we left around half five because I was nervous about driving in the dark along the back roads, but it was fine.  

Yesterday morning I went to the gym.  Northampton town centre was quiet and also so was the gym.  I had a good, much needed workout, just the shame that I couldn’t get Phil to come along.  He hasn’t been to the gym since we have lived at Overstone, which is 2 months now.  How time flies.

Sue drove over yesterday; we had a cup of tea at the van and then went to the Billing Mill pub at Gt Billing.  We hadn’t been there before and wanted to try it out.  The pub was heaving but we managed to get a table, although we did have to wait a while for our food.  I don’t think any of us were expecting much of the food but it was okay, just standard usual pub fare.  After lunch it was back to the van and we watched Ab Fab.  Phil & I opened the red wine but Sue decided that she needed to get back to MK last night so she stuck to tea.  We had some mash and cold meat for supper and then Sue drove home.  This turned out to be a good move because she hadn’t been home long when she got a call to say that her dad had been admitted to MK General with a low heart rate.  She phoned earlier to say that she was at the hospital until half two this morning. I don’t often say poor Sue, but it does seem that the whole world is against her and it is one battle after another.  Shit happens I know but how much shit can a girl take?

I feel fat as a pig and very bloated; I got on the scales this morning and I have put on 4 pounds in 24 hours. How can that happen?  Well I do know steak, chips, red wine and chocolates.  It’s got to stop.  I want the world to get back to normal, I need a routine.  We have two fairly easy days ahead and I need to catch up with domestics and paperwork.  I know I am sounding like a real bar humbug but Christmas in the UK is really not my bag.  Next year I am definitely spending it in the sun and that’s a promise to myself that I fully intend to keep.