Back to Work!

Boooooooooooo..... am sitting at my desk, not wanting to be here... nevermind, I guess that it is a good sign that I don't want to scrabble back to work to escape my Christmas!

Had a really really lovely weekend and Christmas and Boxing day...

Saturday
I got up nice and early (before 6am, with Mark), and drove straight over to Lowestoft to start the rounds. Managed to get the last of my food shopping from a very empty Tesco garage on arrival in Lowestoft. so was jolly glad about that! Popped to see Mum for a bit (and admired their new conservatory), and then went over to see Nanny and Grandad. They both seemed very well, and chatty as ever. Was also nice as Robert turned up too - so could give him all the bits and bobs I carried home for him, and that saved me a journey later on. I then went to see Janine and the adorable Lola in their new house in Dene road. Gorgeous place with so much potential (although most of it has been done for them). It is amazing how much more you get for your money in Lowestoft! Lola is gorgeous - standing (not *quite* walking, but almost), and chatting away. She seems a very laid back and smiley little girl, who chuckled like crazy when I threw her up in the air and caught her... have discovered that this may be a very good way to get rid of my bingo wings ;-)

Left Janine to feed Lola, and headed round to Nanny Brown's place... I always feel vaguely sad when I visit Nanny. She spends far too much time alone, and her health is not great. However, some of her isolation is self imposed (she tends to upset people)... its an odd combination of pity and regret I feel there. What makes it worse is that she is always so pleased to see me. Yet again, I departed with a promise to myself to try and make a bit more of an effort with her... although I know that for various and complicated reasons, getting too close to the woman is not a good idea. A tricky call.

Late afternoon, I finally made it to Tracy's new place... one word: GORGEOUS. The place is stunning. Yet again I am staggered at Tracy's good taste in all matters decor, and felt envious of her beautiful house, her closeness to the family, and her two beautiful blonde children... sigh. Then again, I could do without her stressful lifestyle... piggy-face turned up with Henry at dinner-time, and Tracy (somewhat rashly, I felt!) invited him to eat dinner with Me and my parents... nevermind, the slow-cooked belly of pork (done in a most delicious Chinese 5-spice rub in the aga... AGA!) made up in some way for it. Thankfully he didn't stay too late, and we continued to drink wine/baileys until fairly late. Henry is simply gorgeous these days - he has me in fits of laughter continuously... I read him "Twas the Night Before Christmas", and amid the "Whys?" you get for almost every line ("why is Santa's nose like a cherry?", "why does he smoke a pipe? mummy said it's dirty!"...), he seemed properly enchanted with it. He did announce though, apropos of nothing, that Father Christmas would not be visiting Uncle Mark as he eats children's toys... (Mark, some months ago now, pretended to eat a plastic beetle belonging to Henry, and Henry has never quite forgiven him or forgotten it!). Apparently, the only way Uncle Mark could guarantee himself a visit from the big man, was to "make sure that he didn't wee his pants on Christmas eve"... which of course, is nigh-on impossible ;-)

Tracy, Oscar and I ended up sleeping in Tracy's enormous bed for the night... I almost got the shock of my life when I was awoken by what appeared to be a hairless cat (Oscar), slapping me in the face and pulling on my nose in the night! Perhaps I had one too many Baileys... heh.

Sunday - Christmas Eve
Had lovely brekkie with Tracy and the boys (again, Henry had me in stitches... re: a discussion of "what Trolls might eat for breakfast", THE most disgusting Henry could think of, aside from "poo poo Pizza" and "mud pie" was a crab stick that had been dropped on the floor!).

Met up with Jane and Jamie in Oulton Broad for coffee in the Red Herring. Was really good to see them both! They both looked fabulously well and were on good form - Jamie has even had his goatee shaved off (which seemed to take half an hour for me to register!). They had some good news... they have won a contract to overhaul the gardens around the Art Cinema in Norwich. I am SO pleased for them. It is a gorgeous, and very historic, site. Could open many doors for them!

I drove home immediately after leaving Jane and Jamie, and managed to get home not long after Mark. I prepared all the veggies and turkey for Christmas day, and we settled down with a bottle of wine and watched Alien II - very christmassy!!! ;-)

Monday - Christmas Day
Had a lovely Christmas day with Mark and his family. We started the day with smoked salmon and bucks fizz (kindly donated by Jamie and Adele), and I managed to sort everything out in the kitchen for dinner. We also found time to make a few phone calls (Mark got through to a very jovial sounding Jez and Marta in China) and wish people Happy Christmas.

We opened pressies when Suzy and John arrived. I got lots of lovely bits and bobs from friends and family, including a lovely silver cross and chain from Mark, and some money from Mum and Dad, Nanny and Grandad and Tracy.

I did a starter for dinner (Prawn Cocktail - classy!), followed by turkey and all the trimmings for Mark's parents and I, and a vegetarian haggis for Mark. I did Christmas pudding and custard for dessert - although managed to fluff up the fresh custard I was supposed to be making (with egg yolks, cream, sugar and vanilla pods) - somehow the double cream in it separated... Serves me right for showing off! ;-)

In the afternoon we watched The Long Engagement on DVD (fab film), and then headed to Mark's brother's place to see him (Paul), his wife Alison, and their kids (Jessica, aged 12 and Sam, 9) and some of Alison's family. Spent the evening sitting around and stuffing our faces!

Tuesday - Boxing Day
Another really nice day with Mark's family. Mark's mum cooked for all of us; Mark's sister Caroline, her partner Phil, and their two children (Katie, aged 3 and Emily, 4 months). Paul and Alison and the children also made it over. Basically we sat around watching TV, stuffing our faces with Quality Street, and watching the children run amok with their various toys...

In the evening, Mark and I just stayed in front of the fire drinking wine and whiskey and watching The Pirates of The Caribbean, and The Mummy Returns... yummm.... Johnny Depp....

Wednesday - Back to work!
I am the only one in the entire family who has to return to work today! Booo... was very hard to leave Mark tucked up in bed this morning - not made any better by the wine/whiskey fest we had last night! ;-) Ah well... no rest for the wicked, hey!

Spoke to Tracy this morning, and unfortunately she had to have the paramedics out last night - as she had a major asthma attack... not good! She seems better today though, if not a little drugged up on steroids!

Anyway... had better do some work. Lunch is over... tonight we are going to the cinema to see The Flags of Our Fathers, which looks excellent...

Speak soon. Hope you all had a good Christmas...
Hayls
xxxx