Today is Mark's birthday - we have still not been able to shift it to a more relaxing time of year - July maybe, or August. So we are having the usual celebrations - this year instead of celebrating with his family on the day we are celebrating it twice... first today - then again on Saturday when four of them will be here. He was in adn exceptionally grumpy mood this morning...this didn't help.
I am doing that "woman at Christmas" thing that they have begun to talk about in the meejah. In my case this consists of being as patient as I can be - and just getting on with stuff.
Today's achievements:
Took delivery of Christmas tree (Nordmann this year - he offered us one at the same price), cooked scones, birthday cake, soaking a ham, starting to deal with spiced beef, making steak and kidney pudding, went to 2 supermarkets, tidied up the booze cupboard and decided we actually could get by on what we had between now and Boxing Day (when Sainsbury's is open - if there's an emergency). Tidied up sitting room, dealt with card s, wrapped some more presents - realised we were nearly out of wrapping paper - tried to tidy up kitchen, tried to make more fudge (assembled ingredients, but got no futher). Organised small but perfectly formed birthday tea for M, N, F and Gina - it is not surprising that the cake went wonky - shoved it in the oven without due care and attention... Also needed to spend time persuading Mark to cheer up - it isn't the end of the world (that's tomorrow) that he's now as old as me. He did cheer up and enjoyed opening his vast selection of pressies - and eating the coconut cake (only I seemed to notice it wasn't as good as usual - don't think the organic coconut I bought in error tastes as good as the usual own brand stuff!).
We have a hell of a lot to do tomorrow - and I have to go and mind Suzy's shop - which is fine, it will give me a chance to sit quietly and read, or perhaps it will be busy? She is having late opening - followed by a party at hers... but we also have to:
get everything out of the dining room and clean it,
clean and tidy sitting room, rearrange furniture to accommodate tree
Clean the hall, stairs, etc.
Stuff ivy in all unattractive bits of the house
Erect and decorate the Christmas tree
Get boys to make biscuits and more fudge for presents.
Wrap more presents,
Cook brownies, red cabbage and prepare croquetas...
Ice two Christmas cakes (have to do that tommorrow because one is for Tom & Anne)
Everything seems to take so long. Clare noticed how much walking I had to do in the kitchen - I suppose dashing the 22 ft between the washing machine and the drying rack and the sink and the recyling bins is keeping me from utter slothfulness. This is the first time I've relaxed for a while - and I go back to my laptop and discover another agent has rejected my novel - it only took her 3 days. Good, she urged me to continue looking for an agent. I don't really think I'll have much time until January. Tomorrow Mark is going to Canterbury to get some stones - he has another job, which is great, and he can do it at once - so we'll only have to make the next payment stretch until mid-Feb, and I can explain this to the Nationwide. Arrrrggggh.
I am doing that "woman at Christmas" thing that they have begun to talk about in the meejah. In my case this consists of being as patient as I can be - and just getting on with stuff.
Today's achievements:
Took delivery of Christmas tree (Nordmann this year - he offered us one at the same price), cooked scones, birthday cake, soaking a ham, starting to deal with spiced beef, making steak and kidney pudding, went to 2 supermarkets, tidied up the booze cupboard and decided we actually could get by on what we had between now and Boxing Day (when Sainsbury's is open - if there's an emergency). Tidied up sitting room, dealt with card s, wrapped some more presents - realised we were nearly out of wrapping paper - tried to tidy up kitchen, tried to make more fudge (assembled ingredients, but got no futher). Organised small but perfectly formed birthday tea for M, N, F and Gina - it is not surprising that the cake went wonky - shoved it in the oven without due care and attention... Also needed to spend time persuading Mark to cheer up - it isn't the end of the world (that's tomorrow) that he's now as old as me. He did cheer up and enjoyed opening his vast selection of pressies - and eating the coconut cake (only I seemed to notice it wasn't as good as usual - don't think the organic coconut I bought in error tastes as good as the usual own brand stuff!).
We have a hell of a lot to do tomorrow - and I have to go and mind Suzy's shop - which is fine, it will give me a chance to sit quietly and read, or perhaps it will be busy? She is having late opening - followed by a party at hers... but we also have to:
get everything out of the dining room and clean it,
clean and tidy sitting room, rearrange furniture to accommodate tree
Clean the hall, stairs, etc.
Stuff ivy in all unattractive bits of the house
Erect and decorate the Christmas tree
Get boys to make biscuits and more fudge for presents.
Wrap more presents,
Cook brownies, red cabbage and prepare croquetas...
Ice two Christmas cakes (have to do that tommorrow because one is for Tom & Anne)
Everything seems to take so long. Clare noticed how much walking I had to do in the kitchen - I suppose dashing the 22 ft between the washing machine and the drying rack and the sink and the recyling bins is keeping me from utter slothfulness. This is the first time I've relaxed for a while - and I go back to my laptop and discover another agent has rejected my novel - it only took her 3 days. Good, she urged me to continue looking for an agent. I don't really think I'll have much time until January. Tomorrow Mark is going to Canterbury to get some stones - he has another job, which is great, and he can do it at once - so we'll only have to make the next payment stretch until mid-Feb, and I can explain this to the Nationwide. Arrrrggggh.
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