London lights

I think the best description of my Saturday with my sister and niece would be epic. We did a huge amount of walking, talking and remembering. It was lovely to spend that quality time with them, adding to my memories of London town and making new and special ones. We certainly got our steps in and got a cheeky takeaway to end the day because everywhere was so full by then. Blissful. A was able to join us in that bit with a little bit more nattering before bed. It really was lovely to see you J.

The big event of the week was our Christmas Monday, and thanks to the slowness of the HR process I got to spend it prepping the meal, the table. M had requested roast gammon, I hadn't cooked that before but it was very straight forward and tasted great. Asher picked the girls up from school and along with a bottle of prosecco we set about opening presents. My mum and sister - super organised of course, had given us gifts already and we had the ones for each other too. Plus a few extras. It was a proper Christmas atmosphere and we all got loads of lovely things we wanted. The girls had also bought us things from their trip to Poland, one was a head scratcher, which we all love, but they didn't know it vibrated. My mum and sister really know me well - I think I'd given some suggestions but my gifts were thoughtful and personal and I loved them all. The picture I really wanted now did proudly in the getting room and the promise of high tea with a high level of cheese. The girls loved their gifts from us and it was truly lovely to see how appreciative they were of the whole thing. 

BigA opened some of the olives from my mum - the most olives I've seen out of a deli in my life and M set about eating her reeces pieces gift, and A the fruit pasteles, so despite it being the evening it was very reminiscent of my childhood Christmas mornings, with me taking on the role of my dad, popping into the kitchen to do the next bit of the meal. I did a great job, even if I do say so myself. I timed it all very well and the table looked fabulous with all the dishes ready to be devoured. There were plenty of leftovers, but the roast potatoes didn't last the night. I was also very pleased by the Christmas crackers that I had searched for, I was after ones with proper things in them, they were very well received. With hats on and jokes told we ate our fill. Then the finale - the trifle. As we will be setting off relatively soon I didn't do my usual giant one for 4 people and had used the tall wine glasses to make individual ones. We all decorated the top ourselves once the cream was added and we sat in the front room - all of us unable to quite finish. BigA then went and got our scratch cards - these are the reward for chores completed this quarter. It is no surprise that I got the most- given I've been at home doing very little so I have done a lot more of the chores but I didn't win a penny, the others did (still not covering the costs of the cards themselves) It was fun though and we played - what would we spend the money on if we won big. I used to think I wouldn't give up work if I won enough to live happily on but I've changed my mind. I would absolutely do that now and decided I would buy a theatre and set up a community company and spend my time directing plays I fancied doing without any pressure to sell tickets and then perhaps write my own plays too. 

This week M set off to France with her brother to spend Christmas with her mum's side of the family, BigA once again proving himself a wonderful not dad by getting up super early and taking them to the airport. 

We had an impromptu night out with Ebony and Edgar, with a fun mix of an Irish folk quintet one side of us and a Carribbean soul DJ the other! 

I've been taking advantage of Debi being off once more and we met up and I also got to see a pal from my Southgate days - Gina - who doesn't work on Wednesdays. And good pals simply popping in for a cuppa to break up the days. I'm a lucky woman all things considering. 

Yesterday BigA tinkered with the car again and seems to have finally stopped it screaming at us. And we picked A up from school but better leaving Crouch End we visited the cheese shop she'd wanted to show her dad and a nice lunch. These moments are the silver linings I'm holding on to. A gift to treasure. Life isn't always, and I feel, often not what you planned but I am so very grateful that I have so many blessings. 

A has 2 work doos to go to and BigA has maintained quite a lot of frisbee given the season. 

We got the hall and stairs measured up for carpet and got a quote, bit more than we were expecting so we now doing that thing where we try and shop around and then decide if we go for the one we want or a cheaper ones.