Our Christmas Week
This Christmas week started off with Monday, Lionel's arrival home for the holiday. The kids were absolutely mega excited but we decided only Joseph should go in the car for the journey down into London to meet Lionel at Kings Cross Station in case there was no where to park, didnt want to think about the kids safety if things became rushed. So instead they all stayed here with me, Ivan was manic with tidying, he tidied up the living room, the bathroom, the kitchen, the living room again, the house, the hallway, the living room again, he just didnt stop until finally I insisted he sat down mid evening. The journey from London back home took absolutely ages, apparently there were two overturned cars just outside one of the tunnel crossings which slowed things down adding an extra two hours on to the journey. By the time the car pulled up outside I was exhausted having cooked a giant meal and kept Harvey busy.
Tuesday was nicely relaxing, everyone just spending time together. I got a lot of artwork I'd been working on finished and also almost finished spinning the second single of the Dragon Called Karma yarn. Tuesday evening Angelica took Lionel with her to a Scout committee meeting, she was so proud showing off her "favourite and bestest" brother to everyone.
Wednesday shopping came and went in a blur, it wasnt a very nice day because all the kids had been showing off, talking very loudly competing for Lionel's and MY attention so by that day I was getting really tired and headachy. So the day came and went without too much going on, tried to turn the day around by doing more work on the Postcards book which is turning out really beautiful.
Thursday was nice, loads more shopping, finished all the Christmas presents for the kids shopping and finished lots of outstanding things in the house as well. The yarn was finished and ready to be plied, dinner was chicken curry and rice with dal, delicious. Lionel keeps saying how good it is to be home.
I almost forgot to mention, Lionel loved his room set up with all his Hello Kitty collections and new bedding we'd bought him.
Friday early hours of the morning technically still late Thursday night, some idiot decided to wrench off our wing mirror from the car and throw it on the pavement where it sat until we found it. A minor thing you might think, drunken mishap even, however, this "little minor incident" has now cost us £125 in cash the day before Christmas Eve. So what was a nicely flowing journey into Christmas weekend and beyond this week, has now turned into a "oh shit how are we going to get through the next few days, maybe we should sell something" time. The food money we have left will only last now until Thursday and that is being generous. No wine or anything can be bought for Christmas Day, I've just managed to scrape the food budget to get it to stretch over the weekend and Tuesday. The wing mirror is electric, we have a contract with motorbility who pay fully comprehensive insurance so we had no choice but to report the incident to them, they in turn arranged for the car to be collected by the RAC, the insurance company then arranged for a replacement car for us to use until Thursday this week which we had to accept because we have to pick up Dom from the station on Wednesday morning as she is staying until Monday. They wanted the first £75 insurance excess, plus £50 deposit for the fuel for the car they were delivering, they wouldnt deliver without it so hubby had to go running up the high street to pop the cash into the bank, race back home and pay them on the phone as they said they wouldnt accept cash.
I've had my ranting session yesterday, got so angry at having to part with all that money just before Christmas Day, it truly was the bulk of what we had left to live on until the after the 2nd January.
We'll get through things together like we always do, but it was nice to think we wouldnt be worrying now but alas, that isnt the case now.
Last night I finished my weaving, the pencil case looks very nice, is big enough to hold all four tins of 24 Derwent Pencils, I am so pleased. Photos to follow later.
I also stitched in all the signatures of the Postcards book after punching the holes, I didnt think I would be able to manage that task myself and would probably end up asking for help or someone else to do it, so I feel proud I did it all myself and today I am finally going to be able to add the cover boards.
Today, Christmas Eve, shopping for meat and potatoes has been done, Angelica and Lionel have gone out for the last fresh ingredients for the Christmas Day meals. Joseph is having cheesy pasta bake, home made of course, roast potatoes, salad, the rest of us are having meat and potato curry, rice and salad with fried brinjal and greens. Can not wait to cook, I had contemplated doing all that tonight, will have to see how tired I am, as per usual we've left all the wrapping until tonight, I just wrapped all Joseph's presents, I so hope he loves them as I had so much fun choosing especially them for him. I've also just finished wrapping the secret blanket I've been working on most of the year for Joseph, so know he's going to love it.
Curtains are being hung properly in the lounge as I type this, its cold today so heating is going on, Imogen is getting the kitchen ready for tonight's burgers and then she will help me wrap up Lionel's gifts and I will start sticking the book boards on to the book. Hopefully today will be lovely not stressful, that is my wish for the day that we can get through it without too much drama.
Tuesday was nicely relaxing, everyone just spending time together. I got a lot of artwork I'd been working on finished and also almost finished spinning the second single of the Dragon Called Karma yarn. Tuesday evening Angelica took Lionel with her to a Scout committee meeting, she was so proud showing off her "favourite and bestest" brother to everyone.
Wednesday shopping came and went in a blur, it wasnt a very nice day because all the kids had been showing off, talking very loudly competing for Lionel's and MY attention so by that day I was getting really tired and headachy. So the day came and went without too much going on, tried to turn the day around by doing more work on the Postcards book which is turning out really beautiful.
Thursday was nice, loads more shopping, finished all the Christmas presents for the kids shopping and finished lots of outstanding things in the house as well. The yarn was finished and ready to be plied, dinner was chicken curry and rice with dal, delicious. Lionel keeps saying how good it is to be home.
I almost forgot to mention, Lionel loved his room set up with all his Hello Kitty collections and new bedding we'd bought him.
Friday early hours of the morning technically still late Thursday night, some idiot decided to wrench off our wing mirror from the car and throw it on the pavement where it sat until we found it. A minor thing you might think, drunken mishap even, however, this "little minor incident" has now cost us £125 in cash the day before Christmas Eve. So what was a nicely flowing journey into Christmas weekend and beyond this week, has now turned into a "oh shit how are we going to get through the next few days, maybe we should sell something" time. The food money we have left will only last now until Thursday and that is being generous. No wine or anything can be bought for Christmas Day, I've just managed to scrape the food budget to get it to stretch over the weekend and Tuesday. The wing mirror is electric, we have a contract with motorbility who pay fully comprehensive insurance so we had no choice but to report the incident to them, they in turn arranged for the car to be collected by the RAC, the insurance company then arranged for a replacement car for us to use until Thursday this week which we had to accept because we have to pick up Dom from the station on Wednesday morning as she is staying until Monday. They wanted the first £75 insurance excess, plus £50 deposit for the fuel for the car they were delivering, they wouldnt deliver without it so hubby had to go running up the high street to pop the cash into the bank, race back home and pay them on the phone as they said they wouldnt accept cash.
I've had my ranting session yesterday, got so angry at having to part with all that money just before Christmas Day, it truly was the bulk of what we had left to live on until the after the 2nd January.
We'll get through things together like we always do, but it was nice to think we wouldnt be worrying now but alas, that isnt the case now.
Last night I finished my weaving, the pencil case looks very nice, is big enough to hold all four tins of 24 Derwent Pencils, I am so pleased. Photos to follow later.
I also stitched in all the signatures of the Postcards book after punching the holes, I didnt think I would be able to manage that task myself and would probably end up asking for help or someone else to do it, so I feel proud I did it all myself and today I am finally going to be able to add the cover boards.
Today, Christmas Eve, shopping for meat and potatoes has been done, Angelica and Lionel have gone out for the last fresh ingredients for the Christmas Day meals. Joseph is having cheesy pasta bake, home made of course, roast potatoes, salad, the rest of us are having meat and potato curry, rice and salad with fried brinjal and greens. Can not wait to cook, I had contemplated doing all that tonight, will have to see how tired I am, as per usual we've left all the wrapping until tonight, I just wrapped all Joseph's presents, I so hope he loves them as I had so much fun choosing especially them for him. I've also just finished wrapping the secret blanket I've been working on most of the year for Joseph, so know he's going to love it.
Curtains are being hung properly in the lounge as I type this, its cold today so heating is going on, Imogen is getting the kitchen ready for tonight's burgers and then she will help me wrap up Lionel's gifts and I will start sticking the book boards on to the book. Hopefully today will be lovely not stressful, that is my wish for the day that we can get through it without too much drama.