Saturday

Davies and I slept in late this morning while Ady and Scarlett who are the early risers in the house anyway, did some craft kits. They made bath bombs from the kit Ali and Freya gave Tarly for her birthday (and has turned out very impressive results) and a beaded windchime kit from Chris and Julie.

Once we were all up, dressed and fed we headed off to Burgess Hill, which is a small town about 15miles away. The main purpose was to collect something from Argos which had been the nearest available Argos when Ady checked online but we decided to have a couple of hours there and do some shopping. It’s been a tricky year this year as Ady has been buying stuff for the children all year but I never get any time to go and do any shopping on my own. I’ve got some bits for Ady online, but otherwise done nothing. It was very slippy in Burgess Hill and infact most places seem to have been very inadequately gritted on paths and roads locally. I got a few bits in a very nice gift shop, we picked up the stuff from Argos, got another couple of things in a charity shop and then went to a bakery for some cakes / savouries for a very late lunch before heading for home.

I was feeling grumpy for no real explained reason other than being bored with listening to Ady’s cough and feeling rather like I could do with half a day or so to myself away from the whole of the rest of the world. Don’t know why, it’s not like it’s something I usually get so I shouldn’t be missing it particularly. We also called into Boots and Sainsburys with Ady and Scarlett going to Sainsburys while Davies and I went to Boots where I got various bits for Scarlett and my brother’s present.

Home again for more craft kits (Tarly), playing a new-to-him X box game (Davies), getting a fire going and starting dinner (Ady) and bath and deciding to order some photo gifts online for my Granny and parents (me). This proved more stressful than it should have done I’m sure and I hope the results are worth the money but Ive ordered a photo book for my parents with pictures of Davies and Scarlett and a photo diary with more of the same for my Granny. Having decided no matter what I buy my parents it will never be recieved with grateful thanks or gushing joy I’d rather spend money on something *I* think any normal grandparent would like to have. I’ll supplement it with some little gifts (I did home made last year and that didn’t work) and be confident I have put thought and love into their gift.

Am now feeling better about having sorted the rather joyless Christmas giving out and just need to work out what we’ve got for Davies and Scarlett and if there are any obvious discrepancies in volume. Tomorrow we have local Christmas card delivering to do (was very magical and festive walking in the snow to hand deliver to neighbours today :)), some festive baking – mince pies, decorating the Christmas cakes etc and maybe the wrapping up to do tomorrow evening. Hopefully all that will have me feeling far more festive and a lot less humbug.