Christmas Eve

My parents fly in from Spain today, and as is the tradition, on their day of travel, the weather is really dodgy.  They have left Spain, that much we know, but the trains from Gatwick to Scobiville seem to be cancelled en masse, presumably due to "debris on the track" from last night causing services to backup and, in the case of the South coast routes, be cancelled.

I am half expecting a call, since while they like to be independent, typically refusing any offers of being picked up, they also prefer to not spend Christmas day in the Gatwick Departure Lounge.  Time will tell.

I had a small bout of unwellness last night - a sudden overwhelming feeling that I was going to be sick, reminiscent of last year's Norovirus outbreak, not something that I would willingly revisit, even as part of a weight-loss campaign.  I just went to bed, and that seemed to fend off the worst of the effects, but I did not eat for 24 hours and to be honest, that alone is sufficient proof that it was a proper illness, unwilling as I am to wander too far from the next meal.  We missed a party as a result, and while I was accused by the less generous in the house of inventing an illness, I can only say it was real enough to me, and even today I do feel a bit delicate.

So, Christmas Eve.  We will be off to Chrisdingle at 5pm, then back for onesies and a pick 'n' mix tea, a speciality in Scobi towers consisting of bread and cheese and salad and sausages and crisps and olives and all manner of nibbles, combining in to a mighty fine tea.  I just hope that I have the appetite for at least a bit of it.

It only leaves me to wish you all a very Happy, relaxing and peaceful Christmas and New Year.

Christmas Eve Eve

Two more days at work, then off for a week.  Looking forward to it greatly.

As for work, just a matter of tidying up the threads, and then I can finish with a clean conscience and plate.

And . . . relax

And what a relax it is.  As I have mentioned, several times, the rest of the clan is off from tonight for two weeks, at which point there is a very large collective sigh of relief.

Work for me is remaining busy, still busy closing deals and threads, with the added thrill, spice and excitement that I am now also closing some threads for two of my colleagues.  That equates to a lot of threads, some of which I am not very familiar, and it is fair to say that I have dropped one or two over the previous week.  Luckily, I have plenty of colleagues who have kindly pointed out any such drops.  Every day is a school day.

Finally, we start to look forward to Christmas.  The trees, in plural as we use the old artificial one in the front room and a real one in the back room.  This has meant that our decorations are a little bit sparse, spread as they rather thin between two trees.  Nevertheless, minimal is most definitely in, and with the lights they are looking good girlfriend.

In case I cannot get round to blogging again, have a great Christmas and a merry, joyous and peaceful New Year.

Until next year.

Another day near 't' grave

So here we are, Thursday before Christmas, late night shopping in Scobiville, and a night when we are looking to go out and do some shopping, and then do some eating. 

Work is refusing to slow down, so I am taking a unilateral approach and just slowing myself down, regardless of how fast the work decides to operate.

In fairness, things are starting to go a bit quieter, and my client will be allowing its contractors to go on holiday until the New Year from yesterday onwards, so surely no organisation can maintain such volumes when a third of their workforce are tucking in to their mince pies.

I have also been asked to provide personal references for Brad, something that I have not been asked to do for a while.  I felt a bit rusty at first, and then once into my stride slightly like I was looking to marry him rather than recommend him.  I think the word "gushing" would about cover it.  Anyhow, it is all true (one of my core values, and also one I documented as one of Brad's if I am not very much mistaken) so how bad can it get.

The home straight

We had a great weekend at Brad and Angelina's, including, but not limited to, a fantastic fish pie and, or course, the obligatory Cherry Madeira cake.  Such delights are riches no money can buy.

Brad has a new job.  Woo hoo, and also of course, one in the eye for me and my "Year of the Career".  That's the trouble with these nippers, always looking to show you up.  Well done to Brad and also well done for an excuse for the nifty sports car, something that will be the second car for Brad to commute to the new job once he starts.

This is the final week for the maggots and LO, which I have probably already mentioned, so from Friday evening the pressure will be off for a couple of weeks, and seventy-five percent of the Scobi clan will be spending most of their days in their onesies no doubt.

Have a good rest of the week, and speak soon.

And . . . relax

There seems to be less hours in the day at the moment.  Things are frantic, with Year End vying for Christmas preparation and a general feeling of a slowing draining battery.  It is the same every year, and not sure what I can do differently to make it less so.

Anyway, we are off to Brad and Angelina for the weekend to celebrate the birthday of Angelina, who may well be old enough that we don't mention numbers, yet still seems like a teenager to me (and that should get me an extra large slice of Cherry Madeira Cake).

We are half wrapped, and fully bought up, just missing one key present from Gee Gee to the Scobi family that may well not be available this side of Christmas, which may mean a rather sad IOW being opened on the day.  I will keep checking all the stores, but am not hopeful.  I am also avoiding putting in to print what it is, because walls have ears*.

With work, which is ever-present at the moment, things are just things, and I have a sense of the Luge about it, just trying to get through to the 24th without suffering any major mishaps or illnesses.
 

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*At Christmas time, it is not just the cake that gets mixed

Tuesday

I am living a day at a time, looking to get through to Friday.  The we are off to Brad and Angelina, with a lot of catching up to do (well done to Brad).

Then one more week, at which point the rest of the clan are on holiday for 2 weeks, leaving little old me to finish on Christmas Eve for a good week off.

I cannot wait.

Time, where will it all end?

Life is all absorbing at the moment, stopping me from thinking about blogging.

As for time, having seen the Brian Cox on the TV, I know it is a cone, limited by the speed of light.  But then you can bend the cone, so maybe you can travel in time.  I don't know, all very mind-blowing.

Otherwise, only news is that Brad has resigned from his current employer, in this, the year of the career, so well done to him and can't wait to hear all about it in a week and a bit.

Ooops

Forgot to blog.

Knee is good.  Walking on it normally now, and it is aching a bit, but ice does the trick.

Work is hard.  Just is, and leading up to Xmas it is mad at work, and would rather be eating mince pies at home.

Tea is yesterday's smoked salmon lasagne, which is, I can testify, bleedin' 'andsome.

Sonos remains spiffing.