Thursday 20 December 2007

Feeling Festive - another true stroy

It's a fabulous crisp and sunny morning here in Monmouthshire.
The robin has been flying around my utility room and Radio 2 has sounded very festive. I've packed my last Christmas order.
I'm happy but exhausted, and feeling more in the Christmas spirit, even though I've forgotten to send Christmas Cards to my lovely relatives and friends in exotic places.
That means no invites to the sun next year - bugger!
In my state of exhaustion, I'm a bit more dippy than usual. The Milkman drove down the lane as I was walking daughter no2 up to meet the school bus. "Are you going to be long?" he said as he drove past.
"No, put the kettle on"

On walking back into my kitchen, Darling Husband and the Milkman were chatting.
Me: "I bet you didn't recognise me with my clothes on this morning?"
Milkman: lots of spluttering
Darling Husband: huge laughter

I realised immediately, as of course even the most stupid person would (which I suppose I am this morning), what I had said and how it sounded.

I must explain, on Tuesday morning I got up early, it was still dark, and I decided to go outside and bring some logs in for the fire and then go and feed my gorgeous pregnant pigs (only two weeks until piglets!!). I didn't want to disturb anyone in the house by putting lights on to find clothes, so in the bathroom, I found Darling husbands jeans and thick jumpers. I pulled those on and went outside. The milkman arrived early. He stopped and said loudly "what the hell do you look like?".

So that's why I asked if he recognised me in my clothes...whew! Thank goodness my mother-in-law wasn't in the house.

And one more true story, if I've already told it, then, I guess I'm repeating myself!

We really felt the Christmas spirit last year, after all, isn't that really what it's all about? We saw a neighbour, wandering around in the Supermarket on Christmas Eve, with a box of cereals in a basket and looking pale and terrified. He was late picking up the turkey they had pre-ordered and the shop had sold it. He was concerned for Christmas Day, his three young children, his marriage and life as he knew it if he went home without something for their Christmas lunch. The shops were closing in 10 minutes. We told him to go to our house and get our turkey from the fridge, and we ate with my Mother-in-Law instead. We felt like Heroes, it was a nice feeling.

And with that I'm retiring for the Christmas holiday. Hoping to consume smooth red wine, lots of fizz and relax.
Merry Christmas, enjoy your few days without getting too stressed.
Frog in the frozen fields!
x

Tuesday 18 December 2007

Festive Hamster

The first realisation that Christmas was just around the corner was the arrival of the school hamster. "Piper" is staying with us for the holidays. This didn't bother the goldfish at all and I don't think the piglets noticed his arrival, but the cats certainly got excited about it.....especially when he escaped from the plastic ball that he likes to roll around the kitchen floor in. Well, I'm all smartly dressed and ready to go to my daughters' school play when the plastic ball came open. I watched with horror, as 'Piper' headed towards the gap under the door into the utility room. As his head reached the door, a black paw stretched out and scooped him up...agh!! 'She'll never be head girl now!' ran through my mind as I threw the door open and chased the cat. The cat was hiding under a cupboard and I threw myself on the floor to grab it. Once I managed to get hold of the furious feline, I had to hold her between my knees so I could use both hands to prise open her jaws. After much growling and gnashing of teeth (on both our parts), I rescued the hamster...he's perfectly fine now, though we were both quite shaky at the time. Once I had put him safely back in his cage I looked down at my clothes with further horror...the utility room was being re plastered and I had just led on the floor in all the dust and mess...... I did get to the school play just in time and in clean clothes, but only just. Next year the hamster is going somewhere else for Christmas, he'd only been here 23 hours when he escaped…