I don’t have to do very much in the way of preparing for Christmas. Not because I’m super-organised and have got everything under control, but because I have a wife who manages to take the pressure off me to sort everything out (putting the pressure on herself, instead). We are having our Christmas dinner with my wife’s youngest son and his fiancee, so the pressure is well and truly off for that one. Christmas gifts for all of her family have been taken care of by my wife. I have already sorted out gifts for my son and daughter (so, I did do something, see!), and just need to get some goodies for my mother, a little something for my brother and his family, and a little something for my wife.
It was with my wife in mind that I decided to take a trip out to the outskirts of Norwich today, and also I wanted to buy some beer and get the ingredients to make some brandy butter and some cheese straws – both of which I volunteered to make and take along to Christmas dinner.
The shopping trip was an utter nightmare. I thought that by leaving the house at 2pm, the traffic would be light, and I planned on being home by 3.30pm. How wrong can you be? It took over an hour each way to make a 20 mile journey, I didn’t find a gift for my wife, and couldn’t get the ingredients for the cheese straws. Luckily I got the beer and some unsalted butter (for the brandy butter), otherwise the entire day would have been one great big fail!
When I got back home it was dark, so the dog had to make do with a trip down some dark lanes on the end of her lead, rather than chasing a ball across the field. Poor girl – I’ll have to make it up to her tomorrow.
My voice has been a little better today, but I wonder if that’s because I hardly have to talk to anybody during the day, rather than me thinking that it has deteriorated (due to tiredness) by the time evening rolls around and I’m struggling to converse with my wife. I only really notice the weakness of my voice when I’m struggling to converse – so if I go through the entire day without having to talk to anyone… Just a thought.