Okay, it’s a bit late for this but I thought that I would still update the blog with what we did this year over the Festive period, it was bloody busy I know that much, loads of food and drink, and a bit more drink just in case!
So where to start? I guess the works do just before Xmas. We went out to a local restaurant/pub in Bearstead near Maidstone, it was okay. Very busy popular place, and I could soon see why, the food was excellent and there was loads of it as well. Had a few drinks but didn’t go overboard although everyone wanted me to get drunk – it wasn’t going to happen though!
I took the Friday 23rd off and just helped round the house to get things in place for the coming weekend and eventually got the Xbox sorted out – that was a big saga which I won’t go into here, suffice to say I am pleased and relieved that we finally got a working model before the break.
Friday night we went up to Mum’s house to have Xmas early because she was spending the time at Louise’s and wouldn’t be around as normal. So from about 5.00pm we were up there, had a lovely Chinese take-away meal and then handed out the presents – got some nice things and the kids were spoilt as normal. Jack got a mobile phone and was thrilled, it was really lovely to see him so excited, haven’t seen that sort of childish wonder and thanks in him for a long time, he’s always seemed older than his years, but this was definitely a very excited Jack!
Mum gave Tash and I some money to go towards the camera that I have my eye on so that was appreciated. We stayed until about 10.15pm and then driving home Tash offered to drop me into Oxford as the City Veterans were out on our Xmas night out.
I met up with them in the Living Room and they were absolutely hammered, it was a laugh seeing them like this and I quickly tried to catch up! I saw loads of people I know, a real who’s who so that was good and I was glad to have gone down there. I stayed until the end of the night, by which time I was a little bit drunk and then got some food and bus home. Tash was still up at 2.30am so came to the cemetery to pick me up.
Thankfully not a big hangover for Xmas Eve as we got more things sorted and had a relaxing and lazy day, we met up with the Holdens and the Carrolls in the White Hart and had a couple of drinks. Wayne wasn’t drinking which was no surprise having seen the state of him the night before! It was a nice evening and the new landlord was chatty and trying to get us to like him and go back there as regulars! As the night ended the Holdens went home, and we then went to the Richardsons for their house party. I wasn’t really in the mood and when it got to 11.30pm Tash went with Lucy to midnight Mass (it’s something she’s always wanted to do) I actually left the party at the same and went home to get some normal drink and watch the TV. I had no interest in going to Mass, not for me…
Not too sure what time Tash got back but she wasn’t overly enthused about the experience so we sorted out the final presents and went to bed.
Kids up at 8.00am – not bad for Xmas morning!
Stockings and presents, coffee and croissants, perfect start to the day! Kids were pleased with what they got and enjoyed handing out presents to each other, me and mum – they’re really good kids and great fun. They didn’t get a great deal this year but they didn’t moan and made out they were happy with it all. We then popped round to Sue’s house because she was on her own so more presents handed out and then she went off to get Tiffany whilst we came back to our house for an hour or so to get showered and changed and ready for the long day.
It was nice not having to rush around to be honest when we’re normally having to go over to Mum’s, that’s not to say I didn’t miss going over there first thing but it was nice to not be so hurried. So in our own time we went back to Sue’s and then Tiff/Paul and Nikki, Gaz and all the girls were there. Victoria also bought her boyfriend Jason over. Usual mad time was had by all, loads of food crowded in the kitchen and loads of drink, far too much. It got very rowdy this year, even by dinner time – I thought Tash was going to cut her fingers off the way she was waving the electric carving knife around in a drunken state.
After dinner handed out the presents and then played games, watched telly and the usual things.
It was a really enjoyable day that seemed to fly by. Gaz did his ‘pub quiz’ which he’d been working on for months and it was really good, loads of varied (and hard) questions which my team won in the end by only 4 points. So we were pleased with that effort! As things ebbed and flowed it felt like the night was passing us by a bit so we got the Sing Star out – that certainly got things going and the videos of our singing were soon being uploaded to Facebook – not a good idea as we were not remotely in tune!
Sue had had enough by 12.30am so we got kicked out and home by 1.00am. A thoroughly brilliant day.
Boxing Day…bear with me, there’s loads more…we were really lazy in the morning and then went back round to Sue’s for a big breakfast and catch up and more TV watching. We weren’t really in any hurry but we got on the road to Louise’s (King’s Lynn) by about 3.00pm, dropped our gear off at the hotel we were staying at and then got to theirs around 5.30pm – probably later than they expected but it was okay I think. Had a good evening, handed out more presents, but played a couple of games and had a laugh on the roulette table mum had brought along. Jack won that so he was pleased! Great Grandma and Sue & Simon were there too having been there for Xmas Day as well. Finished up and left around 10.30pm and crashed out at the hotel. We only had a room for 4 so sneaked Jack but it wasn’t a problem.
Next morning nice big breakfast at the Harvester and then we went over to Sandringham to an hour or so’s walk around the forest. Very nice place. But then it would be wouldn’t it as it’s the Queen’s holiday residence. Prince Phillip has been ill and was due out of hospital today so there was a Press presence near by, nothing exciting happened in our time there though – ah well. Once we’d had a quick look around the Gift shop we said our Goodbyes and made our way back hope via McDonalds in Kings Lynn! More videos in the evening when we got home – tired and crashed out.
Tuesday we did nothing all day. Can’t actually remember what we did, I have a feeling Tash, Charlotte and I went to Ikea to get stuff for Jack’s bedroom and a couple of things I wanted, Actually we did do that as I phoned into work from the car-park to check on how things were ticking along
Wednesday we went over to Paul & Pauline’s for a party and that was great fun. Usual faces plus some who are not usually invited but it made it a lovely crowd and it was a great evening, again far too much to drink and I lost playing Spoof for a large glass of Port – which to be fair was actually quite nice, had I not had to down it in one! Don’t really remember much else to add other than I was talking rubbish by the end of the night, so nothing new there.
Bit of a hangover next morning but nothing compared to Lewis and Jack, both were really ill, physically sick. Bit of a shame as we were due to have Pete and Katharine come over in the evening but we had to cancel it in the end as they were so ill. More videos and nothing happening!
Friday we went over to Liam and Zoe’s in the afternoon for a meal and ended up watching the Liverpool v Newcastle match, both teams were pretty poor to be honest and it was painful viewing, especially as Liverpool ended up winning…another nice evening though.
Saturday – New Year’s Eve – already! Katharine and Pete came up around midday for the postponed get-together we were going to have and that was really nice afternoon, they stayed for 3 hours and it was a really good catch up. They were off to Stratford with friends so we relaxed once they’d gone and in fact caught up on a bit of a sleep in readiness for the evening. We’d invited people to come to ours for 7.00pm to start the night and sure enough that soon came round and the door was being knocked on.
The Carrolls, Mum & Derek, Sue, Tiff, Paul and Brendan made up the numbers and after a few bottles of bubbly had been finished we made our way over to the Red Lion in Wolvercote. It was quiet to start with and I could tell a few people were thinking it wasn’t going to be a good night, but we were there at 8.00pm! Gradually it started filling up and the drink started to take effect and the night got livelier and livelier and turned out to be brilliant fun! We’re a bit of a whirlwind as a family group and took over the dance floor all night. Everyone joined in and it was a laugh. Midnight soon arrived and the usual best wishes took place and the party continued until 1.30am by which time it was time to go home, manage one Facebook update and then bed for a well-earned sleep.
The only sad thing was that Lewis was missing, I’d dropped him off at his girlfriend’s, Kathryn, as they were having a family party and he slept the night there. He said he’d had a good time so that was pleasing but it was a shame that he wasn’t sharing it with us!
That’s it I think – New Year’s Day was a lazy day and the Bank Holiday Monday I worked in Jack’s bedroom to sort out the stuff we’d bought from Ikea for his bedroom so I was swearing away sorting out cupboards and the like, got it completed though so that was good and the bedroom looks a lot better now as a result.
What else have a I missed?
Tiffany and Paul got engaged the day before Xmas Eve so everyone was really pleased about that and it made for a great atmosphere as they’re obviously delighted and excited. Paul wants to go to Las Vegas for the bachelor party – Tash has vetoed my involvement in that already!
I am hugely over-weight, trousers don’t fit me so in January I will be working hard to lose some of it, it’s actually revolting and I am not impressed with myself for being so ill-disciplined to have allowed myself to get in this state. Mind you, I’ve written this blog for 45 minutes instead of exercising!
Tash and I got on really well over the break – I didn’t stay up watching TV like I normally do, nor argue about leaving early any times or any of the other silly things that I do to cause arguments, so brownie points for me! I can’t claim to have grown up, because the fact I am even mentioning that I am pleased that I wasn’t causing Tash problems shows a distinct lack of maturity I think!!
Er, I think that’s it. Mammoth update to the blog but then I am sat here in my hotel in Kent, first day back in the office which was really hard to do, it was only a week and a half off this time around but I didn’t do any work at all, it was lovely!
Well, here’s to a Happy New Year, good luck to everyone!
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