Boxing Day 2006 8.30pm
Where to start!?
Christmas Day was a mad blur.. began way to early with Zoe waking me up to open presents.. (I didn't get to sleep until almost 4!).. and then, she promptly went back to bed.. lol I followed soon after and then woke up too late to prepare our dinner.. so left clear instructions with Sarah and on the chalkboard in the kitchen.. and off I went to Church. It was a lovely service, but I WAS very tired and there are 2 youngsters in the congregation who are very very VERY disruptive. They were fighting over a hula-hoop ring.. not the crisp, the thing you fling around your waist and wiggle and it keeps it up (apparently).. I can't do it.. lol.. perhaps too much wiggle and not enough waist! Anyway, right in the middle of the service they kicked off.. their mother has a lot of mental health issues and simply lets them run riot (she isn't well enough to do anything else to be honest,,) and I got up, walked to the front (as that is where they were laying on the floor fighting) and confiscated the hoop and told them very firmly that I would look after it until the service had finished.. lol.. Not a word of objection from either of them.. lol.. (which is exceptionally rare).. and I returned the hoop at the end.. anyway.. the service was lovely and very moving and I must admit.. I am so glad I go every year.. after that I shot off up to the nursing home to meet my friend Karen. She had already got the cooking well under control so I set to clearing up and preparing to serve the food.. it is a nursing home for the elderly and it was beautifull decorated for Christmas.. the table looked lovely.. the staff were very friendly and, although they didn't understand about Christmas and what cranberry sauce or Christmas pudding was... they seemed to get into the spirit of it all very well.
We cooked and served roast turkey, pigs in blankets, cocktail sausages, stuffing balls, roast & mash spuds, carrots and cabbage.. lashing of gravy followed by Christmas pudding doused in brandy sauce. They all said how much they enjoyed it. It was a sight to see I can tell you. I was so honoured to be a part of it. Sarah came up ready to help at 12.30 but Zoe had refused to prepare our turkey so Sarah basically went home to sort things out so we would get our dinner by 4.
Karen & I got everything done and cleared up by 2pm and, tired out, I went home. There is something inherently British about opening your front door on Christmas Day and smelling turkey roasting... mmmm, yummy! Sarah had already polished off her chocolate orange segments and a box of Baileys choccie liquers.. lol.. Zoe was up and scoffing her chocs.. I walked into the kitchen to find that the turkey was, in fact, the only thing cooking... lol I had miscalculated cooking times so none of the veg needed putting in or on yet. I cleaned up the kitchen, set the table (I love Christmas table setting..)... wine glass, napkins... crackers, candles.. special table cloth.. lovely.. anyway... dinner duly cooked and served we all tucked in..
I am on AAM time until the 29th.. but yesterday for Christmas dinner I had my turkey and veg and chicken/mushroom soup stuffing..
PLUS a great big dollop of onion relish.. that was it.. but I did have more than the allowed veg and more than the allowed turkey.. I did the same again tonight but without the relish.. BUT both yesterday and today I only had the 2 CD packs plus gallons of water so am hoping I haven't done any damage.
I'm
very disappointed in myself for not sticking to it 100% as I was so adamant that I would.. and now I can no longer say that I have stuck to this diet 100% and that is a loss I will have to deal with... but as I managed to resist the temptations of roast spuds, mashed spuds, bread sauce, yorkshire puds, roast parsnips, gravy, sweetcorn, chestnuts, choc fudge cake and cream, and all the choccies the girls had.. well, I guess some extra veg and turkey isn't the end of the world...(no salt on anything either).. still not happy about it though and not going to have any more AAM now until the next allotted time. (in another 5 weeks time) That should redress the balance somewhat (dropping 3 days to make up for extra veg, turkey and 2 desertspoons of onion relish- hopefully that will take care of any damage done..).
Dinner over I cleared everything up, set off the dishwasher, put a load of washing in the tumble drier and sat down (it was about 6.30 by now).. THEN I rang my family to wish them a Happy Christmas... couldn't get hold of my gran.. she must have been down in the day room of her home so I resolved to call her on Boxing Day and to make sure the girls spoke to her too.
Sarah and I agreed that watching telly was too boring and set about playing a game of Trivial Pursuit.. we finished at 8 as I wanted to record Nicholas Nickleby and was expecting Mr Kettle to call at 8.30.
Text at 8.15 asking if he could call me early..
of course I said yes!!! I know, I know.. treat em mean etc etc.. but you know what.. I don't want to treat him mean... he is a breath of fresh air... he makes me smile.. BIG smiles.. so he rang, and, about 3 1/2 hours later we finally bade one another goodnight.. I'm sure I was still smiling when he rang me this morning at 8am to have an early chat...
I could get to really like Mr Kettle if I'm not careful... he seems to be doing all the right things at the moment.. lol.. and we are very honest with one another. I shared my concerns with him (although I haven't shared them on here and must remember to do so)...and he was a real gentleman about it all. I hope my insecurities don't ruin this one!!!
Boxing Day
So, sleepily but still smiling, I got up
very late this morning and have done, well, frankly, sod all! I did my ironing (whilst watching The Grinch, Nicholas Nickleby and White Christmas.. so you can imagine just how much ironing there was to be done!!) Then settled down for a few minutes watching Creature Comforts (but as I have the dvds already I soon lost interest).. Then I hopped on here to see what's been occuring..
Whilst online, Mr Kettle popped up on msn and we had a brief conversation.. again... butterflies were having a field day! I'm looking forward to meeting him in a couple of weeks time.. very nervous about it, but excited too.
I also cancelled my subscriptions to the dating sites and tied up any loose ends to do with them.
I know, I know.. eggs in one basket and all that, but you know me by now.. not into seeing/chatting with more than one at a time! I also happen to think the Mr Kettle is worth my sole attention and am hopeful he feels the same way too... time will tell I guess
Things with Mr Kettle seem to be going from strength to strength..
2007 is going to be a fantastic year for me.. for so many reasons..
1) my weight loss
2) possibly a new job
3) the new lifestyle that job will bring
4) a developing relationship with Mr Kettle
I have to put them in that order because 1 - 3 are almost definites.. and 4 is a hope.. know what I mean?
Mr Kettle has the same birthday as my Sarah! He is slightly older than me and is a delicous 6 footer with the most stunning looking eyes and friendly face.. he is intelligent and witty as well as good looking.. I'm kinda at that pinch-me-is-this-really-happening stage.
Off to watch Pirates of The Caribbean now.. and drool over Johnny Depp and sink into a pirate fantasy world..
Glad I am going to be SS'ing again tomorrow.. the temptation to pile more and more veg and turkey on the plate is too much!
Hope all are having a great Boxing Day and doing better at sticking to their diets than I did!
(oh the wine glasses held diet coke for the girls and perfectly clear for me).. so not even had any booze either and now, effectively, Christmas is over and I am back at work in the morning.
Mr Kettle is off having food with his family and has said he will text me later.. just the thought makes me smile.. he seems to be a genuine person with a very good heart.
Will keep you posted! (on the diet & Mr K)
