We did try to go out today - it was a lovely sunny morning, ideal for a trip over to Whistling Sands, where we didn't manage to go on Christmas Day because of the snow. However, by mid-day, we were back, having had to stop the car several times for fresh air, as I decided, regretfully, that I just wasn't going to make it.
The problem was not the tummy bug that's doing the rounds at present, no, it was, I have to admit, totally self-inflicted, albeit quite unintentionally.
Well, how was I to know that 2 red wines, a Martini, an Advokaat and 2 Cointreaus would cause me to feel 'fragile' to say the least, today? I have never been a big drinker (no, really) and as the years pass, my alcohol tolerance is gradually decreasing anyway but after today, I think I'll swear off the stuff for ever! What a waste of a day - and all self-induced, and what makes it worse is that Keith has been full of health and energy all day. So unfair!!! :(
Happy New Year
The working day is over, the shop is closed for the next three days and we are all set to see the new year in, so now is the time when thoughts turn to the previous twelve months - important events, life changes, new friendships etc. The biggest of my life changes was leaving my teaching job. For several months I had been commuting from North Wales to Liverpool each day, leaving home at 6.30. Now I struggle to get up at 7.30 and wonder how I ever managed it! I grabbed the chance of a redundancy package with both hands and have never regretted the decision for a moment. I have blogged at length about my disillusionment about teaching these days, so suffice it to say that I do not miss it. The best I could say is that I miss the job as it used to be but not as it has become.
My new job, on the other hand, in I.T. retail (Keith's shop, but it sounds better!) is great. I am really enjoying it, learning new things every day and only rarely do I feel compelled to don my 'deputy head' persona when dealing with awkward customers!
My counselling course is also a source of great enjoyment and, hopefully, will lead to a new career when I have done the diploma in two years time.
This year also saw my introduction to the world of blogging. I'm not even sure how I got into it but I do know that back in May, I launched a basic website, courtesy of Freeserve, as it then was and from there, I wandered into blogs. I remember discovering Gemmak through her website and she was to become my first 'blog friend' but then there was Maggie, Dale, Linda, Snowbabies, Michelle, Sue, Terri, Elspeth and many more - see my blogroll for the full list. I had no idea, when I began blogging, that I would get to know so many great people. Happy New Year to you all and many more blog-days to come, I hope.
And then there was NaNoWriMo. Maggie and I both managed to finish our works of art - 50,000 words written in one short month - who would have thought it? I certainly wouldn't have had time to do that if I was still teaching!
So, all in all, a good year and let's hope that next year is good too - for all of us. Bless you all!
My new job, on the other hand, in I.T. retail (Keith's shop, but it sounds better!) is great. I am really enjoying it, learning new things every day and only rarely do I feel compelled to don my 'deputy head' persona when dealing with awkward customers!
My counselling course is also a source of great enjoyment and, hopefully, will lead to a new career when I have done the diploma in two years time.
This year also saw my introduction to the world of blogging. I'm not even sure how I got into it but I do know that back in May, I launched a basic website, courtesy of Freeserve, as it then was and from there, I wandered into blogs. I remember discovering Gemmak through her website and she was to become my first 'blog friend' but then there was Maggie, Dale, Linda, Snowbabies, Michelle, Sue, Terri, Elspeth and many more - see my blogroll for the full list. I had no idea, when I began blogging, that I would get to know so many great people. Happy New Year to you all and many more blog-days to come, I hope.
And then there was NaNoWriMo. Maggie and I both managed to finish our works of art - 50,000 words written in one short month - who would have thought it? I certainly wouldn't have had time to do that if I was still teaching!
So, all in all, a good year and let's hope that next year is good too - for all of us. Bless you all!
A book for Bedtime
I am ashamed to say that I read far less these days than I have ever done - mostly due to time devoted to blogging, which includes reading other people's blogs, I know, but I don't seem to read books as I used to. However, I have made up for that to some extent during these holidays and I am in the middle of a particularly good novel at present called 'The curious incident of the dog in the night-time' by Mark Haddon. More details here. It's a murder mystery novel with a difference; it is narrated by 15 year old Christopher Boone who has Asperger's Syndrome, a condition within the Autism spectrum in which sufferers find it difficult to relate to other people, form relationships with them or understand their emotions, facial expressions etc. The story begins as Christopher discovers a neighbour's dog lying dead on the lawn and, after being falsely accused himself, decides to investigate the mystery and discover who killed it. I won't spoil it by revealing any more, but the reason I find it such compelling reading is that the author is able to show such a wonderful insight into the mind of an autistic person as Christopher tells his story. It's well worth a read.
Aid Agencies
BBC website
As requested by Kaptain Kobold, click on this link for a list of the aid agencies you can donate to.
As requested by Kaptain Kobold, click on this link for a list of the aid agencies you can donate to.
Bath-time
This morning I discovered that the shower gel I have been using for the last fortnight is really shaving gel! I just thought I would share that with you all.:)
Back to work
It was fortunate that Keith and I were better today and able to go to work, otherwise we might have missed today's 'customer from hell'. He came in with a printer and said the red light was lit and it wouldn't work.
"That means the ink cartridges are empty," said I helpfully.
"Oh no, it can't be that, it hasn't shown up on the ink monitor display on the computer."
Then he said he would like it done as quickly as possible as he needed it for work. So, ever obliging, Keith began work on it and discovered - guess what? - the ink cartridges were empty. Of course, to prove the point, he had to put new cartridges in. I rang his wife and told him it was ready and an hour later he arrived to pick it up. Well, we didn't expect a medal, but it would have been nice if he hadn't ranted about the fact that we had put new inks in when he already had plenty at home. He refused point blank to pay for the inks, we managed to get the money for the work done out of him and he swept out of the shop, throwing paper from the printer all around him as he went and yelling insults at us.
Why do we attract all the anti-social morons???
"That means the ink cartridges are empty," said I helpfully.
"Oh no, it can't be that, it hasn't shown up on the ink monitor display on the computer."
Then he said he would like it done as quickly as possible as he needed it for work. So, ever obliging, Keith began work on it and discovered - guess what? - the ink cartridges were empty. Of course, to prove the point, he had to put new cartridges in. I rang his wife and told him it was ready and an hour later he arrived to pick it up. Well, we didn't expect a medal, but it would have been nice if he hadn't ranted about the fact that we had put new inks in when he already had plenty at home. He refused point blank to pay for the inks, we managed to get the money for the work done out of him and he swept out of the shop, throwing paper from the printer all around him as he went and yelling insults at us.
Why do we attract all the anti-social morons???
Oh dear!
Right now Keith is sitting on my left, having got up late - almost unheard of for him - and still feeling fragile. I am sitting on his right, also feeling fragile. No, it's not due to too much red wine, Aussie or otherwise, or, indeed, too much of any type of alcohol or food. Methinks we may have succumbed to one of the many bugs coasting around looking for post-Christmas victims to attack. So today is a 'chill-out' day for us. Even Lucy hasn't dropped her usual hints about being taken for a walk - maybe she has picked up on the 'ill' vibes permeating the house!
The aftermath!
Today should have been the gathering of my clan here chez Jennytc but fate conspired to ensure things didn't go according to plan.
Younger son in Crewe couldn't come because of a visit from his father-in-law, elder daughter, in Liverpool from Sheffield, should have been collecting car-less elder son and family from Bradford and bringing them with her but that plan was scuppered because she has been really ill and not able to drive. That left younger daughter and boyfriend and they did come.........eventually, when boyfriend had finished shopping and driven from Doncaster to pick up daughter from Liverpool and they had stopped getting lost en route (cue sales pitch from Keith on GPS systems!)
So we did have a very pleasant meal mid-afternoon and all was well except that they brought their dog, a lively 2 year old bitch and it was hate at first sight between her and Lucy - no Christmas spirit for them, it seems.
Oh, and to top it all, Keith hasn't been well since yesterday evening and has finally agreed to give up the struggle and go to bed.
Younger son in Crewe couldn't come because of a visit from his father-in-law, elder daughter, in Liverpool from Sheffield, should have been collecting car-less elder son and family from Bradford and bringing them with her but that plan was scuppered because she has been really ill and not able to drive. That left younger daughter and boyfriend and they did come.........eventually, when boyfriend had finished shopping and driven from Doncaster to pick up daughter from Liverpool and they had stopped getting lost en route (cue sales pitch from Keith on GPS systems!)
So we did have a very pleasant meal mid-afternoon and all was well except that they brought their dog, a lively 2 year old bitch and it was hate at first sight between her and Lucy - no Christmas spirit for them, it seems.
Oh, and to top it all, Keith hasn't been well since yesterday evening and has finally agreed to give up the struggle and go to bed.
Toys for the boys
This is a photo of Keith's son and son-in-law playing with seven year old grandson's Christmas meccano set. When I say playing, they were attempting to build a motor bike, following the instructions, and having difficulty. In fact, they were quite surprised to learn that the set was for eight to twelve year olds. Is that a comment on the complexities of meccano or their meccano-building abilities? :)
P.S. I would like to report that Josie and I got our hands on it and built a model of the Camaro in the garden in five minutes........but we didn't!
Bogs again
Avid regular readers will possibly recall the problems I had finding 'conveniences' during our holiday in France, as detailed here.
Well, yesterday was a salutary reminder of that. Please note that if you are out and about in North Wales on Christmas Day, you are not expected to need the toilet. Should you in fact disappoint this expectation, you are in trouble, mate. You then have three choices:
1. Head for home at the speed of light.
2. Find a suitably private bush, preferably free of snow and thorns.
3. Go to Pentrefoelas, where you will find 'much relief' in every sense of the word!
After extensive investigation, I can fairly reliably report that these are the only toilets open in North Wales on Christmas Day. If anyone knows different, feel free to let me know. :)
Well, yesterday was a salutary reminder of that. Please note that if you are out and about in North Wales on Christmas Day, you are not expected to need the toilet. Should you in fact disappoint this expectation, you are in trouble, mate. You then have three choices:
1. Head for home at the speed of light.
2. Find a suitably private bush, preferably free of snow and thorns.
3. Go to Pentrefoelas, where you will find 'much relief' in every sense of the word!
After extensive investigation, I can fairly reliably report that these are the only toilets open in North Wales on Christmas Day. If anyone knows different, feel free to let me know. :)
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