I know this because my child is frantically 'dusting for Jesus' and I got to beat her with the big twigs kindly left by the Pan European Child Whipper on Tuesday morning (here). I am also attending more corporate events than you can shake a lukewarm canape at, whilst wading through stupid volumes of work that are being rudely dumped at my door as other people clear their inboxes.
It's difficult to muster up the energy for Christmas, which is very unlike me. Today I took a day off from work and my corporate rigor mortis smile, to spend the day giving good Christmas to my daughter.
Today's highlights:
Feeding the hens spaghetti. This may be the funniest thing I have seen all year.
Embarrassing my 7 year old by singing Joy to the World on the streets of Manchester, whilst wearing a 'way weird' bobble hat. A parenting triumph.
Going to Forsyth's (a Manchester institution: here) to buy more piano music and listening to my daughter play her recent exam piece on a grand piano.
Gluhwein, lebkuchen, bratwurst and schnitzel. With the German Markets in town, Manchester smells deliciously like my childhood.
Feet up, thick socks, fire.
Tomorrow:
Feed the rabbits spaghetti, which I think may just top the hens.
Write a list of all the other pets we can buy that will look side-splittingly funny munching on noodle based products.
Immerse myself in a full day of work woe.
To get myself in the mood I've started the annual hunt for the Christmas CDs. Until I find where my husband has hidden them, I am going to continue playing Ray Conniff's Christmas album on a loop. To escape this my husband is manically digging more Elsie shaped holes in the garden and, I believe, dreaming of axe shaped parcels under the tree.
I was asked this week by Laura to confess to my all time favourite Christmas song. I don't have one, I have millions.
Here are my top five (in no particular order):
1)Once in Royal David's City (King's College Choir). The first verse soloist makes me weep annually into my tankard of sherry.
2)Christmas Wrapping (The Waitresses). Perfect seasonal tat that permits ridiculous boppiness, what's not to love?
3)Walking in a Winter Wonderland (Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers). Nothing says Christmas like Dolly in a Santa suit. Nothing.
4)Il est ne divin enfant (Kate & Anna McGarrigle & Martha & Rufus Wainwright). I went to the Wainwright Family Christmas (A Not So Silent Night) at the Royal Albert Hall two years ago for my wedding anniversary. It is without a doubt one of the best evenings of my life, helped by my enormous crush on Rufus and Martha, and the friends they had rustled up for the night (including Guy Garvey. Swoon). The whole event was made more poignant by the untimely death of Kate McGarrigle the following January.
5)Fairytale of New York (The Pogues & Kirsty McColl). Natch. Who doesn't?
In true style I now have to tag some more unsuspecting victims. Come on then Lexxy and Kate, you of more high brow musical tastes, 'fess up.
gin-nurtered time waster.