the snow is snowing…
Well less of the snow maybe, but it sounds far more cheerful and festive than The Rain Is Pissing Down which would be closer to the truth. Plus the wind’s definitely blowing and having got all the travelling for now done and dusted I can continue to get on with weathering the storm, from a safe distance, and with the heating on.
It’s been lots of fun! And tiring; the approaching weeks of pre-Christmas inertia are looking very welcome indeed after a particularly enjoyable but distinctly gruelling weekend – the Prodigy and Public Enemy experience lost nothing in being repeated exactly a week later even if the atrocious sound quality at Wembley could have been helped, an unexpectedly busy day in East London followed despite not really being a proper work trip and more just a few hours between nights out, and whilst I didn’t hang around for the survival photo after the Prince Charles Cinema’s Christmas Pyjama Party (not a vanity concern, a refusal to appear on Facebook one) I still managed to stay awake for almost the entire duration bar a quick (planned) power nap during Scrooged – woohoo! I’ll also say I’d forgotten what a terrifically good film Die Hard is.
The 9am pyjama-clad stagger through Green Park prior to an Ed’s Diner All American Breakfast and a calming couple of hours holed up in a comfortingly familiar Victoria hotel lobby freeloading the wifi and Sunday papers settled things down nicely before heading home, and even a seven and a half hour National Express journey didn’t dampen the Christmas spirit in the slightest. Mostly because it, like the rest of me, was asleep until the usual keenly-awaited Gregg’s stop at Leeds Bus Station; despite this (and as suspected) Monday was a write off, with apologies to anybody who tried to call. I do intend to spend a few weekends now not doing things that empty my wallet, stuff my belly with junk food and make my back hurt. Only a few, mind.
Much of this last week has been spent on pre-Christmas preparation; last years’ new tree is up and sporting the hard-won New York baubles from Macy’s (including shiny yellow cab and large Empire State Building growing out of an apple), the shopping is almost done and even the cards are written and posted thanks to a marathon TV afternoon yesterday with Jason and the Argonauts, Toy Story 2 and the first part of Aladdin one after the other; my tolerance for Robin Williams lasts only as long as it takes me to find the remote control and not a second longer – sometimes shorter, if simply leaving the room is an easier option – which means I’ve still never seen any of the latter past the genie, but thankfully I have the book. I also have not only a TV guide, but since I was feeling especially flash I have an actual Christmas Radio Times rather than one of the cheapo ones with soap opera people on the cover – cue unashamed preening. Mince pies are pending, aka in the freezer.
All in all, there isn’t too much left to worry about; with eight punting days left until Christmas (although I’m including Wednesday 23rd, which to all intents and purposes is fully booked) everything is cosy, peaceful and more importantly, organised with military precision to within an inch of it’s life as Christmas generally needs to be. I’ll update beforehand, but the phone will be resolutely off from the afternoon of the 23rd until I arrive in London around lunchtime on the 27th; anybody wanting to book in the meantime will have to do so by email or just (better still) wait until the day.
Back to the next few days and whilst availability is gradually dwindling there’s still appointments left most days – working hours are overleaf! As mentioned previously, morning bookings really need making the day before and I can’t promise that things won’t chop and change last minute, but it’ll all come out in the wash and if it doesn’t then there’s always mince pies and next year instead.
Christmas update soon!
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