Two more sleeps...

I'm feeling very festive. It's taken a while but was probably brought about by a party we held for my son earlier. He will be 6 years old on the 27th but we decided to have his party a few days early at our village hall. Despite the panic to ensure that everything went well and that there was enough food to go round, the whole thing was a rip roaring success. Most of the credit should go to the parents who all chipped in and of course the wonderful chap who did the disco. He really is the best and ensured that the kids were kept entertained throughout with various party games. In fact, he really made the party and I can't recommend him enough! I was on kitchen duty, making countless cups of tea and coffee for the adults. In fact, I was in my element and it's something I'm very used to doing each week at my support group meetings.

My son's excitement is clearly beginning to build and he now knows he has just two more sleeps until Santa brings his presents. My wife has done a sterling job this year and has managed once more to work miracles with the relatively small amount of money we have spare. Unlike previous years, it will just be the three of us here for Christmas. My parents are spending Christmas with my sister and my in-laws are playing host to their sons and their families. This is fine, I'm very comfortable with this and it will nice not to have to worry about catering for others and having to the do inevitable taxi runs here and there. We've even done the exchange of gifts, so we're actually ahead of schedule for the first time.
As far as remaining gifts are concerned, we're just waiting on some calendars, a yearly tradition whereby we collate the best of the year's photos of our son. I'm hopeful they will arrive tomorrow as they have been dispatched. We're also waiting for one last gift for our son. He's really into Lego at the moment, as I was when I was his age. We've bought him some of the Lego City range this year and to top it off, we have ordered for him a rather nice helicopter which Tesco have very kindly reduced from £34 to just £23. It has a delivery estimate of the 28th, though I'm hopeful it will arrive at our local store for collection late tomorrow.
I do also need to buy a little something for my wife. We did decide some months ago not to buy for each other as money is so short. It turns out though that my wife has spent some money on something for me, so I must do the same. Luckily I have tomorrow afternoon to find something suitable.

I have a Blue Skies meeting in the morning for a couple of hours. It was decided we would meet Christmas Eve as otherwise the wait between meetings would be too great. We're going to have a few festive nibbles and treats and I'm hoping as many as possible will attend.

In the news, we have more flooding affecting parts of the UK. This time rail routes have been affected and there are severe flood warnings, particularly in the West. More rainfall is predicted and this is likely to cause further flooding in the coming days. Indeed, many of the dykes here in South Holland are almost full and the fields around and about are heavily waterlogged. This is the worst I have seen them in ten years.
Another story, which simply won't go away, is the Andrew Mitchell 'who said what to who plebgate affair'. Stepping back, I find the whole thing utterly ridiculous compared to other things going on in the World. There is talk of investigation after investigation and repeated denials which frankly will simply run on and on. The fact is that no one recorded what was said and it's one word against another. Just draw a line under it and move on. There are more important things we should be concerning ourselves with such as helping those who cannot afford to heat their homes or feed their families.

Finally, it did look as if I'd had a little luck on Friday when I received a remittance advice note from the NHS for my volunteer expenses. The amount paid to me was £422, way higher than it should be. When I checked my November expenses, I'd travelled a total of 420 miles. At 40p per mile, this is £168. I'm rather hoping that it is some kind of Christmas good will bonus of some kind, but I doubt it very much. Being the honest guy I am, I'm going to have to phone up tomorrow and ask if they have made a mistake. Needless to say, in my mind I have already spent every penny of it!

I'll try to get another post in before the big day, but if I don't Happy Christmas to you all and thanks so much for taking an interest in my random thoughts and ramblings.

A Few More Words

A pretty uneventful week. We creep nearer and nearer to Christmas and the pressure is on to buy the gifts that everyone want. I had an appointment with my specialist earlier int he week and he got the impression that my optimism is very low. He recommended I attend a session each Tuesday where a group gathers for counselling. I've agreed in the hope that this may help. I'll find out on Tuesday. It's only a couple of hours so I'll give it a go.
I did make a DVD for Mum as a gift for Christmas. It's a compilation of all the videos I have of years gone by. They feature loved ones who have long since passed and feature my sister and I when we were youngsters. I suspect it's been forgotten that I was almost constantly attached to my video camera. It's a good job I was as little did I know then just how valuable those films would become.
I've stumbled across a vacancy again at a local(ish) school for IT Systems Manager. The money isn't that great and it's quite a distance to drive each day but beggars can't be choosers so I've decided to apply. It's one of those Lincolnshire Council forms and they don't want to see your CV. I'm about half way through it and need to get the application in by the 5th of December. Worth a try I suppose, but I suspect it'll be a 'thanks but no thanks' like all the others have been.

I nearly acquired an electric organ yesterday. I discovered it on my way to collect my wife from work. It was sitting outside a property with a sign saying 'free'. It did look very well looked after, but also very heavy. If I'd had my Chrysler Voyager I would have taken it there and then without a second thought. But as I only have my wife's little Fiesta, there was no chance. I don't think my wife was as enthusiastic as me though. She's always the cautious one and the voice of reason in our relationship. So I suspect it's either still there getting damp or someone has given it a new home.

It's wonderful to see the excitement on my Son's face whenever Christmas is mentioned. We're going to help him to write his letter to Santa soon listing all the presents he would like. He will be 5 on the 27th of December so he receives two sets of gifts. We're also giving him a party on the 18th where he has invited his school friends. It's at the local Fun Farm so everything is taken care of and the children have a great time climbing about and sliding into the ball pit. I'm really keen for him to have the best Christmas yet. It's really important for me that he enjoys himself and gets the things he wants. It will be a struggle this year and the pressure is once again on my wife to provide, but we'll scrape through with the support of family and friends - to whom I will be eternally grateful.

Earlier today we helped him to decorate a plastic tub which we've been asked to fill with sweets for his school tombola this Christmas. I resisted the urge to design it and left it to him while I helped with the glue. Apparently his school has a pantomime and Christingle event which I'm looking forward to. I'm hoping too that they will have a carol service. It always makes Christmas more complete I think.
It's always the little things that make Christmas what it is. Of course, it's different for everyone. This year, it will be all about my Son and his unstinting belief in Santa and the magic that gets his presents from Lapland, down our chimney and arranged into piles on the lounge floor each Christmas morning. Long may he carry on believing...