It's time to begin.....

Kakiste

Finished for the holidays! My TA bought me some candy cane gin (I bought her some tequila) and the lovely headteacher bought me a bottle of prosecco so I have alcohol for the first time in ages! Pacing myself as have had a single glass of prosecco this evening and i'm pretty buzzed off it (great money saving tip!) So the bottle has gone back in the fridge for tomorrow night. 

I got a lovely card from one of my form, a selection box from one of the year 10s who comes in for my lunch club and a fantastic WWII source book from one of the really nice year 11s with a really sweet note. On the other hand one of my form was arrested this afternoon after he and another year 8 ran off at lunchbreak and got on the trainline. EBD; perfect they are not! 

Kakiste

Been to a family christmas craft service in church this afternoon with the kid. Really nice to be back in the building as we've been watching virtual services since the end of March. 

Kakiste

Going to waste food group at 2pm and then doing the christmas food shopping after that. (seeing what i get from food group first)

Considering taking the kid to Barton Grange this morning (massive garden centre complex thing just north of Preston) as it'll be super Christmasy. 

Bubble friend is round for fakeaway this evening- we're doing pizza to stay away from festive foods. 

In irritating news my mum is 
now coming round on Christmas afternoon (difficult relationship) having kind of invited herself. She can no longer go to to ny grandma's as her area have harshed up their rules on households mixing. Myself and my sister had planned a family christmas thing under the old rules on the 27th but now that's changed my mum's and is a no go, mum's hit the 'i'll be so lonely if i cant come round... *theatrical sniffing*' guilt trip. 
So i've been slightly sneaky and told her to come up after 12.30- (We'll be eating about 1.30pm) knowing that she will leave whilst its still light at 3.30  so she can get home before it gets dark as she's really doesnt like driving in it. So that should keep her visit limited to 3 hours. I know its selfish but I'd like to enjoy christmas and having my friend here is a buffer against ridiculous husband behaviour so I'd rather not have an extra ridiculous adult here for the entire day. 

To give some context to my frustration with my mum (And also because lots of real life people immidiately go to the 'you've only got one mum' line where they first hear me mention that we're not close) she is/was an alcoholic for most of my childhood/teenage years (she's better now after she basically alienated herself from almost everyone years ago; dad divorced her and immediately moved/changed his number, her work pushed her into early retirement after she lost her driving license when she was 4 times over the limit when pulled over by police.) And used to verbally attack myself and my little sister on a daily basis throughout our childhood and occasionally physically attack me as well, as well as one especially memorable occasion where I returned home as a teenager to find her moving all my stuff outside on the lawn and attempting to set fire to it! 

Kakiste

So I hung on for the vouchers and when we got home yesterday night at 8pm (went on a round trip to swap presents on the doorstep with inlaws and my dad) they were on the doormat. So i scuttled off to Tesco at 9pm and did all off the Christmas shop. 
Having not shopped at a supermarket other than Aldi/Lidl since 2018 (other than picking up a few items that you can't get at the other two) I had two immediate thoughts;
Firstly everything is so expensive! Honestly threw me- looking at prices for general household staples it cost in some cases 40% more. 
Secondly; The pace on the till now seems serene! I know I only spend £25-30 on my weekly shop but I can now pack as I go at Aldi and have everything away before I'm told the total. 

However it was completely lovely to walk around and not have to add things up. Whilst I don't think i'll ever gravitate back from shopping at Aldi/Lidl just because its so much cheaper; Its really made me look forward to my DFD and not having to literally count ever penny.

So ive got all the christmas food, restocked lots of household supplies, bulk bought cat food and bought myself some alcohol and I've still got £90 left! Which will do for 3 of my January food shops. 

greensalad

Yay so happy you got your vouchers, what a nice treat!
I went to Waitrose yesterday on a quest for whole nutmegs. We usualy shop at Morrisons or Ocado online and it felt like being in a whole fancy world at Waitrose, plus all the staff are so nice!

Lookafterthepennies2020

Brill news on the vouchers arriving, I was very lucky to get a voucher from work this year and I was exactly the same, shocked at some of the prices but it was nice to get the extra treats I may not have bought without the voucher. Good luck for Xmas with your mum, I think if it's getting a bit much don't be afraid to use the covid card and ask her for an early exit as your trying to limit your time with others. Have a lovely Christmas x 

Kakiste

Thanks both. Happy christmas everyone

Chrystal

Hope your Christmas is Peaceful and Calm.  XX 
 

Kakiste

Thanks. Had a lovely time. Played downstairs with kid inbetween bouts of cooking all morning. My friend turned up at 11am and so husband acted like a person for the rest of the day.
What was lovely was my little sister turned up unexpectedly (taking advantage of the 3 households for the 25th thing) with her boyfriend having set off from the south coast at 8am and stayed for the afternoon. Havent seen them in the flesh since last christmas so that was fantastic. It also properly diluted my mum (who stayed until 3pm as predicted) so that was nice.
I've been playing with lol dolls (*twitch*) with the kid this morning and I'm going to sit and graze food whilst reading with the cat sitting on me as daughter is now high level crafting and keeps telling me (calling me over to tell me!) that she can't be disturbed as she's too busy!
Bubble friend is coming back over mid afternoon to play boardgames and films. 

Have been bought both rocketdog ankle boots and canvas trainers which is fantastic as my work boots and cheapo trainers have given up the ghost in the last 2 weeks. Also LOTS of books (friends knows me too well!) and some fireball whisky (absolute favourite) and a dvd of Children of the New forest which was an incredible BBC adaptation about a family of Royalist children during the English Civil War hiding in the new forest from the local Parliamentary forces. I loved it as a child and my sister bought it me along with a Jo Malone candle. (Considering selling the latter as it's a massive one RRP £300! but not going to make a decision for a while) 

I'm really looking forward to binge watching Bridgerton over the next few days.

Honeysucklelou2

I remember reading that book as a child...thanks for the memory jog, must investigate if I still have it on my bookshelves! 
Have a happy Boxing Day!