HAVE JUST ABOUT GOT OVER...

... Yesterday's horror show, poop and wee fest. The house is scrubbed and steamed and hopefully there's no hint of doggy smells left at all.

Just trying to decide when to take the tree down! All the other decorations ( only lights really - I don't do anything else!) have come down and are stored away, but I was going to leave the tree for another day and now I can't wait to get it done and everyone back to normal. Charles won't be happy!!

NUFC

So, Alan Pardew is off then.

if the manager of any other club upped and left, the supporters would undoubtedly be excitedly awaiting news of their managerial replacement. For us though, we can only wait with dread to find out which cruel joke Mr Ashley decides to foist upon us next.

EXHAUSTED,

And, to be honest, slightly in shock, I think.

Today has been a complete nightmare. My mother, all my family and five dogs, three of which are puppies, has just been too much for me AND most definitely for our girls. I think Lily has been traumatised by Zion the Samoyed pup. She tried so hard to defend her territory, and it just proved too much for her in the end.

I know that everyone has had a fab time, they've enjoyed the food and have been really appreciative. But I've spent my entire day either in the kitchen or cleaning up dog wee from the carpets and furniture and Charles has even had to clean up poop from our girls' crate (not from the girls though!). I'm not going to do it again. Someone else can have a go. I don't want to watch my dogs being thrown unceremoniously out of their comfort zone. I want to enjoy someone else's food. And I don't want to spend all my time cleaning up. Do you know, the washer has been on non-stop since everyone arrived with a constant load of wee-ed on dog bedding and throws.

Aaaaaaargh. Sorry, but I'm annoyed. If you take your dogs to someone's house, for goodness sake clean up after them yourself.

LAST NIGHT's...

... Very tense birthday tea proved to be too much for Christina and she left for home this morning, a day ahead of schedule, and has said she won't join us later on at the Northumberland Arms because she doesn't want to spoil another evening for us.

This makes me do sad. I spend my life trying to keep Christina on an even keel when she is with us, and sometimes it works, but often it doesn't and last night was clearly an occasion when nothing anyone could do would prevent it careering into mayhem. To be fair, she was never as aggressive as she would have been in the old days and she clearly recognised that she had gone too far, but she also has real issues with family members that need to be dealt with, preferably in family therapy sessions.

So, I'm going to go us on the good times that we had with her during the past few days - and there were many!

BIT OF TENSION...

... this evening. Probably caused by a few too many glasses of wine. To be honest, we have had a great time with Christina while she has been staying with us. She has been the perfect 'guest' and has been lovely company, but the party tea for James's birthday didn't go well at all. Fortunately, it didn't get completely out of control like it would have done at one time, but it was enough to cause a few tears!
We've got a meal booked tomorrow evening and another on Monday, do I really hope we can put this evening behind us and avoid any more friction.

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

Boxing Day!

Might even enjoy it more than Christmas Day in a way, because I can think about all the lovely things that happened without having to do anything of any significance at all. Food just looks after itself, eveybody raids the fridge when they're feeling peckish. There's no need to rush around doing stuff. It's great!

Only downside is our game with MUFC is on the telly.

So I might just have to retire to the bedroom for a while with my new Kindle!!

NEARLY OVER!

Just collapsed in a heap after a lovely, busy, family day of eating, drinking and spoiling each other to bits.

What a great day it's been and what a lovely family I have!

CHRISTMAS EVE!

So much still to do!! All the last minute stuff I was wittering on about the other day...

... Plus, hair appointment at SAKs, collecting the M and S order and nipping across to Gosforth to have a festive tipple with James and Claire...

... Then it's back home to get on with stuff before Christina - and with any luck, Santa - appear later on tonight.

Happy Christmas!!!!

I'M WATCHING...

... The reports on Sky News of the incident with the bin lorry yesterday.

Surely it put everything into perspective when something as devastatingly shocking as this occurs. And, of course,there are all the comments about it being even worse because it's so close to Christmas. What difference does that really make to the people directly affected? To them, it wouldn't matter a jot when it occurred. Maybe, to the rest of us, it's an uncomfortable reminder of life's fragility that we wish hadn't happened so close to Christmas.

Rest in peace.

STILL FEELING...

... gutted after yesterday's Derby fiasco.

After last month's feelgood results, we appear to have resumed our usual position of apathy and hopelessness. Let's not bother getting our hopes up about getting any points on the board any time soon.

I feel quite strange actually. I'm in that limbo phase, having done all the preparations for Christmas that I can and not yet ready to do the last minute stuff, because that's exactly when it needs to be done, so I'm  feeling a little uneasy because I've got nothing much to do and I find that difficult!

However, I am currently an interesting shade of mahogany, having had a spray tan this morning. This was Christina's idea, not mine! I actually hate the feeling on my skin. It seems to take ages to dry and then you have to spend eight hours without getting wet! All I want to do is to get it showered off!

DERBY DAY!

Following the last three occasions that we've played Sunderland, I can't say I'm looking forward to this. Just hope and pray that we find SOMETHING today and that Jak Alnwick has a better game than last week. Not sure what time we'll be going through to town, but I need to spend a short time shopping as well and will probably do that after the match, although I suppose I could always leave during the game if we are truly rubbish! (It's been done before!)

James and Claire are going to Yorkshire for a couple of days to start the celebrations for James's 30th birthday. I'm sure they'll have a fab time and I'm quite envious that James will be spared all the Derby angst!

Okay, better get up I suppose. Hope we have something to cheer about later...

OFFICIALLY...

... on my hols now!!

Mind you, I've spent the day cooking for the freezer so that I'm organised for when the family comes round  between Christmas and New Year.

Just waiting for Charles to finish the radio show, then we've got his brother and his wife and James and Claire and Christina round for a takeaway. Really looking forward to it!

CHARLES GOT THE JOB

In Birmingham, so we'll done to him. Allegedly, just two days a week, but only one night away.  We'll see how it works out!

PHEW!

As predicted the totally unreasonable order came in from Kevin at lunchtime today. No please or thank you. No apology for late notice. A very definite criticism of ME for daring to take a holiday - the only break I've had since we had three days in Cornwall in May!

So, I have put together most of his order, not all, but most, it will be delivered on Friday and, with luck and a following wind, I might get a cheque!

Looking forward to meeting up with my old school secretary tomorrow at Heighley Gate. She's having four Christmas cakes, but, more importantly, it'll be an opportunity to have a bit of a catch up.

Charles will be in Birmingham. He's having an interview for a two term, two days a week post. Personally I think it will be too much. But we shall see!

STILL NOTHING A T ALL...

... from Radcliffes! I swear they really do believe in the Cake Fairy. Sadly, however, there is no such thing and there is a real danger that he will not be getting his Christmas delivery this year.

LOOKS LIKE I WAS RIGHT!

Despite my request this morning, Kevin still hasn't sent his order through, although he has informed me that he will need deliveries on Thursday and again on Friday, this was SO predictable and I have reminded him that he has been aware of my holiday dates for weeks. It just demonstrates a clear lack of respect and consideration and I am heartily sick of being taken for granted.

Merry Christmas!

BIT OF A RELAPSE...

... in my mood today. Back to feeling upset, tearful and a bit overwhelmed. Need to shake this off quickly!

LESS THAN A WEEK...

... until I can stop baking for a while!! Well, can stop baking for customers for a while anyway. I would happily put money on getting a totally outlandish order from Radcliffes around about Wednesday. And I not over impressed with Centurion either to be honest. They were supposed to give me final quiche numbers yesterday and, of course, I've heard nothing.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to a few relaxed days. Maybe I will manage to find a day when I don't actually have to turn the oven on at all!!!

Went to St Mary's Inn at Stannington for coffee this morning and met up with James and Claire, Christina and Sean. This is the new gastro pub run by the owners of Jesmond Dene House. Apparently it's got amazing reviews since it opened a couple. Of weeks ago and is fully booked for Christmas. The decor is lovely, very relaxed, easy on the eye, warm and cosy. However! all I can say about the food is, I hope they do better than the lukewarm coffee and doorstep sandwiches with a frugal amount of bacon in future. I was not impressed one bit and they'll need to up their game if they're going to continue to make the right impression.

SUCH SAD NEWS

This morning my sister and her family said goodbye to Tex after 17 years of loyal companionship. Chosen from a rescue centre after a horrific start to life, Tex was a gentle, affectionate dog who brought joy to everyone who knew him. He was always patient with our girls, even when they were annoying little babies and when Lily tried to dominate him. He had been poorly for a long time and was becoming increasingly frail. But he had a lovely life, with a family who adored him. Rest in peace Tex you lovely boy.

BETTER GET UP I SUPPOSE.

Although, after the night I've had I think I'm entitled to a bit of a lie in. At 3.00 I was still awake, so I got up, made a cuppa, read for another hour and must have eventually drifted off. I can't understand it. I was so tired before bedtime and I might have had about ten minutes really deep sleep before something disturbed me and, after that, there was no way I was going to be nodding off any time soon. So annoying!

SNUGGLED UP...

... onthe settee with Lily and Rose, a large cappuccino and a little Viennese mince pie that's still warm from the oven. Absolute bliss!

Sadly though, I am without my trusty Ugg sandals that I have worn around the house for the past two years, as the final nail parted company with the strap and the sole this afternoon. Now I've got to try and break in another pair of round the house shoes. They've got to be extra comfy, have a bit of a heel but not too much, be slip ons ( so I can just throw them off when I collapse in a heap on the sofa) and have good treads so that I don't measure my length every time I go out to the shed in the icy weather. To be honest the Uggs had pretty much let me down on the last one, so, from a safety perspective, it's not a bad thing they've gone to shoe heaven. Still, a sad day!

ANOTHER DAY...

... Of  crazy busy-ness!

Really do think it was a bad idea to decide that I needed a holiday! There was a point today, just after I'd got home with the bags of supplies and ingredients, when I honestly didn't know what to do first. And yet, somehow, everything got done.

Mostly, it's been cakes and tray bakes today.

Tomorrow though I'm back on quiche production big time!

SICK TO THE BACK TEETH...

... of quiche! And I'm still only about a third of the way through the order.

The plan is, that this time next week, I should be looking forward to a fortnight's holiday starting on the Friday and before then I need to make up enough baked goods to see Radcliffes and Centurion through to the New Year. At least Centurion have given me a bit of notice about the quiche, but I would bet my life that we get to the day before I'm due to finish and Kevin will suddenly remember that he needs to put in a massive order. Then I get stressed...

ALSO NEED TO SAY...

... that Christina had her rather unpleasant exploratory procedure yesterday and the outcome is that she has a little problem that can easily be cleared up, so we are all feeling so much happier and relieved!!

I JUST WANT TO SAY...

...THAT, AS CENTURION WANT 50 QUICHE (APPROX 400) BEFORE I TAKE MY HOLIDAYS, I MAY NOT GET ON HERE VERY OFTEN!

HOPE JAMES HAD...

... a fab time last night at the Comedy Club with his friends last night. It was an early 30th birthday celebration. They certainly know how to prolong a good birthday!!

Anyway, I hope they had a brilliant time and that the hangovers aren't commensurate with the amount of fun they had!

On another note, a quick Kevin update...

...despite the fact that I always respond to his texts immediately, unlike him who usually ignores mine completely or keeps me waiting until a day later before deigning to respond, I had a fairly snotty one liner at 11.30 last night, just as I settled down to sleep, wanting to know, " Where is the confirmation." This was a reference to a text he finally sent through with an order for Monday at 8.20pm, that I responded to straightaway. I honestly do not know what is going on, or if I can be bothered to continue what is rapidly becoming an unworkable relationship.

FULL OF WORRY!

THATS ME!

Not just because it's match day and we've got Chelsea, but because of Christina mostly (for a number of reasons).

The next few days will be quite stressful I think. Christina will be staying with us until Tuesday morning, by which time she should feel well enough after her exploratory procedure to return home and to be able to drive. Then, of course, we have to wait for the results.

Kevin has continued to pee me off, so that hasn't helped my mood. After all the fuss over the past couple of days and me telling him I would get stuff sorted for him to collect first thing today (and getting up early to do that!) he then texts me to say he won't bother. I swear, if he was anywhere near me right now I would punch him...

... Repeatedly!

ANOTHER DAY OF...

... HANGING ABOUT WAITING FOR KEVIN.

I actually think I've been played. Late yesterday he asked for a delivery, but it was WAY past the cut off time, so I had to tell him it wasn't going to happen because I'd made other arrangements. BUT, always wanting to be helpful, I DID say that he could collect early on Saturday morning. Didn't hear anything from him.

Then he tried again this morning. I gave the same answer. You can collect it yourself, but I need to know now because we don't usually do Saturday orders at all. No answer.

Then this afternoon I got a text that implied I hadn't been answering!  So I left texts, voicemails and tried the coffee shop directly, but that seemed to have been disconnected.

Eventually, Kevin rang back and I am now waiting till he gets back to the coffee shop from the shoot that he's on, so that I can find out what's happening. He might come up to collect tomorrow or he might wait till Monday! WHAT?

How have I gone from telling him "No" to waiting to see what he wants to do?

How have I done this?

HAVENT WRITTEN THE BLOG TODAY!

Just haven't had time.

Very worried about Christina. Not just this current scare, but her mental health is poor because she is no longer taking her meds. I know that this often happens with bipolar sufferers and I always knew she would relapse sometime, but it looks like this could be that time, and I am past myself with worry for her... and for the effect it will have on the family. Already we are feeling the stress levels rising.

JUST BACK...

... from Wansbeck Hospital where Christina has been having her preliminary assessment before her procedure on Monday morning.

She going to stay with us for a couple of days. I think that's sensible.

Obviously it won't be pleasant, send of course I'm worried about the outcome, but at least they're getting on with it. Absolutely can't complain about that!

BIT NIPPY OUTSIDE TODAY!!

Coldest day of the season so far I think.

Mind you, it's warm and toasty in my kitchen right now. I've got carrot, chocolate and coffee cakes on cooling racks and big bowls of quiche fillings ready to put in pastry cases just as soon as Charles gets back with the tins from Centurion. He's called in to see his Mum on the way home and I've asked him to get some shopping as well,  so he will be a bit later than usual.

Apparently we have a match at Burnley tonight, and pretty much no first team players to put out! Great!! That nice little run of wins could all have been for nothing then. Hope it's not on telly because I really don't think I could stand listening to Charles yelling in frustration, especially so soon after the last match.

Why are we playing again so soon anyway?

HAD A LOVELY TIME...

.. with my cousin, Anne.

I dontthink we stopped talking all the time she was here, apart from sleeping of course.

She left me with some wonderful photos of my Dad and his family, including some of my Grandfather who died when my father was two years old. She also left me a family history written by her father, my Dad's brother, my Uncle Jack. It's fascinating. Amusing and heartbreaking. And it gives me a greater picture of my ancestors than anything I've known to date.

Thank you Anne. I shall treasure them.