Housekeepers Diary…

By Alison December 5, 2013 8 Comments 2 Min Read

You have a sick little boy on your hands again today. His mouth a mess of swollen gums and ulcers, but his spirit as always, still high. He cannot eat so you fashion teeny little men out of cheese on toast and give them cheery little ketchup faces and he nibbles their heads off slowly, breakfast looking set to wander way into lunchtime.
There is much to be done, but your will to achieve has taken a package holiday to the land of Never Never. Routine and ritual are the mainstays of your life, but willing is always the driving force and when it is gone, you flounder in no-woman’s land contemplating volunteering for a faraway Kibbutz or selling up and travelling the world in a pale pink camper van…

But there is no escape from obligation in December. Though the list has lingered in the chimney for almost a month now, you have not yet got around to ringing Santa and asking him to leave a calling card and a promise of another visit on the 25th. Presents remain unwrapped and far to many are still living in the shops.

What a stark contrast this is to last year when your rein on all things festive was white knuckled and necessary! The difference then is faith that it will all come together. The belief that the world will not collapse if you have not wrapped and baked and jingled yourself silly. So you let Christmas happen regardless, because for sure as baubles are baubles, it will. You feel relaxed and accepting. Sad for a lunch cancelled by the necessity to be at home, but content to sit at the window and watch rusty leaves dance a hooley in the lane…

Now you are spritzing Christmas cards with a blend of vodka and cinnamon oil. Finding yourself mesmerized by Harry Styles and hoping your son will have the patience to teach you how to play chess – or will tolerate a quick game of draughts if you cannot tell your King from your Bishop…

The house is warm. There is chocolate bubbling on the stove ready for flour free chocolate cakes and a pile of Carry On films waiting to be enjoyed with a long glass of cold milk.

All is calm. All is bright. Happy Thursday Darlings.x

8 Comments

  1. Gill says:

    Poor Fin!It’s howling a gale here, rain flung against the windows in the already dusk (2pm). I’m with you in the campervan …!

  2. Tiffani says:

    Poor Finn, hope he gets better quickly. It’s strangely warm here but there is a fast moving storm headed our way this weekend full of snow and ice. I’m up for the camper too, as long as mine can be turquoise. 😉

  3. Sorry to hear that Finn is poorly again. mouth ulcers are miserable. Just a word of caution though, tomatoes and vinegar (both in tomato sauce) can make them much sorer and can also make them spread so you get many more. It is a big problem for me when I have mouth ulcers and I avoid tomatoes like the plague!
    I found this article helpful, hope it helps you too x

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-148911/What-eat-beat-mouth-ulcers.html

  4. Karla says:

    We have snow here today so though I have only 1 gift bought I’m not worrying at all. The past several years we have kelt things very simple and it makes the holidays so much nicer! Get well Finn!

  5. barbara says:

    Do hope Finn is on the mend. Campervan or Kibbutz….both sound enticing on a very cold day. Five days of freezing temps, so cold the snow can’t melt, has kept me housebound. Baking, decorating and lots of reading. And NO shopping. And I’m not missing the shopping crowds so this is actually a nice week.

  6. Ali says:

    Hope Sir Finn is improving, poor little guy. I’m just NOT into the whole Yule thing this year. No idea why. Again there’s that word “obligation”.
    Ali x

  7. maria smith says:

    They holidays are just around the corner once again. I’m getting to the deep cleaning and baking lists. Soon it will be time to bake my heart out!

  8. maria smith says:

    They holidays are just around the corner once again. I’m getting to the deep cleaning and baking lists. Soon it will be time to bake my heart out!

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