Saturday 23rd December - Catch up, catch my breath

Have I really not posted since Monday morning?

So it seems...

Monday - Dentist experience relatively OK - no drillin'n'fillin, but what my son describes as "an industrial strength clean". So that was ok, home for lunch, which I as able to eat (not always the case after the dentist!) and off shopping for - can't remember. Non perishables, I guess. Mega present-wrapping.

Tuesday; Unexpected phone call; could I play for a carol service tomorrow morning for the residents of a local home?.... Thinks hard, yes, I can just fit it. Shopping at school. Off to school in the afternoon for the Dress Rehearsal at the church for the School Nativity tomorrow. Several unplanned additions to the carols from the keyboard I play - sudden loud drum beats, or change of instrument. Hope it doesn't do that tomorrow. More present-wrapping.

Wednesday; frantic last minute practice of songs for the Nativity. I can do the carols; it's the jazzy up-tempo numbers that I find taxing. The zip round to play some carols at the Home - not too many "bonus notes" today. Back to the school, and with the keyboard precariously balanced across the choir stall ends, and my music surreptitiously propped up on a handy flower display I get through the songs and carols without any "surprises" from the keyboard.



(Memo to self - must watch "Flint Street Nativity" again to compare notes...)

Home, change, snooze even, before off out again for end-of-term meal. To my horror, the others all arrive (after me - I was early) Bearing Gifts! We are doing a Secret Santa! All gifts to cost no more than £1; and I remember that I spent the whole day trying to squeeze in time to drop off a bag of stuff at the charity shop. So I rummage in the boot, find something possible, wrap it in a napkin tied with string from behind the bar. Phew. That was lucky. It was at least as good as the inflatable reindeer, or the canned snow, and other presents to choose from. 

Thursday; TERM HAS FINISHED!!!!! NO MORE SCHOOL!!!! When I eventually woke up, I zombied into town and bought vegetables and spent the afternoon wrapping some more presents. Which had fortunately arrived for me to give them to the recipients when we met up in the evening.

Friday; Turkey-Lurkey day. We woke far too early, made tea and toast for us both at about 4:30 am (Yes. True.) Then rolled over and went back to sleep until 10:30. Oh no! Turkey-Lurkey day! Up, breakfasted, dressed, in the car and in the shop in record time. Brought everything home, and somehow managed to get it all into the fridge. Except the box full of stuff in the shed....

Cooked supper for us two and the Grand Old Man. Excellent.

That was my week - full tilt until just now. I'm just about to have a go at Jamie Oliver's Crazy Simple Fish Pie. (Didn't like the chipolatas with apples and onions - too sweet.)

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/jamie-oliver-crazy-simple-fish-pie-ng3htpq7l