16 December 2008

Happy Christmas

Kay and I managed to find a small window in our timetable this weekend to decorate the Christmas tree and put up all the other festive decor. We are much later than usual. When she was little she always wanted the tree to be up by the end of November - probably in the hopes of Santa being fooled into coming a bit earlier than the 25th December. Gradually, as she grew older, we used to decorate the tree around the beginning of December. But this year, despite our hopes of being organised, we only managed to rush it through this weekend, and even that was looking dubious at one point. Kay has been extremely busy lately with mock A-level exams (she has four real ones to take in January) and I have been preoccupied with Al-Anon meetings (two a week) as well as a mountain of the usual household things. So adult life got in the way of our childish pursuits.

Despite promising ourselves a real tree every year, we (again) put up the artificial tree. We have been advised in the past that real ones are not good for animals, when the shed needles come into contact with cat/dog paws. So we chickened out again and hauled the artificial one out of the cellar. We have had this tree for some years and it is beginning to look a little past its peak, but Kay was keen to use it, as, she said, she had grown up with it and it was almost like a bosom pal! For a tree it's triangular - narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, as fir trees tend to be!! For a bosom pal, I suppose you would say it is pear-shaped!

I love decorating the house for Christmas, unwrapping all the ornaments that I have collected over the years. They all have their own stories to tell.

Some have come from local shops;

some were brought from abroad - like the San Francisco tram picked up on our last USA trip

or the ones from Germany, where we lived when we were first married;

some were hand-made by Kay at primary school when she struggled with her first pair of scissors and dusted the shapes with glue and glitter.

They all have their own value and place and are always carefully put away in January to be rediscovered with surprise again the following December.

Kay decorated the tree this year, largely copying the same format I use - star at the top, crib and angels below that, then everything else (baubles, snowmen, father Christmases, gnomes, bows etc) below that. I meanwhile occupied myself with decorating the stair bannisters up and down three of our five flights, plus the hall and kitchen/diner. Greg busied himself upstairs with such things as computer maintenance and tidying the study (that means he will mislay things and forget where he put them) but, complimented us as he passed through and was generally far more appreciative than he had been for the past three Christmases. Kay and I paused from time to time to watch the Strictly Come Dancing semi-final and The X-factor final on TV. The results of these two shows went much the way we predicted, but here are the results of our own labours that evening.....


The next week or so is going to be a trifle hectic for me, as I expect it will in most households in the lead-up to Christmas. I still have
  • heaps of presents to get and wrap
  • food to buy in and prepare/cook
  • to dust and hoover the house from top to bottom
  • to travel 60 miles to collect my mother and bring her here for her two-week stay
  • all the usual ferrying around for Kay and Snoopy.
So I shall probably make this my last post before Christmas. Unless of course I fall into a swoon Jane-Austen-style and escape to the computer when no one is looking! So a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone and many thanks for all your support and help getting me through these last seven traumatic months. I have truly appreciated all your comments and taken on board much of your advice. Greg continues to be sober, as I write, and I hope he will make it through the most difficult time of the year in a recovering alcoholic's calendar. I shall be back hopefully soon to update you but in the meantime I leave you with a picture of Snoopy who has really got into the spirit of Christmas too.


30 comments:

KatduGers said...

I'm glad everything is going well for you at the moment, and hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a fantastic 2009!
xxxx

Millennium Housewife said...

Happy Christmas Rosiero, and Happy New Year too - I hope it's a much improved year on this one, and a happier one too. MH

Kit Courteney said...

Oh, Rosiero, the picture of Snoopy tipped me over! What a truly wonderful photo!

My own 2 - Eric and Edmund - have been sniffing around the boxes and gifts as if they are unwanted inhabitants... bless 'em, they don't even realise they have 'gifts' themselves. They're getting old.

If you don't post again then I'd like to wish you, Greg and Kay a lovely Christmas.

You have helped to make my 2008 a most enjoyable and interesting one.

May you and your family have much love, luck and happiness in 2009.

Kit :0)

Strawberry Jam Anne said...

Well worth all the effort Rosiero and I expect you and Kay realy relaxed doing it together too. It certainly all looks lovely. I'm sure all the rest of your shopping and preparations will go according to plan.

I hope you and your family have a very happy and peaceful Christmas and New Year.

A x

Gone Back South said...

I LOVE quirky family decorations. We have a San Francisco tram one just like that.

Elaine Denning said...

Your decorations look LOVELY!

I hope you have a peaceful Christmas with a few smiles thrown in too. I'll be thinking of you. x

Daphne Wayne-Bough said...

I suffered many Christmasses with my alcoholic father, which always ended up in broken glass, uneaten food, and red eyes. I won't say "Merry" Christmas, but may it pass peacefully.

Anonymous said...

Lovely photos. Christmas comes upon us so quickly it seems and we have no time to get prepared. Just one day in the year too!!

I hope you have a wonderful time. Take care.

CJ xx

Robert said...

A merry Christmas to you too!

I hope that Greg retains his sobriety and makes 2009 a much better year for you all!

Nota Bene said...

I love Snoopy...can I take him for a walk?

Have the brilliant Christmas you deserve!

abcd said...

I loved seeing all your decs, the tree which looks really great and the gorgeous Snoopy.
I wish you and Kay a very, very, Happy Christmas and a fantastic 2009.

Mid-lifer said...

awwww
\\i love that. We have the same ornament type thing, only the pre-school ones got ditched last year as they really were very dogeared.

Oh my God, you have to do the mother thing too and you are not even whingeing about it! I'm beside myself at having to collect her and have her for five nights...two weeks would just about end my marriage!! (Do drop by my blog if you have nay time and give me a talking to for moaning).

Lakeland Jo said...

thanks for sharing your lovely decorations. I hope the festive season goes really well for you.

Khaye said...

LOOKS LIKE YOU'LL BE HAVING A PERFECT CHRISTMAS! ENJOY!

Nunhead Mum of One said...

I love your decorations - especially the tartan santa!

hope you have a lovely christmas and a wonderful, healthy 2009 xxxx

Expat mum said...

Good luck to you all and have a lovely festive season. I want that dog!!!

Wendy said...

Have a lovely Christmas :)

blogthatmama said...

Happy Christmas Rosiero and the best of luck for 2009. Blogthatmamax

Mommy said...

Oh, he is too gorgeous. Your ornaments are very pretty too. I wish you and your family a wonderful Christmas holiday and pray that all of your dreams and wishes come true. Thank you as well for your kind words and support in my time of need.

Flowerpot said...

Looks very festive and Snoopy looks wonderful - a big bark from Mollie!

Working Mum said...

I think we all love decorating the tree and finding those treasured baubles,don't we?

Wishing you and Kay a happy and peaceful Christmas.

All the best
WM x

Grumpy Old Ken said...

You are remarkably sane in spite of your trials and tribulations. Lovely blog, only sensitive females could do it. We males have much to learn. Good luck in the new year.

Gill - That British Woman said...

A Merry Christmas to you and your family. I hope 2009 will be a healing year for you and your family. I am posting photos with all the snow we have, in case you want to pop by and to get you even more in the Christmas mood on Monday.......

Gill in Canada

Saz said...

Please drop by and read todays (sunday) post!!

Stinking Billy said...

rosiero, have a nice one, sweetheart. xxx

Ellen said...

Wishing you and yours peace and joy this Christmas and good luck in the New Year. Snoopy is tooooo gorgeous! One day when I am blog clever I shall send you a picture of my lovely German Shepherd/Golden Retriever cross Pippa. x

Hadriana's Treasures said...

Happy Christmas Rosiero...good luck with everything! Wishing you all the best for 2009. Hxx

Elaine Denning said...

Merry Christmas! x

I hope it is peaceful and enjoyable for you. I'll be thinking of you. x

www.retiredandcrazy.com said...

I hope you and Kay had a good Christmas Rosiero, and I glad to see that you are going to Al-Anon. It took me 9 months to "get it", but once I understood the illness life became a lot easier.

There will be many challenges ahead for you, whether Greg remains sober or not, and with the help of your new friends you will overcome and find joy.

God bless you and Kay, I think of you many times during the day.

Stinking Billy said...

rosiero, you are worth every good wish you get. My sincerest best wishes for a better 2008, sweetheart. x