Sleeping through "The Holiday"

First of all, a correction - the picture of my Mom and me going to the Trefoil Guild lunch in the previous blog is wrong!  We are going out to lunch with Karen McGarva at the Horizon Hotel on Sunday.  Obviously a Christmas lunch, what else do I seem to be doing but going out for Christmas meals!

The Trefoil Guild lunch was on Tuesday and I was able to work my schedule around so I could go! I joined the Trefoil Guild recently, mainly to spend a bit of time with my Mom. She joined this soon after moving to Scotland.  http://www.trefoilguild.co.uk/     There were only about 16 women there, and the table was set out so we could all actually speak to one another, plus - the food was wonderful!  It made for a lovely afternoon and I was sorry to have to leave right after coffee to get back to work.

Mom with a friend at the Trefoil Guild lunch

Modeling the mustache I got from my Christmas cracker!

I have already mentioned getting ready for the Alloway District Unit Leaders' Christmas dinner at the Kylestrome. Another fantastic meal too!  This group had about the same number of people at the table, but the table was long and narrow, so it was difficult to speak to everyone, without the mid-course mix up we decided to do. 

Friday evening found me at yet another Christmas dinner,but this was also a party night at the Ayr Racecourse.  My friend, Christine, works with me but travels in to work from close to Glasgow, so I offered her a bed for the evening. Alan very kindly offered us lifts and then cooked us breakfast on Saturday morning! 

I had heard about the party nights at the racecourse for years but had never had the opportunity to go to one, until now.  They do have party nights down to a fine science too!  Maybe not the highest quality service or food, but a good time was had by all.  We danced and danced and ate every course offered, with the main course as a buffet, I got one of each item!  (Weightwatchers? oops)

Christine and me at the Racecourse Christmas party

Although Christine and I finished off all the red wine so kindly provided by the Board, plus another one-it really was not alot of alcohol to consume when you take into consideration the length of the evening. So waking up too early on Saturday morning was not a problem for me. I even baked biscuits for breakfast!  (not biscuits in the British sense (cookies) but proper biscuits you might find in an American home!) This is a very rare treat for me to do, and I even offered Christine some of my preciously hoarded Grape Jelly to put on her biscuits!

After Christine left, I was raring to go, the sun was shining, it was the last Saturday before Christmas, I had energy and no idea what to do with it. Alan and I drove away to the beach for a walk. Only then did I realize how extremely cold it was and jumped back in the car.  Then I realized I was totally exhausted, not hung over but even more uncomfortably tired. So we went back home, got out one of my favourite Christmas movies "The Holiday" and snuggled into our own respective couches for an afternoon entertainment.  Needless to say, I missed most of this movie! But never got enough sleep to feel decent the rest of the day. I struggled on bravely! But it was a totally miserable day for me.  I do not do well on tiredness!

It was Alan's turn to go to his night out at the Racecourse on Saturday night, so I did return the favour and give him lifts there and back, but I slept while waiting for his late call!  So unfair because I had planned to accomplish so much, baking, wrapping gifts, watching the Strictly Come Dancing final and who knows what else? Only to do absolutely nothing.

The church I attend has a children's singing group called Mini Intro. My daughter and her friends were members of this when it first started 10 years ago. They were all invited back on Sunday to either be guests or join in the singing with the current Mini Intro group.  Whitney and Corbyn came along, but Corbyn was in a terrible mood and they spent the whole service in the other room with a few other children unable to cope with sitting still! It was a lovely service with the Sunday School doing a darling nativity play and Mini Intro singing some very sweet Christmas songs.  Plus all the other more traditional Christmas hymns too! 

There was coffee after the service and then Whitney, Corbyn and I were going out to lunch.  Unfortunately, Corbyn's mood never improved, even after a nap, so we ended up picnicing in the car at McDonald's parking lot.



My beautiful daughter, Whitney

Corbyn!

Driving to work this morning, it occurred to me that in 4 days, my kids will be "home" for Christmas! So I need to get busy, do some baking, get their rooms presentable, plan menus and make sure there is enough food in the house to keep them going.  All the things that were second nature as recently as 6 months ago!  How quickly we forget and how exciting to have to do it all again!

All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast.  ~John Gunther