Jingle bells
Trip Start
May 27, 2010
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81
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Trip End
Aug 31, 2011
Birmingham, England, United Kingdom
Monday, December 26, 2011
So Phil got home one night from work and there were carol singers down the road! It was a particularly quiet night so it was a perfect night for them to be out singing. But never in my life have I seen real life carol singers other than in movies. It was pretty cool, even though I think it's a bit naff. People really get into Christmas over here, and I've noticed a whole lot of houses adorned with lights and flashing Santas, more than back home. I worked out that it's because it's winter here and therefore darker earlier, we notice the lights more. Whereas at home you have to make a special trip out into the darkness later at night to be able to see the lights in all their glory. It makes for a really festive feel, and Christmas feels more Christmassy here. It would be even more so if there was some bloody snow.
It was a crazy week, hectic at work and busy making preparations for what would be a busy weekend of frivolities. Christmas has come upon us at lightning speed, so I finished up work early on Friday and sat at the hairdressers for a while, making my shopping list and being prepared to sit there for as long as it took to cover up the increasing number of greys in my crown. I had a bit of a Daffyd (Little Britain) moment when the hairdresser told me another Aussie had been in earlier that week and said something about how cold it was. When I left, I was all "but I'm the only Aussie in the village!".I got over it pretty quickly, and had to steel myself for a trip to the supermarket to stock up on last minute Christmas items that I wouldn't be able to live without for the 12 hours that the shops would be closed for. Seriously, people are mad at Christmas. I decided to go to the greengrocer instead, which was surprisingly quiet - at that moment in time I actually was the only Aussie in the store! I went over to the supermarket and found that it too was quiet, and so I went about my business, filling the trolley and getting everything I needed to cook up a feast on Christmas day.
I dropped off all the groceries back home and headed into town to meet Phil and some friends he used to work with on the railway. We had a few drinks and ended up at the Hares and Hounds, but kept ourselves nice and only had one pint.
It was an early start on Christmas morning, starting by opening presents. We got so much stuff, and so many cards I ran out of space on the mantelpiece to put them all. The boys headed off to the pub and so I called Mum for a bit, for some advice on what to do first and whether to cook the cauliflower first or last. We decided that I could prepare everything in advance and just re-heat it come lunchtime. And it was a success. The boys got back and things got under way mid afternoon, and we all enjoyed our lunch and dessert. I did have to bring out the chocolate stained recipe to prove that I did in fact make the chocolate sauce pudding from scratch, that's how nice it was. After our guests had left we watched Chatty Man while I was on the phone chatting to Jacci in Rochdale, and accusing Dave's sister of being drunk. I was informed by Phil on Boxing Day that I was the one who was drunk - he had stopped drinking earlier in the night but I had carried on and polished off some more wine, making some questionable movements and being a bit crazy. I was also reminded of a moment the previous weekend when I called someone frog eyes. Oops. Chances are I will never see that guy again. Eye hope.
