Christmas 2011

Well, it all worked rather well in the end!!

It began on the evening of Thursday Dec 22nd when Kate and I exchanged presents. We bought each other about 5 gifts and remarkably two of them coincided!! I got her a chocolate orange and a Kindle and she got me ........... well you can guess the rest!!!

I also bought her a grow your own olives set (she loves olives and likes to grow her own stuff), a Michael Bubble calendar (lol), and a book on choosing and keeping chickens (in joke, we are not having children!!).

I also received some Muse guitar picks, a lovely shirt and a set of five toy Ferrari's (again, I 'd been joking that all I wanted for Christmas was a Ferrari - I'm so lucky, I got 5, I think I'm about to cry!!).

The next day I had taken the day off work as my brother and family were coming over so I needed to clean and cook. I'd already prepared and frozen down the obligatory spaghetti bolognaise but I also made my first casserole, using starting ingredients, some of which I'd never even bought before (go me eh?). All the food was lovely. Us boys washed it down with bottles of Corona with lime slices in the top - nice!!

My Mum came across with Stephen, Pamela and Alex as well but they left in the afternoon of Xmas Eve. Tom, Robin, Chloe, Beth and I went to Christdingle at Bar Hill church, which was nice.

Beth stayed over on Xmas Eve so there were all here when we woke up (first time since the separation). Chloe had the stocking on the end of her bed that I'd prepared for her and then plenty of toys waiting in the empty fireplace. They were with me until 1 pm so we had the whole morning together. I seem to remember that once they got bored with my "help" I ended up watching Adam and the Ants songs on Youtube (bizarre, I know).

As soon as I'd dropped them off at their Mum's I was over to Lowestoft to be with Kate as her Mum and Dad had very kindly invited me Christmas dinner. When I arrived Kate was tired and stressed and the kids had not slept well and I think things were n't quite gioing to plan. However, the next day she was more like her gorgeous self and we went for a walk along the sea front (all of us including Kate's sister Emma, her husband Shane and 2 yr old son Harry). We stopped off first at Costa on the way back and then at the pub where after one drink Kate's Mum and Emma took the kids home we got to stay for a couple!!!

Back to Kate's Mum and Dad's and her Dad had prepared another feast!! An evening of great food and drink and I think everyone was tired and an early night was in order. Kate and I were on the blow-up matress in the living room again but boy, it is like no blow up matress I've ever experienced, so comfy :-)

Next day we left relatively early in two cars. I followed Kate most of the way home until she veered off to drop her kids at their other Grandma's house. I popped home and headed up to hers. We had two days of calm just to enjoy spending time together, just me, Kate oh and the wii!!! So lots of wii sports, wii olympics and Just Dance 3. Mix that with copious amounts of alcohol and we had a riot!!!

Then I had two days with my kids when we just stayed at home. They played on there new toys and played my guitar, read and surfed. Very chilled.

New Year's Eve and my kids were away but Kate's were back. So, more wii sports and just dance!! NYE was spent devouring numerous bottles of Frixeinet champers that I'd found on special offer the week before.

2011 was amazing. Sorted out the divorce, sold the enormous family home, Tom got into Leeds to read Physics following his excellent "A" level results and I found Kate (or she found me, I think!). I think 2012 could be even better ...... sun in the sky, you know how I feel :-)