What a beautifully unconventional day. I couldn't have asked for anything better if I had actually planned it this way. I've been dreading Christmas Day. Really for various reasons it simply isn't a good time of year for me. Last year this time I was really dealing with the most horrendous situation and that has been in the back of my mind as well in the run up to today. Luckily the other people affected seem to have been able to put it behind them for which I am thankful so it wasn't something I needed to deal with on top of everything else.
Last night after the boys went to bed I quickly set the table for this morning. One less chore to do and the boys had something to wake up to. Neither of them are into Christmas either but I did want some kind of festive cheer for our breakfast. The one real concession I made to decorations was to put out their Santa plates. I made those about 11 years ago for the boys to put out biscuits and milk for Santa. They loved them. Will be the one item I always keep for the holidays. Thankfully being teenagers I wasn't woken up at the crack of dawn and managed to relax until about 7.30am when the dog wanted out... Once everybody had showered at 9am we gathered in the kitchen to make breakfast.
Now we are not a breakfast family. Both my boys and I are happy tea / coffee drinkers with our first meal around 10am so breakfast is a fair novelty. Everyone chipped in. Nathan making the toast, mom getting the eggs cracked for the scrambled eggs. I added to that mushrooms in garlic, cocktail sausages wrapped in bacon and grilled tomatoes. To drink champagne and orange juice. Kyle added his usual drama that we have without fail on any celebratory event... so in between I had blood pressure climbing... and silently just kept reminding myself that by 11am the kids would be out of here....
Last night after the boys went to bed I quickly set the table for this morning. One less chore to do and the boys had something to wake up to. Neither of them are into Christmas either but I did want some kind of festive cheer for our breakfast. The one real concession I made to decorations was to put out their Santa plates. I made those about 11 years ago for the boys to put out biscuits and milk for Santa. They loved them. Will be the one item I always keep for the holidays. Thankfully being teenagers I wasn't woken up at the crack of dawn and managed to relax until about 7.30am when the dog wanted out... Once everybody had showered at 9am we gathered in the kitchen to make breakfast.
Now we are not a breakfast family. Both my boys and I are happy tea / coffee drinkers with our first meal around 10am so breakfast is a fair novelty. Everyone chipped in. Nathan making the toast, mom getting the eggs cracked for the scrambled eggs. I added to that mushrooms in garlic, cocktail sausages wrapped in bacon and grilled tomatoes. To drink champagne and orange juice. Kyle added his usual drama that we have without fail on any celebratory event... so in between I had blood pressure climbing... and silently just kept reminding myself that by 11am the kids would be out of here....
Breakfast done the boys opened their small gifts. The rest is all online electronic things they wanted but limited this year instead of just being a free for all spending spree. The clean up started and my mom and I sat relaxing. But of course I can never have no drama. The dogs started barking hysterically. That can't be ignored, something isn't right bark. Temperatures already sky high we shot out thinking maybe they had cornered a snake... however it wasn't a snake... it turned out to be a freshwater turtle, which I initially thought was a tortoise. You don't expect to find a turtle in the middle of your garden. I think it got washed out of wherever it was living in the severe storm we had 2 days ago. Said turtle has been taken off to a suitable dam where he/she shall hopefully live a long happy life.
Packed the kids and turtle off with their dad and by 1pm I was lights out for my afternoon nap. Once I surfaced at around 5pm I spent the afternoon measuring the levels in the pool so I could add the necessary chemicals (yes I'm learning a helluva lot these days!!). Cleaned the pool. And yip Eskom struck... had to have some load shedding on Christmas Day so I spent the last hour or so of daylight watching the storm clouds building in the distance while enjoying the cool breeze on the deck and enjoying the peace.
No sooner had I made a comment about the peace and my Daschund Spud decided to go for a swim in the pool... same pool in the same place for 5 years... you would think he could run past in a straight line... nope...
Anyway after cleaning him up I've ended off my day listening to some Pink while nibbling on pate and cheese & biscuits washed down with a glass of champagne.
All in all a wonderfully unconventional and enjoyable day. Just what I needed to restore my inner peace. No need to meet preconceived ideals and expectations. No pressure to produce a lavish meal. No clean up in temperatures over 40 degrees. No whining bored children.
I go to bed on this Christmas Night a content woman able to say for once it was a good Christmas!
Packed the kids and turtle off with their dad and by 1pm I was lights out for my afternoon nap. Once I surfaced at around 5pm I spent the afternoon measuring the levels in the pool so I could add the necessary chemicals (yes I'm learning a helluva lot these days!!). Cleaned the pool. And yip Eskom struck... had to have some load shedding on Christmas Day so I spent the last hour or so of daylight watching the storm clouds building in the distance while enjoying the cool breeze on the deck and enjoying the peace.
No sooner had I made a comment about the peace and my Daschund Spud decided to go for a swim in the pool... same pool in the same place for 5 years... you would think he could run past in a straight line... nope...
Anyway after cleaning him up I've ended off my day listening to some Pink while nibbling on pate and cheese & biscuits washed down with a glass of champagne.
All in all a wonderfully unconventional and enjoyable day. Just what I needed to restore my inner peace. No need to meet preconceived ideals and expectations. No pressure to produce a lavish meal. No clean up in temperatures over 40 degrees. No whining bored children.
I go to bed on this Christmas Night a content woman able to say for once it was a good Christmas!