Katsu, panto and gala dinner

1. It’s been a long time since I had a Wagamama katsu curry and it doesn’t disappoint.
2. It’s a race to get there for the start but Beauty and the Beast panto is a triumph. Isla sits mesmerised for the whole show, only glancing away from the stage when the flames shoot up yo signal the arrival of the beast.
3. A NYE gala dinner with the Craigs, although we all retire before midnight. I’m sitting in bed reading when the fireworks start up. Rock n roll…

No Monday blues, Wiltshire catchup and knees up

1. Always good to start a Monday morning with no sense of urgency to get out of bed…
2. Our Wiltshire friends arrive for a few days and it’s good to catch up as we haven’t seen them since the summer (which feels like a very very long time ago!)
3. The annual street pre NYE drinks at the local pub. Loads of people out and everyone scrubs up nicely.

Clean, dadhacks and blaze

1. The toilets in the park are mercifully clean when Doris announces on arrival that she ‘needs a poo!’
2. Mat has got his dadhacks site up and running and it’s well worth a look for Dads (and Mums too!)
3. A fire to heat up the late afternoon chills.

Winter sun, snooze and sponge

1. We randomly meet one of Doris’ old school friends in the park and spend a happy hour there eating sausage rolls and enjoying the winter sunshine.
2. An afternoon snooze in the chair, mid paper read.
3. A freshly made Victoria sponge with a mug of breakfast tea.

No alarm, glow and productive

1. The lack of need to set and alarm as work is still over a week away.
2. The gentle glow of the Christmas tree lights, comforting at breakfast on another wet and windy morning.
3. A whistlestop late afternoon trip to town is very productive – opticians, library, bank and home again within an hour.

Fry up, walk and pressies round two

1. After a difficult night with an indigestive Isla, a quiet morning is on the cards, with a fry up, orange juice and coffee.
2. A muddy, chilly and very refreshing walk in Richmond Park with the Waughs and Grandad Duggerly. No Fenton spotted, much to Dad’s disappointment…
3. A jolly Boxing Day meet up with the Fletchers. Somehow the girls keep going til 10.30pm.

Stockings, welcome and finished

1. A cup of tea while the girls open their stockings. The look of amazement on Isla’s face to be given so many presents.
2. A very warm welcome at Mike and Jo’s and an amazingly delicious and well-organised Christmas lunch without having to lift a finger.
3. Mat’s Mum has finished a baby cardigan Mum was halfway through when she died. She’s wrapped it up in Christmas paper and labelled it ‘for baby Waugh.’

Bath, thesps and festive

1. A mid afternoon bath feels very decadent indeed.
2. Both Doris and Isla play their parts with aplomb in the Christmas crib service. Doris is Joseph (no gender stereotypes in our family thank you very much) and Isla is an angel in a reassigned pair of net curtains.
3. Festive post service drinks at a neighbours before we head back to hang up the stockings and scatter the reindeer dust outside so FC will know where to stop (thanks Gemma!)

Girls lunch, rain escape and first cake

1. A girly lunch of baked potato. No tantrums or food thrown, just the Waugh girls doing lunch.
2. Escaping the gale at the local soft play centre. That elusive goal is achieved – a happy few hours chatting and drinking tea while the girls play nicely with their friends. And they have tea there so no need to cook when we get home.
3. Feet up with a tea and a slice of my very first homemade Christmas cake.

Drizzle, snow and declutter

1. Bad weather (and life) always seems better after the baking (and eating) of a lemon drizzle cake.
2. It’s snowing on the Pantiles! Or at least three foam snow machines make it seem that way. Doris and Isla romp around in the stuff, wonder at the Dickens characters roaming around and aaahh at the two reindeer on display.
3. I declutter the mountain of mess that has been accumulating in our bedroom.