This morning I now know that Christmas and New Year are definitely over, for the following reasons:
1. The changeling and I were up at 5.30 this morning as school restarts.
2. I have reinstalled my 'office' on the dining room table.
3. I have a pile of sheets, towels and duvet covers as high as the Swiss Alps to wash.
4. The dining room table has some shrivelling tangerines lurking, a few lychees, and left-overs of a basket of dried fruit.
5. I took down the Christmas cards, but haven't the heart to dismantle the tree which has held up well outside, despite onslaughts from the cat.
6. I paid my outstanding bills but fear to look at my latest bank statement.
7. There is a distinctly nasty smell coming from my fridge as things got pushed further and further to the back during the holidays - heaven knows what I shall discover!
8. I'm sure my dish-washer heaved a sigh of relief when I emptied it this morning.
9. I have an empty bottle mountain outside the door which must get the postman wondering, so time to sneak off to the bottle bank and dispose of them.
10. Angus is sulking in a corner as his chum 'Reglisse' has gone back to France.
11. Cat number 2 has come home as Reglisse has gone!
12. and finally, it's QUIET! The road outside the house has returned to normal after two weeks of pretending it was the M4 in the rush hour, the free buses that go round the village all day are practically empty so you can travel in safety without being knocked out by a pair of skis, stabbed by poles or stamped on by ski boots and so now I shall quietly clear up, throw away mouldy food, wash and iron, put away all the extra pairs of skis that the children recover from 'les poubelles' and get ready for Brother Number 2 who arrives in five weeks' time with his family!
21 comments:
Crikey, I know what you mean, Louise. It seems to have taken all of the last week to remove the flotsam of Christmas from our house.
And I'm not even talking about the guests, either. Just stuff everywhere, in the wrong place. And more stuff. And more.
I think we're almost winning, at last. Meanwhile, having briefly (and unwisely) retrieved the fondue set from the storeroom for further gluttony last weekend, there's going to be no more eating for at least a fortnight.
Well - except for the remaining one and a half Christmas cakes. Sigh ...
Louise, I am concerned. If I look at that table with the lamp, I see dust on the base of the lamp and a scratched unpolished table. That's not vey Swiss, now is it!!!!
Please don't report me to the Swiss Dust and Scratches Brigade, Richard - they might throw me out of the country.
Don't forget I'm just a slovenly English woman who asked for a house elf for Christmas, but didn't get one so take pity on me as I struggle through another year hoping that Father Christmas will grant my wish in 2007!
PS You are lucky I didn't take a photo under the sofas - I have an enormous troupeau de moutons lurking, a couple of old marrow bones belonging to Gus, probably the odd sock and shoe, a couple of tangerines, some wrapping paper - the list is endless!
PPS Father Christmas didn't bring me any new dusters, either - or furniture polish for that matter.
I came back from the UK with a Christmas cake made by my mother, which I still have to marzipan and ice...
Thanks for the puff on Toby Harnden's blog , Louise.
Getting a link on the MSM does wonders for one's blogging profile, as I've discovered with Technorati (having finally ceased being in the top 1,000,000 plus since yesterday, thanks to a plug from Toby H). I'll try and do the same for you one day. One good turn deserves another.
I share your view re TH if he's manufactured, as distinct from simply reported a likely scenario.
There's someone on Toby's blog right now saying just that - one "Non-blown Away Sceptic" who articulates my point of view exactly. Couldn't do better myself. How nice it is to have kindred spirits, or daemons as some folk refer to them.
We de-Christmassed our place on Boxing Day, prior to departing for Rome. Rome, as I think I've already said, was wonderful. I hadn't been in London for about 15 years and if I'm not there again for another 15, that'll be fine by me. Apart from anything else, how does anyone afford to live there? Pretty much everything we encountered cost in pounds what we pay in dollars here -- which means it's more than twice as expensive. And not at all worth it. I knew as we took a taxi from Bercy to Gare du Nord that we should be cashing in our Eurostar tickets and staying in Paris.
It's me again, Louise. I was just checking your back-blogs to see what I'd missed by not having computer access in London. You asked for my thoughts on taking the train from Rome.
I'd far go by rail in Europe than fly; it becomes part of the holiday. The overnight train from Rome to Paris was very nice; my wife and I had a room, tiny but adequate, and slept well. We ate dinner in the restaurant car and breakfast was delivered. We got into Bercy right on time and took a taxi (with a wonderful driver who told very funny stories about her Christmas and New Year celebrations) to Gare du Nord. We always travel first class on trains (in the U.K. it lessens your chances of falling victim to soccer thugs) and that's very civilized indeed on the Eurostar, starting with a glass of champagne. A short cab ride from Waterloo and we were at our hotel.
Fly? Only when it's unavoidable. That said, we flew British Airways this time and I was quite impressed with their service. But Heathrow is a hell-hole.
It definitely sounds as though the train is the best mode of transport - far more civilised.
Unfortunately, I am off to England tomorrow - not 'unfortunately' in Richard's sense but the eldest of my brothers died yesterday so I have to get back as soon as possible. So no time to organise a train trip - I have to leave here at 4 a.m. to catch the 7 a.m. redeye from Geneva to London - what uncivilised hours.
That's so sad, Louise. You have my very sincere condolences. Travel safely.
Thank you, Bill. We are all heart-broken, it was such a shock. He was only 48 - it's not fair...
Louise
My thoughts are with you.
Courage
Richard
Thank you, Richard
That is just so, so sad, Louise. Our thoughts are with you.
Hi, Louise. I know you're probably not around and certainly not blogging, but I just wanted you to know I was thinking of you; wondering how you're doing. Take care of yourself.
Yeah Louise, welcome back when you get back. We'll do our best to try and cheer you up.
I'm sorry to hear about your brother, Louise. My sincere condolences to you and your family.
Hiya Louise
Don't take this as a "business as usual" ploy, 'cos things are rather too busy on those other blogs, and you'd probably do better to keep your head down right now. Or wear a tin hat when you do decide to come back.
I just thought I say that I'd seen your balanced, lets-not-rush-into-things comment on RoadsofStone re climate change. Beautifully expressed, if I might say. Said as much on Sarah's blog.
Take care now.
Louise
I'm so sorry to hear your news.
- Roads
Come on Louise. We need some of your twittering.
Louise
Warmest of welcomes back, and please accept my belated condolences. My wife heard last night that a treasured aunt, the sort kids loved to visit in school holidays had died. But she was 93 and that just isn't the same, especially as she had virtually willed her own death after her husband died. As RoO said, bon courage.
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