Life Update: Twinkly Lights & Too Many Online Orders

Good afternoon lovely people, how are you?

I’m sat in my bed with my puppy on my feet and a lukewarm cup of tea next to me (don’t you hate forgetting to drink it whilst it’s hot!?) and it feels like such a Monday. I’m not feeling it today and I just want to go to sleep, which is a shame because it’s a beautiful sunshiney day outside for once.

Are you sick of the rain too? It’s so miserable when it’s grey and rainy every day, isn’t it? I’m really pleased it’s the last week of school and we have a whole week off before Christmas. I feel like Ava and I both just need a really lazy, chilled few days together, getting some fresh air and watching Christmas films curled up on the sofa together. Although I will still have to do some work, but it’s pretty dead at the moment anyway so I hopefully won’t feel too guilty taking some time off.

I’m really looking forward to Christmas now and seeing at least some of our family. It’s so hard though, isn’t it? We won’t be seeing my Dad because he’s vulnerable, but then I feel so guilty not seeing him because he’ll be on his own on Christmas Day and that makes me sad for him. It all seems so unfair, that a lot of the people who are most vulnerable are also the ones who live alone and will have to spend Christmas alone. But then, at least it’s only temporary.

On Sunday we decorated the tree and house whilst drinking Baileys (not Ava) and listening to Christmas songs, as is the standard. It’s lovely that it’s something Ava looks forward to doing with me each year now. Although I did disappear for five minutes and she’d wrapped those red ball things all around the top branches and then two layers of silver tinsel on top of that. It looked a delight. We’ve compromised with leaving just the string of red balls on (do you know what I mean – I don’t know what they’re called and can’t think how to describe them??). We always have a mish-mash tree anyway, full of an eclectic collection of ornaments collected over the years, with ones that belonged to my Granny and my Grandma and I love them so much.

Seeing twinkly lights in people’s houses and in my own is definitely helping to cheer me up. Christmas felt so unknown a few weeks ago as we had no idea what we were going to be allowed to do, and it’s still weird and a little sad as we can’t spend it with all of our loved ones, but I’m also really excited now too.

I can’t wait to give everyone their presents and spend some time with my gorgeous niece and nephews, eat and drink lots, and just take some time off after a strange year.

Apart from getting and decorating the tree we had a pretty lazy and slow weekend. I just couldn’t be arsed with anything and it was pouring with rain the whole time and we’re all feeling pretty tired. I say lazy, but I did do loads of housework and washing as usual. I sorted a couple of cupboards and a drawer out and I put a couple of pictures up (with those wonderful ‘Command’ strips – not a drill and nails – they’re my new favourite things) and hoovered and cleaned the bathroom. That’s about as exciting as it gets at the moment, although I did paint my nails and put some fake tan on too.

I’m also still ordering way too much online. My excuse is that they are Christmas presents, but 7 out of every 10 are presents for me. I seem to be on ASOS a lot to say I don’t go anywhere anymore too. Also, Amazon is so full of stuff I didn’t realise I needed – YES, I need a hat with a torch on it, a folding collapsible cup to attach to my bag for outdoor hot chocolate emergencies, some rose quartz stones and a 3-way portable spice container so that I can always have salt, pepper and garlic granules with me. Yes, I do. Luckily when the baby teeth keepsake box with individual sections for each precise tooth and a selection of tools (FOR WHAT???) popped up as a suggestion I was able to draw the line and still think WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!? So I haven’t completely lost the plot yet.

I also get weirdly excited about really random clothes on ASOS that I will never ever wear. I want sparkles, glitter, sequins, tulle, whatever as long as it’s brilliant and fun and totally impractical. Nope, I don’t have the money to spend on things I will almost certainly never wear but they still keep going in (and out, and in) my basket. I think that must be a lack of having a life this year, musn’t it? I’m craving excitement and sequins.

I hope you are OK and are looking forward to some kind of Christmas, too.

Love Lou x