Wagged out

It is done, and I am all wagged out.

We went to the pantomime this evening.

We were such a small group. So many people couldn’t make it this year. In the past at times there has been twenty of us, this year we were just eight, and there are no little children any more. Oliver was the very youngest, and he is twenty.

We had a lovely time anyway.

We went to the Chinese first, where my mum and brother came to join us, rather late because my brother had been frantically rushing to finish installing somebody’s kitchen so that they could use it in time for Christmas, but we had a little bit of time together, which was all that mattered.

Of course we ate and drank far too much, which is what happens when I am presented with such a massive choice of nice things to eat, obviously the thing to do is to try absolutely everything. Indeed, we have been eating and drinking far too much ever since we arrived. There have been the splendid hotel breakfasts, and the Christmas markets, and the exciting dinners, all washed down with hot chocolate with Bailey’s, and coffee with whisky and whipped cream.

Fortunately I have brought a good supply of indigestion tablets.

I must guiltily confess to you that after breakfast we first fell asleep, and then, once the cleaner appeared to make the bed, left it regretfully and went off for a wander around the Christmas markets. We didn’t want to buy anything, and somehow we finished up in Waterstones. You will not be surprised to hear that we very quickly discovered that there were lots of things in there that we did want to buy, and came out very much poorer.

I do not care, it is Christmas. There can be no better Christmas present than a new book, especially one I have chosen myself.

We are going to need some new bookshelves in the New Year at this rate.

The children did not come with us. They rushed off after breakfast to do an Escape Room. I am sure that these are very nice but I have become far too idle to care about made-up challenges like that, life has presented me with plenty of real ones and I much preferred pootling gently around the bookshop.

Afterwards we stopped by the barber so Mark could have a shave and get his balding bits neatly trimmed. The girls also went to the hairdresser, and Oliver and Jack went Christmas shopping. I did not bother with the hairdresser, not being much more hirsute than Action Man was in his glory days.

Oliver and Jack came back to our room for us to inspect their selections, and we made admiring noises. I was pleased to discover that they have both got rather splendid good taste, and both Lucy and Emily appeared for the pantomime this evening looking very beautiful with shining hair and pretty new necklaces.

They are a very fine looking family.

Of course the pantomime was splendid. It has been the same duo presenting it for the last few years, and they have become better and better. It is the same jokes every year, but somehow they seem to be just as funny every time.

We laughed and shouted and sang along, and staggered out, sighing and starry-eyed.

We are in bed now, and it is done, over for another year, and tomorrow we are going home.

I am not sorry. I have had the loveliest time, but I think I have wagged myself out now.

Also I think the dogs must be thinking themselves abandoned.

It is time we went to get them.

Another year is done.

It has been magnificent.