Christmas without you

So much has changed in 2008.
I've moved twice, got a (sort of) secure job and started to plan for the future-the real future not just "I want to go on holiday this year, wonder where I should go". It's all a bit scary even for me.
Well enough of non-specific hopes and dreams, how about I tell you about Christmas and new years eve?

Christmas started for me on the 24th because I spent the evening with my brother and I don't get to spend enough time with him. We went to his girlfriends house and had dinner there, nothing too special just chatting playing catch up and getting on nicely and later on watching rubbish telly and dozing on the sofa. I haven't seen him look so happy in years. I think that was the best present I could have got this or any other year. I stayed over at his flat to wake up there on Christmas day and did the visiting everyone within a five mile radius that we are related to wishing them all a merry Christmas and swapping cards and gifts. Then we seperated, he went to Nanny's for dinner and I went to my Mums where I spent the next day and a half on the sofa eating chocolate, fudge and expensive cheese with biscuits.
We started worrying aout bedsores and so decided that shopping would be the cure we needed on Saturday. We found a few shops that weren't crazy with Christmas sales shoppers trying to kill each other over a 75% discount on a sandwich toaster and I bought all the socks that I hadn't got for presents at Christmas as I had expected. Then my favourite purchase-new boots. I have to admit that I have a thing for shoes and boots. Mark says I have spent a horrific amout of money on them this year, but I think I've been quite good. They are soft leather and sooo comfy that I'm sure I'll wear them loads and so well worth the £95 price tag. Mum liked them so much she got herself a pair too-slightly different, higher heel, a bit more dressy. Then back to Mums to make sense of all the treasures we had found.
Call from Raven, "come out for drinks" "can't have too much to do" "just a quick one, I'm on your road now" "ok, meet you in half hour". Rolled home 6 hours or so later singing silly songs. Having spent the evening running for buses, playing pool, befriending small dogs and dancing with Will in an unknown pub/bar. I still don't know how we found Raven again but I was glad he was there to put me on the bus home!
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.
But it did mean that I didn't set an alarm therefor didn't get up on time to go and do the second family thing in Chelmsford. Bugger, no-one seemed to mind, but I've done that twice now so I'll watch myself in the future. I'm tired of typing now so I'm going to pick up on this another time and get onto the few days between and then the fantastic New Years Eve. Again, it wasn't anything too special or loutish, but I was with some friends that I really care for and don't see enough of and so was really special for me.