17/12/2014

Time for a little catch up I think

Can I please put December on pause? I want to delay Christmas just a little bit so I can play catch up. I'm just not ready, which is not like me at all. I don't know what's happened this year! I'm going to blame the fact that it's because we're not having everyone at ours this year, please don't think I'm complaining about that, I'm so not, we're going to my mum's which we're looking forward, but yeah, I think because I've not had to meticulously plan every fine detail, way in advance, I somehow thought Christmas was miles away. Yikes!

Well, it's hit me like a freight train that it's Christmas next week and I'm now in panic mode, still loads of pressies to get, errr.....would help if I knew what to get........I'll be the one running around like a headless chicken on Christmas Eve, please don't get in my way cos every second counts when you're racing around like Anneka Rice on Treasure Hunt (for those that remember!)

The end of November and December have been pretty busy with one thing and another but I wanted to give you snippets of what we've been up to.

It all started quite well around the 3rd week of November and I was already getting in the Christmas spirit. We popped to a fab garden centre that have the most amazing Christmas display, purchased a few baubles and bits and bobs, scoffed down a gingerbread Santa, Monty the Penguin arrived at our house in the form of a gorgeous cushion, and started to devour gingerbread lattes in my new festive lounge pants!

Bought some new stag cushions for my lounge, and with orange piping, made for my sofa!
New Christmassy lanterns for my hallway. And then it went downhill from there and the shopping seemed to come to a standstill.
But the alcohol started to flow, so all was well.

Although thoughts of pressie shopping had been put on the back burner, we kicked off the festive celebrations, well, we actually began with birthday shenanigans as it was Mr C's birthday on 27th November so out for a delicious lunch we went. We both had the day off work and it was so nice to just chill, natter and fill our faces with food and bubbles.
That very same evening the Christmas lights were being switched on in our neighbouring village. We met up with friends and my mum and dad. We always go along and I'm sure it comes as no surprise that we end up in the pub! 

As soon as we arrived in the village a glass of bubbles was thrust into my hand and the kind person had vanished into the night before I could protest and give it them back. I had to drink it. 
No more free bubbles so onto the free flat white. 
It's a lovely atmosphere and all the local shops stay open, there are fair rides for the little'uns, bell ringers and choirs, stalls and of course tombola! 
Oh yeah and hook-a-duck. This is my absolute favourite. I spent all my time on this when my parents took me to the fair. Nearly always came home with a goldfish in a bag, that only ever lasted a week. RIP all you lost little fishes from my childhood. Why did they never last longer than a week?
The Chinese and Indian restaurants set up shop on the street to sell their wares. 
Although not sure which one of them was selling the hot dogs? 
Jack Frost was nipping at our fingers and toes and the crowds were dispersing so we ducked into the pub. It would have been really rude not to celebrate Mr C's birthday with a drink, yeah okay so us two had started to celebrate earlier in the day, so what?
The following day was Black Friday, and we woke to horror scenes on the TV with shoppers rolling around shops floors scrapping for a bargain or two. Is it worth loosing your eye for a TV? Not so sure. Anyway Mr C and I had already made the absolutely ridiculously ludicrous decision to have a day trip to Bicester Village.  Yep, we were certifiably mad. But how bad could it be? 

We stocked up on gingerbread lattes to help with the journey, it's about 2 hours-ish from where we are, and what could be better than sitting in your car, in traffic on your day off? Don't answer that! The traffic actually wasn't too bad until the last half hour of the journey and then we were crawling. Thing is you know what happens when you're stuck in traffic and hardly moving don't you? Yep, you need to go, bad. Damn you gingerbread latte. There I was, bladder now bursting at the seams, thinking about how I could solve my problem. If I get out the car and head to a nearby bush every man and his dog, wife and kids will be watching knowing exactly what I'm off to do. No good. Hey, I still had my latte cup, and the back windows are blacked out, look my bladder was desperate and I'd be doing no shopping if I peed my pants! Thoughts did rush through my mind though, there I'd be filling my cup, traffic moved off and our car jolted into action, disaster of epic proportions, eugh, enough on that thought. Don't tell me you've never been in a similar predicament?  You'll be relieved, hah, to hear I didn't have to go to any extreme length as the traffic suddenly started to move. It's as though they could sense my desperation. I still had the car park to face and circling it a million times before a space was found, but I made it with seconds to spare.
Yeah, we had arrived.
It was all lovely and Christmassy and all kinds of sparkly. The buildings were adorned with fabulous lights and silver reindeers were delivering presents. 
Dior Bicester Village Priceless Life of Mine
I did a lot of standing like this with my little nose pressed up against the glass dreaming, Ahh.... if only money were no object, but even at outlet stores I struggle.
The place was busy on this black Friday but we didn't witness any fights or anyone's eyes being scratched out, thankfully.
We ate the most delicious lunch served by a charming french waiter, browsed a little more and then took our achey feet home. 

So that's Thursday and Friday covered. Saturday night we went out to dinner with friends Sarah and John to have the third celebration of Mr C's birthday and Sunday was tree putting up day which I'll cover in my next post. 

All in all we had a blissful four days, we had no work to worry about, the kids are old enough to look after themselves, so in fact all we had to worry about was where our next food installment was coming from! oh and bubbles, boy we consumed so many bubbles over those four days.

Have you been to Bicester village? Hey, are you ready for Christmas? 

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2 comments

  1. Love this post!! Ahh hubby always says about Bicester Village as it's his neck of the woods, but I've never been! Good luck with the Christmas shopping! My advice, write a list, including shops to visit & who to buy for, stay calm, go early and consume vino! Not in that order! Well maybe, Haha.. If in doubt, Go to Boots, Soap & Glory ; ) my latest post hehe... You'll get it all done I'm sure! Loving how festive the village gets, looks like a fab evening! and looks like you had fun for Mr C's bday! Merry Christmas my lovely bbf ; ) x x x

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  2. Thanks Heather. You should visit Bicester if you get the chance but save up your pennies first. I've taken on board the shopping advice especially the consuming lots of vino bit! xx

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