Taste of Things To Come

I had a Christmas experience this morning. Where in rural South Wales might you find a jolly Santa, surrounded by elves, trudging through the deep and crisp and even fresh snow to feed Donna, Blitzen et al?

Sadly not THAT sort of Christmas experience. I had to go to our local town and went to one of these cheap sells-all-sorts-of cheap-stuff shops as I needed some drain cleaner and a mini bottle of brandy to feed my cakes. By the time I got out of there it was nearly upgraded to a large bottle.

There were multiple small children screaming in protest at not being able to have sparkly plastic tatt, I had to wait in a queue of six or eight people with trolleys full of "novelty items" and total junk, while the tills groaned with effort processing the card payments. A smelly old man repeatedly pushed his trolley into my back, legs anything he could find without so much as an apology or acknowledgement while I sweated under my winter coat, enduring the Christmas music and being mentally, audibly and physically assaulted in every direction.

I made a mental note to myself that from now up until "the big day" I should avoid town at peak times and at all if possible, then I remembered that it was 10.00 on a Tuesday morning. There really is no hope.

So before I reconstitute my stress headache from earlier, I will move on, knowing full well that you'll all know exactly what I'm on about.

The success of my blog and my "year of endurance" took me to another unusual place yesterday. I took a junior school assembly, courtesy of my good friend who happens to be a teacher. I don't mind telling you that I was more nervous going to do that than all the interviews, radio and filming put together! I was really nervous! But it went well. That's twice now I've been surrounded by children in three weeks - the epitome of out of my comfort zone! Those who know me know that I'll look after your Granny for a month, just don't ask me to mind the kids for half an hour. I don't do kids, but these, in fairness, were bloomin' lovely. I actually quite liked one of them. I think that's probably because he was ginger, though.

I wondered if the kids would think I was barking, they did. Result. But they seemed very receptive to the idea of a challenge and generally making stuff. Apparently my friend and the teacher spent the duration of her playground supervision being told what they were all making for "National Buy Nothing Day".

Well i for one look forward to seeing what they come up with! That's what we like - star 'em young!