Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Here, there, there and back

I had a horribly early start this morning; up at 5.45 to have a quick breakfast and bath, so I could leave home at 6.20 to meet a few people off the ship – Elza and Sarel returned from their quick 11-day trip, and one of our congregants was back after being in the Cape for medical treatment for several weeks. She was glad to be reunited with her husband! This is the same couple whose car burned out in front of the church, if you remember. Sarel and Elza were in the first busload, and Elza handed me a packet with two scrapbook magazines (I had requested one – she managed to get hold of December AND January) as well as some beautiful embellishmenty goodies. Lovely! They volunteered for me to take them home, which I was more than happy to do. I dropped them and went straight back to the docks where I was in time to see Shirley come through. I just briefly said hello and welcomed her back, then came back home. After coffee and a QT I tucked into some real housework…and I meant business. I tidied the general living areas and our room while the boys had a forced tidy-up in their room (they thought they had tidied but I uncovered all the stuff from behind their beds and under the chest of drawers…I didn’t even get into their cupboards) and Nick tidied his office, finally clearing some desk space after having had Tammy’s sound desk there for so long. He’s taken to doing his sermon prep on the diningroom table because his office is overrun with music stuff. I also washed a few windows and washed the kitchen floor. I think we should make this an every-year-on-the-23rd-of-December event…a big cleanup before Christmas. Works for me. Sitting outside having lunch today, I was browsing through the January Scrapbook Inspirations when I saw a familiar looking page…my heart skipped a beat when I realized it was mine - they published my letter! You know, in the ‘letters to the editor’ sort of section. It’s a page with a photo of my niece looking out the window – I was so excited to see it in there!

In the afternoon we had guests - a couple called Paul and Gemma, and their three kids Leoni, Libby and Luka. We met them at Flagstaff when we walked it a couple of weeks ago, and agreed that we should get together for the kids to play. It was really a great afternoon – the kids played well, and us four adults conversed superbly on a variety of topics.

Yesterday I barely touched base at home. I left Nick to hang up the washing, and was in town shortly after 9. My first stop was the bank where I had a long visit, firstly as there was a bit of a queue, and then I had to stand at the teller for a long time while she counted up the ₤87.99 in coins which was taken at busking a few weeks ago, which we had not yet deposited. Fortunately I did the bank first though, as I noticed the queue got longer and longer during the morning! I was in town the whole morning, buying a few groceries and looking for some last minute Christmas presents. I was just home in time for lunch, then I was off to Lorna directly after that. It was my last crafting afternoon with them as I will not be continuing next year. Nick had asked me to be home earlyish, so I left just after 3, was home long enough to visit the WC, then went with Nick and the boys back to town – dropped them off at the swimming pool, and did a bit more stocking-stuffer shopping. Home again, made supper, and was tuckered out by 9 pm.

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