New Year's Eve

I've always hated New Year's Eve, almost as much as birthdays. I can still remember at school how the other girls kept going on about what they were going to have as New Year Resolutions. I don't think I ever made one, and I'm not going to start now!



We are celebrating the New Year by putting our new sheets from IKEA on the bed - or rather John is. My share of this enterprise consisted of shifting some of the huge piles of stuff that have been on the bed since I began wrapping the Christmas prezzies. These piles have been growing ever since, and last night I kept waking up because I couldn't stretch my legs out. Plus I was so thirsty I had to go downstairs around 2am to get a bottle of Tesco's Spring Water (our tap water seems to be over-chlorinated a lot of the time, most unpalatable!). By which time I was so wide awake I logged on and picked up email and did a spot of web browsing. Nicely tired after that, so got some more sleep, though disturbed by J snoring (as usual!).

Super breakfast - lambs kidneys with bacon, fried up leftover mashed potato, and half a tomato... Tomato flavourless as usual -what do the supermarkets do to tomatoes to make them so tasteless? I'm hoping that'll count as at least half a portion of fruit, but seeing as it tasted of nothing maybe not.

We're having gales and very heavy showers today. Our side windows are leaking - shows up how they really need washing as they have clean streaks down them now. At least the strong wind means the showers are blowing over quickly, but I worry about the trees across the side road blowing onto our roof. And it's getting noisier too - guess the wind strength is still rising.

John's heading out to Otterspool Prom to get some (very) fresh air and see the waves on the Mersey. Rather him than me! He's declined the use of the camcorder to video the river - reckons it's too damp. Might spend my Xmas cash on a waterproof cover for it, if they're still available.

A quiet evening is planned, a bottle of Champagne (though not as nice as the Mumm de Cramant Sarah brought from France for Christmas) will go in the fridge in a while, and I think we'll be watching Jools Holland's Hootenanny later on. Be nice to see Lily Allen and The Zutons but I could do without the rest, especially First Battalian of the Scots Guards at midnight. We usually go out and dance* around the tree on the pavement then (so missing the bagpipes) but it may be too wild and windy for that this year.

Happy New Year!

* I stagger rather than dance - vestibular dysfunction don't lead to good enuff co-ordination for decent dancing!

Charon Way

If you are here to read my post on the NICE guidelines for ME/CFS it's here.

Yesterday John took his final day of leave this year. We headed for Charon Way. Up the M62, turn off for Gemini Retail Park... It always seems a good choice of name for that road! The road to retail hell.

In other words we made the trip to IKEA in Warrington to pick up the Christmas candles (Jubla - they don't drip as badly as most candles tend to do). We also managed to spend a huge (for me/us) amount of money. The bedding I had wanted to buy in the Spring (King size, then out of stock) was in store so I thought better strike while the iron's hot...

Then there were the truly eye shattering Christmas coloured cushions that we just couldn't live without. Very Op Art or Bridget Riley maybe. Complementary colours really do things to your eyes! We may put them away after Christmas, bring 'em out again next year. Not sure my eyeballs could live with them year round.



We both very tired after! John pushed me in wheelchair around, hard for him. I in wheelchair, pushing self for detailed browsing. But it was worth it for me to take a look at what's on offer.

So tonight we are having a candlelit evening to celebrate. But not quite like Hyacinth's candlelit supper I suspect!