Only 12 days until Christmas and with the recent combination of Covid-19 and Brexit I’ve decided that watching any form of news is downright bad for my health. Instead I’ve returned to binge watching Netflix in my down time (which seems to be getting less and less). I think it’s what is commonly called escapism although I’m a tad worried I’m already better versed in US political procedure than the English legal system.
I’m delighted to say I’m still on course with my Chilly Challenge and have run 5k every day this month – over 65k so far. There were a couple of really wet ones this week but dodging puddles has just helped me to lengthen my stride. I’m really hoping it doesn’t get any colder, at least until January when everyone else starts their health kicks and I get to put my feet up.
Right, aside from trying to con my kids out of their advent calendar chocolate every morning, what makes this week’s top 5?
1. The biggest news of the week was the posting of the letter to Santa. E has been working on it for quite a while, justifying why she should avoid the dreaded lump of coal as well as sticking in the cut out pictures of her wish list. She even filled in the back on behalf of her little brother to make sure he doesn’t miss out. She was so excited to post it off, but the problem is she is now expecting to receive everything on her list, especially the karaoke machine. Her latest tooth popped out on Monday night so between the tooth fairy this week and Santa the week after next, we really just need to Easter Bunny to arrive a little early to land the hat trick. This is assuming Santa arrives at all – I am sure we will have very well behaved children over the next week and a bit! 
2. We haven’t really taken the kids anywhere this year for obvious reasons, so family outings have been few and far between. They have been so lovely with each other and when a kind neighbour offered us spare tickets to the Ushaw College illuminations we decided to jump at the chance. We piled on the layers and donned the welly boots and off we went to trudge through the mud. It was actually a really fun trip out and the kids loved all the lights. We’ve found out since that E has been telling her teacher all about it and convinced her to get some of her own tickets. She apparently described each of the installations but the highlight were the donuts at the end which were highly recommended to Miss H as “not to be missed”! She is so like her father sometimes! They were lush donuts! 
3. From a young age we’ve taught M how to high 5. It seemed just a fun thing to do, but the problem is that it is now his default move when we are congratulating him (for competing yet another jigsaw usually). So this week I was looking for a little bit of affection from my son and instead of raising my hand for the usual high 5, I leant in for a kiss. This clearly confused him as that isn’t the normal procedure following jigsaw success so he just lifted his hand and high 5’d my face instead! You can only imagine the look on Steph’s face as she walked into the room to see M crack me one right on the nose. He was certainly just a bit startled by the reaction – I’m a little worried he might associate that reaction with me puckering up (something I am very used to!) 
4. The boys had the joy of a trip to the barbers together (matching trims of course) and then a Christmas shopping trip. Meanwhile the girls went for an essential food shop, and that’s when the pineapple chat happened. On the way in Steph asked E what fruit she wanted and as they worked through the list she asked whether she wanted some pineapple. “No thank you, it’s too spiky for me.” Steph corrected her and said “you mean sharp E, that’s the word rather than spiky.” And so they carried on through the fruit and veg aisle when E pointed at a whole pineapple and said “that’s what I mean Mammy, the top is too spiky for my mouth.” I feel we’ve missed a bit of education somewhere along the line if she thinks you eat the whole of a pineapple… 
5. This weekend saw the completion of the Christmas decorations, as the girls went around and filled every window with various home crafts of wreaths, nutcrackers and snowflakes. I thought it might buy me a few minutes of peace and quiet (mini me was off trashing another room – out of sight and all that!) so I hid out in the kitchen. The next thing I knew, E bowled in, right into my face and said “Where did you put the effing Santa, Daddy?” I was horrified. I began to lecture her about the use of appropriate language (even when sanitised) but she then interrupted me again. “Don’t worry Daddy, I’ve found them. Here are the Elf and Santa pictures.” I definitely need to get my ears cleaned out! 
LawyerLow Diaries 