Friday, January 04, 2008

The holidays are nearly over!

I have been up since 3 something am. The intrepid travellers were dropped at the airport before 5am, and should be almost there as I speak. In Switzerland. My favourite place in the world. I am here, in the foggy gloom, freezing. I should be crunching through the snow on an Alp. Freezing is not so bad when you are standing on an Alp. At least you have beautiful scenery to look at, and ........

Hmmm. I will shut up now.

In a fit of total madness, I decided to go and do some essential food shopping on the way home. At 5.45am. In the dark. Before dawn. Well, the fact that I needed petrol rather urgently made it a sensible thing to do, if I did not want to be seen pushing my car along the motorway. Our supermarket is one of those 24hr places, but so help me, they do not run to checkout ladies at that time of day. You have to do the self service checkout. I nearly abandoned the basket at the till when the stupid computer voice kept repeatedly issuing ridiculous instructions loudly like "place the item on the belt" when it had already zapped past and travelled down the belt very happily, thankyouverymuch. The supervisor did a lot of very loud sighing. And then trying to find the right things to push and scan, and where on earth were my glasses anyway, and all the rest..... I am getting old, people. I want a real live person to scan my stuff. You know. So all I have to do is pack the bags and wave my card around in a helpful fashion. I do not want to do the whole thing. I have never had any unfulfilled longing for a cash register from childhood. Bring back humans, I say!

I cannot believe the school holidays are almost over, and that I will be returning to work on Monday. Our decorations are still up, and will be taken down on Sunday, the 12th day of Christmas. And I must say, it is lovely to drive around and still see the lights on all over the village. Especially as the days are short and darkness falls at the ridiculous time of 3pm. Anything which dispels the dark is good!

The biscuit tins are almost empty now, and none of us want to see another one for the forseeable future. As long as they are around, we will eat them. This is not good. The biscuits are, of course, but the hips are another story. And there are unopened boxes of chocolates lurking about too. I am doomed. Will power? Forget. However, I do have a party to go to next weekend, so I will have to consider drastic action, if I do not want to appear in expandable clothing, looking like the Goodyear blimp. But, oh, what a wonderful time this has been.

Diana goes back to NZ next week, and it will be really difficult to say goodbye, as it always is. She lights up the room when she is about. I know I am her Mum, but everyone else says the same thing. She does. So this Christmas was a little unplanned. Well, I had things sort of planned, and then the lists went out the window when she arrived, and we have just had the best time as a family. Who could possibly ask for anything more? And now she is about to be yodelling her way around the small alpine village where my sister lives.

Did I ever mention that my son and daughter-in-law chose to get married there in 2003? We (family and friends) all decamped for the wedding, and it was spectacular. Diana led the merry band of young people up and down mountains, singing "climb every mountain" etc, trotti biking, rafting, cow carving and generally having daily adventures, and no-one will ever forget that holiday. I must do a post about that. Remind me.

Anyway. I am a little weary, so I am about to go and have a snooze. Or maybe some coffee. And a biscuit. Or maybe I will investigate the chocolate box.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes please we would love to read about the swiss wedding.

Dawn said...

I am glad Diana is still there for a bit to dispel the darkness! Sounds like a just lovely foray to the supermarket - they always feel eery at that hour. Can't figure out why they stay open all night.

Have a good snooze (or you already have hours ago, from my time vantage point).

Carole Burant said...

You're not going to eat all those chocolates yourself are you?? Pass some on to me please! hehe I'm very much like you...no willpower whatsoever. lol It makes my heart glad to know that you had such a wonderful Christmas time...Diane sounds like such a special person and I can imagine how hard it will be when it comes time to say goodbye to her again. Just know that we're all here for you. Here's to a wonderful year of continued friendship. xoxo

Barbara said...

I wonder which you chose to do in the end. I have been thinking about you knowing that Diane will be returning soon.

Linds said...

No snooze. No biscuit. No chocolate. Coffee?? Oh Yes!

Linda said...

Oh Linda - it is such fun to chat with you - especially since I can absolutely identify with everything you say (so skillfully I might add). Give me human beings - at the check-out, at the other end of the phone... Ah for the good old days!
Enjoy the days when Diana comes back. I know how difficult those good-byes are. I'm so glad you had this holiday together. What a blessing.

Linda said...

You're not Linda (that would be me) - sorry Linds. I think I could use a snooze myself :-)

Pam said...

Ah yes, back to work on Monday. It's a bit hard to complain very loudly in this house since my husband went back yesterday, but all the same. Sulk. Stamp.

And Diana's going. She does indeed look lovely, lovely, lovely. Just like her mum. Hmm.

Vee said...

Linds, love to read whatever you have to say. And I'd be enchanted I know by reading about your son's wedding in the Alps.

Funny, though, I love self-checkout. I make a beeline for them every time. I would not, however, appreciate a sighing supervisor!

Enjoy this weekend before going back to school. It takes a few days to get back into the swing there, I know, but everything will be okay and the days are already getting longer, too.

Crystal said...

Is it just me or does time speed up when the holidays come?! I would have gone back to bed when I got home but shopping when no one else is in the store makes it much faster. We have only a few stores that offer the self-serve checkout here. Enjoy all those treats from Christmas - it's a long time until they are around again. I'll be thinking of you when you go back to school on Monday :)

Susan said...

You are such a joy to read!!!
Susan

meggie said...

I am telling you, I have seen the inside of the chocolate box... & thar lurks danger!!


Slap myself, & realise the contents of other's chocky boxes are not my concern!!

Just wishing peace & joy!
XXX

someone else said...

This was just delightful to read! I'm so glad you had such a fabulous family time.

I know what you mean about the self-checkouts -- I despise them. I so much prefer having a human being to chat with as I pay for my stuff.

Unknown said...

I totally agree with you about the do it yourself check outs. My daughter refuses to use them. She says it is a matter of principle. She feels as if by check out her own purchases, she is numbering the days of some poor cashier that bearly earns enough to live on as it is.

Susie said...

Just stopping in for a quick hello my friend!
Glad your holidays were filled with family, fun and food.
Thanks for your continued prayers for my Grandpa.
xo

Barb said...

I avoid those automated checkout lines like the plague. I hate the whole idea and I don't trust them. I'm with you. Give me a live breathing checkout clerk.

OK. I know what petrol is. I know what you mean when you say biscuits (cookies, of course). And I can even accept that it gets dark there at 3 in the afternoon.

But you are going to have to help me out here. What on earth is cow carving? Please tell me it doesn't involve a real cow.

The holidays are officially over here too. Beginning tomorrow, everyone, including, hopefuly, ME, is back on a regular schedule. Whew! It's been a crazy but wonderfull month.