Busy Christmas

Let's see, what have I missed reporting on this week?

After the snowstorm on Monday, my husband came home from work and was still up for going for our anniversary dinner, even though it meant walking for miles to the restaurant as cars were at a standstill on the roads. I'm so glad I hadn't gone to work that day or it would have taken me five hours to get home. My friends who did work reported having to abandon their cars and walk home -- four or five miles away.

We went to a fancy French restaurant but I didn't look the part as I had my daughter's ski boots on so I could navigate through the snow. I had foie gras to start but by the time I got to the fish second course, a group of people had arrived at the table next to us and started talking loudly about boring subjects. Two people at the table, in particular, went through their grievances with their jobs at length. Not only was it incredibly boring but they had very loud voices, as if they wanted the entire restaurant to share their grief. (which we did)

I hope that I've taught my kids that one of the worst things to be when you go out is a bore. Better to make controversial statements to keep a conversation lively than to be dull and self-centered when you speak.

On the way home, walking through snow and ice at 9:30 at night, cars were still stuck on the roads. Apparently the shopping centers in town had closed their car parks so people returning from shopping found they had to find some way home without using their own cars.

While we were walking, someone called to us from a car. They wanted to know where a gas station was. "We're running low on fuel," they said sadly, as their car was going nowhere on the usually busy road.

"How long have you been on this road?" I asked.

"Since 4:00," she said. Five and a half hours on one little road. I felt so sorry for them, especially as they had a small child in the car.

Earlier in the day, my son and I had built a snowman and then walked out to see how horrible the conditions were. We even saw a fight break out among the stalled cars -- men hitting each other in fury. One reached behind him to a For Sale sign in a nearby yard, pulled it out and started bashing another guy over the head with it. Some Christmas spirit!

Yesterday it was still icy and treacherous -- I walked to a shop for potatoes for our Christmas dinner and almost fell to my death several times. :)

That night we were due to go to a concert with my friend Madeleine. We couldn't decide whether to risk it or not as you can't really drive on the roads yet and the pavements are so icy. In the end we went for the first half.

The Kings Singers are very good -- my friend Derry recommended them to me -- but a little acappella singing goes a long way.


OK, it's another day and another trek into snow-laden Reading. I have to go to the US Embassy in London to get Mikey's US passport updated. We are meeting Katie for lunch at a fab Mexican restaurant -- if I can there.

More later. Hope you are having a good Christmas. Tell me what you are doing in the comments section.