November 24, 2009

Hi folks. It feels like it's been ages since I last wrote - the days are really running away with me now in the slide towards Christmas.
I've suddenly realised it's December next week and I am further behind with our Christmas shopping than I've ever been. I've promised Mum I'll take her for a wander round the posh new shopping centre in Cardiff soon, so hopefully I can get a bit more done then.
We had a lovely weekend in Bedford with Pete's aunt and uncle. Charlie had a great time with them - playing games, chatting and reading stories. Margaret and Eddy's grandchildren are quite a bit older now, so it's been a few years since they had a small person invading their bedroom early in the morning!
We went for a wander around their local garden centre, and Charlie had his first visit with the big beardy man in the red suit. (I can't remember if that's the first time he's been to a grotto in November!?)
I still haven't made Charlie's African costume. I really begrudge paying £22 for a ready-made costume online, so I think I'll head to the fabric shop tomorrow. (That'll be a first!)
I'm hoping that the gaudy material I'm supposed to be buying will be on special offer, so it won't cost me an arm and a leg. I dread to think how long it's going to take me to hand-sew it all, but as I said to Pete - if Charlie's supposed to be from rural Africa, I suppose his outfit would be handmade! I may - or may not - post pictures, depending on how it turns out in the end.
Oh, and Charlie's also in the Nativity presentation at the little club he goes to every week. Fortunately, he's a shepherd in this one, so I can recycle the costume he had last year for school.
It's all go at this time of year!
I've been over at Mum's house today - sorting out yet more financial stuff. I'm so nearly there now - it'll be great to get all the loose ends tied up.
I went to the cemetery for the first time since Dad's funeral on my way home today. It was raining and blowing a gale. I was very glad I went, but I didn't feel like Dad was there - which he isn't really, I suppose.
I think Charlie had it right when he was talking about Grandpa mending things in Heaven - I find it much easier to think of my Dad striding around up there armed with a tool belt and a Black & Decker drill instead of a harp and a pair of wings.