What I Did For Christmas

I got back from visitting my sister Lynn and her family in Essex about an hour ago and so, officially, my Christmas is over. I had a nice time there, even though I was bored for some of the time. I got to my sister's place late on Friday afternoon and enjoyed dinner with her, her husband and their four kids. She had already arranged to go out that night with her mates, so I was left in the house with two of the kids and two of their mates' kids too. It wasn't too bad, I got to relax and they were back from their party before midnight.
The next day I went shopping with my sister and two of the kids, just to get a few things for the Christmas dinner she was making that afternoon. Dinner was fantastic, I really enjoyed it, mainly because it is not often that I get a full on roast dinner, let alone a Christmas one. After dinner I gave the kids their Christmas cards with their money in (I really didn't know what presents to buy them this year so I'd gone for the easy option). My other sister Maxine, her daughter Mikala and two granddaughters, Courtney and Keleigh, also came over that evening and we exchanged gifts with them too. Between the three of them (my sisters and my niece) I got quite a few presents and, to buck the trend of the last few years, some of the presents were actually useful. I know I sound really ungrateful about it, but they have been ridiculous presents some years, and often the same presents on consecutive years.
This year I got a coffee mug with fresh coffee beans (I do not like coffee and never have), a set of juggling balls with a teaching DVD (I can already juggle a bit, but don't want to learn more), and a book "i before e (except after c)" which is fullof mnemonics to help remember how to spell certain words and to remember ceratin facts. It was interesting to read some of it on the way home from my sisters' today, but I doubt that I will read it again.
The useful presents this year were a watch (I've been meaning to buy one for ages), some body spray and shower gel (always handy) a pair of socks, a Dr Who almanac and a framed Captain America comic book (from my sister's step-son).
Lynn and her hubby unfortunately had arranged to go out that night too, so Maxine and Mikala stayed for a while and then I played on the Wii with my other niece Molly before she tired and fell asleep on the sofa. Lynn returned at around 02:30 and had invited about 8 others back with her for coffee. They all eventually left about 04:00 and so I went to sleep then.
This morning I stayed in bed until nearly midday and then went with Lynn and Molly to Lakeside to get some presents for Molly's friend. I love Lakeside because there are always lots of really gorgeous and fit looking guys wandering around. It is really frustrating though as they are almost always with their girlfriends / wives and / or kids, so even if they were up for it they wouldn't be able to respond there and then. I was hoping that I would see someone similar on my journey home this afternoon, but there was no such luck.
I was disappointed not to get to watch any of the television that I wanted over the last three days, especially the Strictly Come Dancing final. The one thing that I really wanted to watch. Every time that there was something decent on the television, someone would come into the room and make such a noise that, even if the television was allowed to remain on, it would be impossible to watch it over the noise of the kids AND the adults. I'll just have to catch up tonight and over the next few afternoons before going to work!! I am not looking forward to my 7 upcoming night shifts.

Roll on the New Year.