Normally I have some sort of inspiration during the year for my parents Christmas present. Not this year. I am normally quite smug by mid November that I have found and bought, but not wrapped (I’m not that organised) something which I know will make them smile and something that they would desire. Even if I’ve had to badger them into it, like the year that they received the mobile phone, which Mum now loves.

The last couple of months my poor little tootsies have suffered, I’ve shopped all over, Coventry, Birmingham, Kenilworth, Leamington Spa, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick and even Hatton Country World, with no luck whatsoever. I could feel the panic rising as each day has been ticked off the calendar. I even had the “I’m in utter crises”, and “If I hadn’t lost my hair, I would be by now” conversation with hubby, his reply, “You’ll cope, you’ll find something, I have every faith in you” before wandering away to his own little world again. Christmas you see for I suspect most husbands is just something that happens and is put together by the Christmas fairy, they close their front door on Christmas eve, having just come home from work, possibly with a bottle of Whisky in hand given to them by the boss and everything is magically prepared, the tree is sparkling in the corner, with a huge array of beautifully wrapped presents carefully placed underneath it, the cake is iced, the smell of oranges and cinnamon waft through the house, everything is polished and sparkling to within an inch of its life etc. etc.

I digress, sorry,,,

I did yet another round on foot of Leamington Spa yesterday, with no luck. I always have luck for myself though, 🙂 A pair of boots and some gorgeous wool, magically found themselves in bags, carried by me!! But, nothing for my parents.. (actually there was one small stocking filler,,, but not the main event). Exhausted, I go home. Panic rising. Son no.1 comes home as does hubby, at gone four in the afternoon, I say to son no.1, come on lets go to Birmingham, (I’m loving my new found freedom) and off we trot.

This time we have huge successes. I find THE present and other presents for son no.2 for Christmas and his birthday, which is shortly after Christmas.

I am shattered but happy, now I’ve just got to sand blast the house, ice the christmas cake, find the sofa again underneath the ironing, which probably means having to do the ironing.. buy and decorate a tree, wonder whether the right course of action would be to clean the oven before or after Christmas, (I always hate the smell of oven cleaner), phone for a chimney sweep and off course, write and deliver cards, wrap presents and finish the Christmas knitting…. and I really need to pop up the allotment and do a few hours up there…

Oh well, Christmas as usual it is then. :0