Metropol

The 24 hour credit card-only petrol pumps are closed on Christmas Day because they still require somebody to man them. What would happen if somebody had an accident there?

You'd run away?

I'll drag the thread back on topic and away from discussion of perma-manned petrol stations and Christmas Day working.

I had a very nice time "oop North" with the family. I stayed with my Sister in her new house which I'd not seen before; my en-suite included a shower cubicle with a built-in radio and phone. Quite unnecessary extravagance methinks, especially since I had the disturbing feeling of sharing a shower on Christmas Day with the Queen talking to me (on the radio not phone, you understand!)

My Dad managed to stay in this country for Christmas - for the first time in many years! He has a new girlfriend and instructed her to cook dinner for me, my sister and the brother-in-law. Very nice it was too! We all had rather too much wine and champagne. Then me, Sis and Bro-in-Law walked the mile or so back to theirs about midnight; enjoying the country lanes and what appeared to be very mild weather (or was that the drink?)

On Boxing Day my Dad had decided to take full advantage of having both his off-spring around and invited my Auntie and one Uncle (but not the gay one of course!) from Wales over for the day (with their respective partner/wife). So that was another meal for his new girlfriend to prepare! Plenty of chat and copious bottles of wine later I managed to forget that I'd not seen some of my relatives for 5 years (some even longer).

All-in-all an excellent Christmas. Nice presents (given and received), but such nice memories to treasure. On leaving this afternoon I was minded to think how much I've missed out by living so far away from my family for so long! The return journey by train (couldn't fly because AirSouthWest won't take dogs) was marred by a 90 minute delay during a change at Birmingham, which left me trying to comfort the anxious hound

Next christmas is gonna be a big family one. We're gonna hire a big house in the country for the festive season. Family and extended family will all eat sleep and play together for a couple of days.
It will be fab. I miss big family chrismasses.

miss hellfire wrote:Family and extended family will all eat sleep and play together for a couple of days.

Isn't that a sordid soap storyline Lorna?