Figured this was the best place to put my thoughts, as they don't really fit into any of the other forums. Nothing exciting, just my thoughts etc on how my Christmas went.
So a week or two before Christmas I get the news that my fuzzy brothers fiancee will be joining us for Christmas. I've mentioned her before in my posts if you've read the rest, if not..... she needs to be the centre of attention in all things, and needs to be treated like a princess. If she isn't, then something happens to draw the attention back to her again. She apparently has a swallowing issue that she's had numerous operations for, and she apparently has fibromyalgia. However both come and go on a whim, and her fibro doesn't act like anyone else's that I know has it. She doesn't work, is almost 38, and has been a perpetual student. She also talks all 'cutsie' and babylike, to manipulate the males around her into doing whatever she wants.
Mum and I on the other hand are strong, self reliant, independent, etc. The whole princess behaviour would never have been tolerated from me or my friends. Yet it needs to be tolerated from her, though not encouraged or pandered too, because she's what my brother has picked. Problem is, she knows it isn't pandered too and she knows she isn't the sickest in the room when Mum and I are there. So she has started to avoid family gatherings, and at one point tried to ruin the relationship between my brother and I. So we weren't looking forward to her company, and were wondering what drama may unfold, while hoping for none. Sadly, that wasn't to be.....
So Mum had Christmas Day and all the food planned, ready for people arriving when they said they would. So fuzzy brother was to arrive at 10 or 11 depending on what bus he got. Bald brother, his partner, and kids was arriving late morning - so 11-ish - while evil fiancee was to arrive around 1. Youngest brother and I were already there - he lives there and I'd been up since the 21st.
So breakfast was a set egg flan with black pudding and hollandaise, accompanied by a charcuterie platter. Something to nibble on and stave off hunger until 10:30, when smoked salmon mousses were served with blinis. This was to coincide with most people arriving, supposedly. Get a text from Baldies partner saying the kids were knackered and needed a nap, so they'd be round no later than 2. Ok. Then Fuzzy and EF rock up just after 11, with her wrapped in multiple scarves and blankets, and with a right face on her. Let the drama commence....
Seems she didn't want to come and had just wanted to stay home in bed. However had she done that, Fuzzy was going to stay home with her too and not come to Christmas at all. So she'd martyred herself by coming along so he didn't miss out. As for what was wrong with her, who knows, but her story changed depending on who asked her. It was either a cold, the flu, or her fibro. The medication she'd taken also changed between cold and flu, paracetemol, and co codamol. She demanded blankets, then lay on the sofa in a heap, and apparently felt so weak, she just wanted to sleep. All while Fuzzy flitted around like some nervous mother hen.
After 30 mins of overly dramatic sighs from under the blankets, and Fuzzy trying to tell her to go home and he'd look after her, Mum suggested that she drive them both home, Fuzzy could make sure she was in bed with fluids and food to hand, then Mum would drive him back again to enjoy Christmas. This apparently wasn't a good plan, because apparently she's incapable of looking after herself. She rallied though, apparently took some more cocodamol, then asked for a glass of champagne...... now, anyone on cocodamol knows you can't take it with alcohol or you'll spew. But we'll get to that later.
So now we're onto soup - spicy butternut squash or Cullen skink. No thanks from me on both of those, but they went down well with others - I'm enjoying the mini mousses too much.
2pm comes and goes, and we're wondering if Baldy and the family are going to show. We're hungry and it's past time for the fish course, so stuff it, we'll have it. Youngest goes through to start cooking the hot portion of the course - langoustines in garlic butter - and just as they are ready, Baldy shows up. It's roughly 3:30 now. So thoughts of food are abandoned as we get them in, get them drinks, swap presents, and have a chat. Finally we get to a point where it's polite to suggest we move to the Dining Room, only to find the reason they were late is because they decided to eat a full Christmas Dinner before coming down, despite knowing food was provided at Mum and Dad's and their food preferences had all been catered too.
We all sit down to the now rubbery langoustines and a prawn, and smoked haddock mousse. However this is not filling me up, and I can feel my tummy rumbling as there's been nothing substantial yet. EF sits there looking like she's been slapped with the smoked haddock, eats nothing, and gives her portion to Fuzzy. Then without excusing herself, just gets up and goes back to the sitting room to lie on the sofa. Of course Fuzzy is up immediately and running after her.
The main course is now being served: Duck, Lamb, Honey Roast Parsnips, Sprouts with Lardons, Purple Cabbage with Sultanas Apples and Cinnamon, Carrots, Roast Potatoes, 2 types of gravy, Stuffing, and Pigs in Blankets..... I think that's everything. Lol. Mum had just got it all on the table when Fuzzy announces that EF has been sick, so he's taking her home. Mum is fuming. Of all the times to decide to leave after all the founding and drama, right when the main Christmas Dinner is put on the table is not the time!!
So she finds a box so Fuzzy can take home some dinner, she's getting them a taxi, Dad manages a couple of mouthful of food then goes to help them get themselves together. Youngest and I couldn't care less about her drama, so get tucked in to food and let them get on with it. However by the time they are gone and parents return to the table, food is cold and Mum is beyond the point of eating. Youngest brother however is both in shock and awe at how much food I put on my plate and finished every scrap of! Lol. My appetite has been in and out recently, but Christmas Day I was famished. Felt good to eat that much fab food!!
The rest of the evening went by without incident, though you could see Mum was upset with the initial mess of people not showing up when they said they would, then not eating, then causing drama. She'd catered for 8 adults and 2 kids for food, only 4 adults ate. So LOADS of leftovers are in my fridge right now! Had to leave the lovely cheese as the Youngest had bought that. But I did take loads of the chocolate cheesecake! And we didn't heat the Christmas Pudding sadly, though it was because noone had space!
Boxing Day was round at my aunt's, meeting there for 1. Youngest brother had been spewing all morning.... he claims bug, I suspect it was the bottle and a half of spirits, coupled with the 6 bottles of wine he had Christmas Day. Mum not impressed again, as he was our musician - Boxing Day consists of lots of singing in our family. We get a call from Fuzzy, he and EF aren't coming either. She's apparently so ill, she can't even go to the toilet herself. Aye, alright then.........
But had a lovely afternoon and evening there, though I could feel the tiredness and pain building up in me. I'd been pushing myself too hard for too long by this point. Long journey after a medical procedure on the 21st. 22nd out in town with 2 friends separately from which I had to taxi home because I ended up bent over double in pain, physically unable to take another step. 23rd and 24th, helped with some housework as able - though did push hard. 25th as described, up at 8am, bed at 3:30am. So 26th, everything is catching up with me and through the morning I was dozing and at my aunt's I was hurting.
27th, Ow. Very def ow. But up at 7 to wait for the postman with the train ticket I left at home in Leeds and had to have a friend post to me for over £18.... cheaper than a new ticket though! Off to the station at 9:15am, and Dad just gives me my backpack and suitcase to carry into the station myself. Thanks for the consideration Dad, this is dead easy with this pain and a crutch! But I have assistance booked, so it isn't for long. I get to the meeting point 30 mins before my train, they ask you to be there 20 mins before, and buzz down. They say they'll send someone up, so I sit and wait. 15 mins later, I buzz again to say I'm still waiting, again am assured that someone will come up right now. My train is at 10:10. At 10:05 I hobble up to a random station employee and teary eyed - I'm freezing, tired, stressed, and really sore by this point - ask if they can please help me to my train. He agrees, and sets off at a right pace which takes everything I have to keep up with him, especially when he goes off down a big flight of stairs...
He gets me on the train and dumps my bags in a wheelchair space, as I'd asked for a disabled seat. I point out there's no seat there as I'm not in a wheelchair, and he just shrugs and says he has to get off as the train is leaving. So I'm abandoned and the train is packed! Thank goodness for the ticket inspector! He helps me walk through the carriages to a seat, not a disabled one but by this point I don't care. Though it's amazing how blind people get in moments like that.... he then retrieved my bags from where they'd been dumped and put them in the rack beside me. Brilliant.
Told Mum what had happened and she called the train company to ensure there would be assistance in Leeds to get me off the train and out to the taxis, and to tell them what seat I was in so they could find me. She was assured staff would be told and I'd be ok, and I dozed in and out for the whole journey. No choice, just physically could not keep my eyes open.
Got to Leeds, waited for the help to materialise - it didn't. Asked other passengers for help getting off, suddenly they all went deaf and blind, and couldn't speak English. So me, my crutch, my handbag, my suitcase, and a big backpack tried to get off the train. But it had taken me so long with waiting for help, then trying to do it myself that everyone had started getting on. I'm asking people to wait, trying to get to the door, trying to excuse myself, and I'm getting eyeroll and tutted at. I'm not sorry, but I did turn abruptly so my big backpack smacked the main culprit who thought that not moving aside and trying to push me aside while tutting was appropriate.
Got onto the platform, dropped everything in a heap and grabbed a pole before I joined my bags, red faced, unable to breathe, and crying. Spotted a passenger assist person and asked him if there was someone to help me. He mentioned my name and I confirmed it was me, then he muttered something about the lady he was helping arriving first and confusing him. But I didn't quite catch it as all I could hear was blood rushing through my ears. But he did pick up my bags then pass them on to someone else, who then helped me to a taxi. Decided to pay double by getting a white cab as they are at the station waiting, rather than pay half by calling a private hire car. Just wanted home at that point.
I got in, got a WONDERFUL welcome from the cats, put food in the fridge then collapsed in my recliner. Not aware of much after that as I was more asleep than awake, then went to bed at about 9pm.
28th I was supposed to have another medical procedure, but called and cancelled because every bit of me hurt. There was no way I could shower or dress, let alone get a £20 taxi across town to lie in an uncomfortable position, to have an endoscopy and gag for 30 mins non stop, then a £20 taxi home again! Instead, I stayed in bed until midday, then moved to the recliner, lots of pain killers were had.
Then before bed and all night, the small of my back/hips have felt like they were burning. Coupled with bladder/womb area cramps that sometimes extended down into my vagina. So a very painful, uncomfortable, and broken nights sleep has been had. It doesn't seem any better today either. Still in bed, so I'm hoping it might feel better on the recliner? Fingers crossed. But I think it's going to take a while to recover from this Christmas period. Luckily I've no plans until a GP appointment in the new year. So there's something to look forward too........
Lass
Xx
