Saturday 1 January 2011

Alex, the start of Christmas

Kimbo & KP's mum, Xmas Eve

KP & Kimbo, rather late on Xmas Eve

Christmas Day No. 2

What a beautiful bird!

And we made it.  2011.  Christmas done, New Year done.  What a marathon, but what fun.  Lots of warm family feelings.


And what a lovely day today.  1st January 2011.

Woke up far too early though.  Half past five.  Big groan, I've only been in bed three hours, this can't be happening.  And my head hurts.  Please, please let me go back to sleep.  Four hours of deep sleep later, a cup of tea arrived by my bed.  Uh oh.  A bit groggy, but got to try again.  Slow, tentative movement of the head revealled all was well.  Nice.  Got away with it.  Strategy of drinking water and heading off Phil's over zealous, yet very generous, wine pouring arm with a polite but firm "not quite yet, thank you" has paid off.  Happy.

KP pulled on a pair of jeans and gallantly went out into the far too bright morning light in search of the papers.   I, meanwhile, put the bacon under the grill with a few tomatoes.  15 minutes later we were back in bed with The Guardian spread all over and tucking into a gloriously messy egg & bacon sarnie with tomatoes on the side.   Perfect way to start the day.

An hour after that (just enough time to let breakfast settle) we were jogging slowly out into the Sussex countryside.   Only 8km, and in a very slow 54 minutes, but how lovely to be out.   On New Year's day. And to be running with KP again.  Thought his slipped disc had meant a lifetime of solitary running for me.   But no, he's back.  At last.

The rest of the day that followed was just the perfect chilling time.  Feel good movie on the box, warmly snuggled with KP on the sofa, knitting (yes, really), that is, me not KP - he was chuckling his way through Emma Kennedy's memories of disasterous camping holidays in the seventies*) with the occasional wander out to the kitchen to check on supper.

And so we continued our day, nicely rounded off with some Port and Stilton before bed.

Tomorrow we climb.

And start sorting our gear to pack into the beastie ready for our trip out to Italy a week today.  A week today?!  Gulp.  Nervous tummy knots taking a grip again.  Kokopelli Camping.  We're doing it, we're actually going to do it....


(Notes:  * Emma Kennedy, The Tent, The Bucket, and Me, 2009)