I was having a practice run of setting the table for Christmas day last week. I had very little else to do so it seemed worthwhile.
Anyway. Apart from the fact that Chris hadn’t hemmed the new white linen material at the time, the table looked amazing!
I have a very large dining table, I am able to set it for 5 people and pretty much still maintain social distancing, which is handy.
I bought individual hand sanitiser for everyone too.
I stepped back and thought how beautiful it looked.
I then video-ed it.
It looked beaut! I then added that video to my Instagram…it was while watching it back I realised that the crinkling of my colostomy bag is front and centre of said video. It’s like the sound track to my life.
Now, I understand that it’s nothing, it’s just a rustling bag, but my God it aggravates me!
I said how annoying I found it to my friend Kim, she said, “firstly, no one would know what the noise was and secondly you’re all about bag life positivity, so don’t worry about it.” Both true.
But…there’s a but, I find the noise of it crinkling really very annoying.
I love my legs and arms, but I don’t need to hear them as I’m walking along.
I love to jump out on people and sneak up on people…ever tried to sneak with a plastic carrier bag stuck to your abdomen? It’s not very sneak friendly. Hahahahaha.
In general, I think my brain blocks the crinkle out, because, it’s true, I don’t consciously notice it on a day to day basis.
I do however notice it if I’ve videoed something with me moving in it. Or in the case of sneaking up on people.
I have to do a lot of my jumping out on Chris from a standing start or he’d hear me coming a mile off.
How often do I do that at my age you ask? Ask him?! Too much would be the response!!
It’s often, It’s a good once or twice a day.
He says it’s like living with Kato from The Pink Panther movies! Hahahahaha
Apparently the other day he didn’t know I was out pottering in the garden and he was moving slowly round the house waiting for the inevitable “Rrrrrrhhhaaaarrrrrr!!” And me popping up out of nowhere, like Fenella, the witch from Chorlton & The Wheelies…
I was gutted to miss an opportunity.
And yes, I’m very immature. Aware of it, totally made peace with it. Hahahahaha.
If they could make the bags a bit more crinkly noise free that would be great!
Because it isn’t just when I’m childishly trying to sneak around that I become aware of it.
It’s times when we’re being intimate that I hear it, I become aware of it and I have to admit I find it a bit off putting. Chris doesn’t notice the plastic bag noise, which is great, fantastic even, but I do.
Also if I’ve nursed a baby off to sleep, when you have to move to put them in a cot, I don’t want the crinkling noise disturbing them.
There’re a myriad of reasons I’d prefer a quieter plastic, I can’t be alone in that desire I’m sure.
I am very lucky to live in the UK, I get ALL my colostomy products for free, every single thing, even down to the little plastic bags I dispose of them in, to scissors to cut the hole with. I am very lucky, and I’m very grateful to the NHS for providing them.
I think it’s very unlikely they would ever supply quieter plastic stoma bags. I imagine there would be a greater cost involved.
I would invest in some with my own money for special occasions and intimate moments though (one and the same really ;) )
It can be hard enough to break the barrier of ignoring the fact you’re carrying round a bag of poo attached to your abdomen, without the constant reminder that it’s there.
Table cloth, material from a fabric shop online, hemmed by Chris (after this photo), Napkins from Ralph Lauren, hand sanitiser from Neal’s Yard on Amazon.
Trying to find the right balance of having family over at an important time of year and keeping everyone safe.
I was pleased with how beautiful I thought the table looked, even with distancing in place.
I’m also rather fortunate that I don’t come from a demonstrative family, so when the government advisor said don’t kiss or hug your mum and dad - we had that covered anyway! ;)
I am a big cuddler of my children, but my boys do try and escape from my cuddles most of the time so they’re probably quite relieved about the government guidance. Hahahahaha. What they don’t realise is I’m saving it all up for once we’re all vaccinated. :) Can’t wait!!
Happy with my table I was able to move on to all those other tasks…actually there were none, which is why the jumping out and scaring Chris is such an important part of the day. :)
I’m pretty much sorted for Christmas. I’ve bought all the presents, I written and posted all my cards…although that wasn’t without its troubles though.
I bought my mum and dad an identical style card to the Husband one I bought for Chris.
I picked Chris’s one up by mistake, and wrote it out to my mum and dad. I had to doctor it and rewrite it to Chris. Seamless, he’ll not notice I’m sure.
I cycled to the post office and ran over a load of cards with my bike, after they bounced out of my basket. They all flew up in the air, landed on the road, I then rode straight over them with a big muddy tyre.
I wrote the wrong address on a card to my friend in Poland so I scribbled it out and wrote the actual address next to it. The lady in the post office looked at it, looked at me and said oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.
I wrote Kim’s mum’s name incorrectly, with the wrong spelling of her name Jackie
I’ve really feel like I’ve excelled this year, I am thinking of investing in printed cards next year. Hahahahaha
I’m sure he didn’t even notice my tiny error. :o
Chris and I had Covid-19 antibody tests at the weekend. With all the talk of people having it asymptomatically I wanted to know if we had been lucky enough to fall into that bracket. So off we trekked to a Bupa clinic at Canary Wharf.
It was actually a really nice place, that happened to be next to a mini botanical garden (next to Billingsgate Market) that every time we drive past on the way to central London I say I’d like to go to. Well now I have.
We had our blood tests, it’s never easy to get blood out of me, as I seem to be determined to hang on to the stuff. Five attempts later he got what he needed. :)
Top from Tommy Hilfiger, Cardigan from Tommy Hilfiger, Trousers from Quiz, Boots from Jimmy Choo
Yes, I got dolled up to go for a blood test. It’s the biggest day out we’ve had in ages, so I thought I might as well. :)
Well, we both expected negative results, but I was still gutted when we received them. I was kind of hoping we’d had it, not known about it and now be free to just enjoy ourselves.
Alas, that’s not to be, but at least we know now. I think that was well worth £65 of anyone’s money. I’m just terribly nosy, so I really wanted to know…and now we do.
So for now we have to continue with all the Hands, Face, Space malarkey. What fun.
Sunday we treated ourselves to a fancy breakfast. It was going to be breakfast in bed, but the thought of greasy, crumbly croissants in bed didn’t really appeal to me.
(Next to the Bupa clinic we went to was a Waitrose, so we dashed round like we were on Supermarket Sweep, and got out of there as quickly as possible with our basket of goodies).
Pyjamas from The White Company.
It was so nice. I find it’s easier to get through the days upon days of endless monotony if you do nice things.
Use the best china, treat yourself to something tasty. Dress the table as if a party of friends are joining you. Spoil yourselves.
We had such a chilled day. We put the outside decorations up. We pottered about getting little jobs around the house done and then snuggled up to watch a Christmassy film.
That’s what weekends were made for. xx
I invited Kim round to make a Christmas wreath. We had a wonderful time. Working hard on them, enjoying making them from scratch.
What I didn’t know, and was pointed out to me after is you’re not allowed to meet up in gardens.
I thought you were allowed to meet 1 person outside. But apparently outside doesn’t mean outside your house, it means outside your garden too.
I see loads of people when I’m out for my bike rides grouped together, walking their dogs. It’s never occurred to me that they weren’t meant to be.
Outside in the fresh air has got to be very low risk surely. Anyway, Michelle is coming to make a wreath too, but we’ll have to wait till tomorrow, when we go back into Tiers, so she can come.
I’ve been complying with the rules, not because it’s the law, but because I don’t want to catch anything and I really don’t want to pass anything on.
I really don’t think Kim and I were at any risk to each other. I don’t go close enough to people for that to be a problem.
What to wear for outdoors wreath making? Well something thin enough to manoeuvre in, but warm enough not to get hyperthermia in. :)
Top from Zara, Trousers from Quiz, Sliders from Topshop.
I need to be able to move my arms to get really stuck into wreathing.
In my entire existence on this planet I have never found anything I’m any good at. I’ve tried a lot of activities, but sadly none were compatible with my sheer cack-handedness.
BUT then came along a wreath making class a couple of years ago with a wonderful woman called Jo.
I loved it the moment I touched the damp moss.
I think I’m good at it too, and even if I’m not, I love doing it. It really is the taking part that counts. :)
I made a traditional style one for Sam, Milly & Zak. Adding in lots of beautiful smells, like cinnamon, eucalyptus and rosemary.
Kim made a beautiful wreath. I made the suggestion of the hydrangea heads, I can’t do it myself, I’m too scared to because I’d end up crushing them, but they looked beautiful on Kim’s.
There will be more to be made when Michelle can come to the garden.
I’ve got a few more to make for people. I love this time of year. It’s the only time I do crafts. :)
I went out today to get the Christmas tree for the kitchen. I don’t own a practical car, I own a mid life crisis car, and I’m very much enjoying it. Hahahahaha.
Not terribly practical though…
…that said the tree was able to poke out the top with the roof down for the drive home, so maybe it is practical after all.
My decorations are now almost complete. Just a couple more wreaths and I’ll be done.
I’m now focusing on my Christmas crackers, I’ve no idea if this is just a UK thing? Do crackers make an appearance in other countries?
Anyway, I have a pet hate with them, well, some of them.
I hate the waste, I hate the nasty plastic crap that spews forth from them every year. I’m not even particularly environmentally friendly, a bit tricky with the amount of plastic I use every day attached to me.
But I can’t bear the thought of all that plastic, that just goes straight in the bin.
This stuff…
…headed straight for the local landfill once dinner is over…
…even the “posh crackers” stuff isn’t much better…
I’ve come up with a fantastic solution, even if I do say so myself.
As I’ve mentioned I’m not crafty, but if you were you could easily make your own, my mum has done it in the past, my mum is incredibly talented in all things crafty.
OR… you could do what I do and buy fill your own crackers.
I fill them with something nice, something that will be used, nothing crap, throw away or plastic, plus a scratch card.
Zero waste. And the card is all recyclable.
You could of course splash out on these beauties that I came across if you were a millionaire or something…
Seriously though, who is buying them? I’d love to know.
Are they designed just for Jeff Bezos and the Queen?
Have a lovely week.
Stay safe, keep well.
Much love
Suzanne x