• You’ll be glad to know that I’ve started a new task management system for the new year. removing the complexity of my previous system (duplicating a page each week) and making sure I have specific points in my calendar to review the tasks. I was going to add all tasks, work and home to a single list but I’m just not at that level yet. The venn diagram of Home Sam and Work Sam does not overlap nearly enough.
• With some convincing from others in the crew, I organised the Busuu Active Christmas run. After last years intrepid tourist run (so overcrowded we were mostly walking). This year I did some research of well hidden parts of the london city wall that we could run to. We started at the Leonardo Royal hotel (the wall accessed through the hotel plaza) skirted the tower of london and guildhall and then found another part of the wall in the underground car park at the museum of london (bay 57). The exit being an unassuming door at the street level of a finance building.
• Eldest daughter was fuming that in her classes part of the christmas performance there were no main parts up for grabs. The performance, as always, was a riot of hearty energy and effort on the part of the kids. Also, as always, it fell on the day of our work christmas party.
• The work Christmas party. On my way I was slightly envious of the people walking cross streams with me, through the contactless gates, tired, on their way home. Clutching their small pot of m&s mango. I spotted joy on the face of the child who saw herself on the boots cctv monitor. A patient mum in joggers hovered nearby. The christmas party was low-key this year. A restaurant, a free bar and an experienced DJ were the minimum you could get away with, but proved easily enough for a good celebration of a rollercoaster year.
• We went Ice skating again, same as last year, The eldest, the middlest and me. This years skate-support push-along penguins were named Flappers and Snowflake and were very much worth the money we paid just for the reduction in back pain that I experienced. The rink had added fake snow blowers. 10/10.
• I’ve left my chrizzy shopping until now. I think I’m probably too late. OMG