2022 - The Coldest December!

 December brought freezing temperatures. And I mean freezing. I am always hot, I am one of those awful people that always needs the windows open or the air con on. So for me to say it was cold, it really must have been cold!

Mel was kind enough to give me a lift home, to save me from becoming an icicle on the way home! One night she was defrosting the car, and I saw these beautiful ice sparkles on the top of her gold car. Yes she drives a gold coloured car. Can you tell she's Welsh? Despite the cold temperatures, my cactus continued to flower, with the colour becoming more intense in that gorgeous pink as time went on.

James also came home with a new mat for the bath. Needless to say, I was surprised to see this kitty on the floor as I was about to get in the shower! 

My friend Shakira was moving house, and I won't lie, I was going to miss her being so close! We had met at work, and quickly became close friends! She was moving back home to be closer to family. It took them a couple of days to move everything, so I ended up popping in and feeding her cat while they were getting the new place ready, cleaning, decorating, that sort of thing. I fed her gorgeous cat both evenings after work. His name is Merlin, and he is a real cutie! He was quite happy when I accidently gave him double the food I was meant to when I misread her instructions. I played with him for a bit, and even made him a box to sit in. He seemed quite pleased with his new place to hang out in!

So far, the risk of using the term "the winter of discontent" was becoming more and more of a reality. Prices kept going up, nurses & ambulance crews were on strike. And it was the coldest December for ten years. What more could happen?

I think the whole of December I worked at 1,000%. The store was heaving, and it felt like the entire world had come shopping. I seemed to be spending all my time trying to get things filled and the place under control, and by the end of Christmas Eve, I was about ready to drop! And to be fair, I think I did!

Christmas day was all a bit of a blur. I think I slept for most of it, getting up in the afternoon to get myself something to eat. James had made a cake and covered it with white icing and then pink icing shapes. The christmas trees I understood, but the angry geese chasing each other round the bottom of the cake? No idea. I didn't realize geese celebrated Christmas. Although to be fair, he did use a lot of goose fat on the roast potatoes, maybe that was why they were so angry looking. And on boxing day, I got to have bubble and squeak omelette, and it was divine. Yes you read that right. I chucked everything in a pan, heated it all up, then beat 3 eggs with black pepper and poured it over the top. Honesty give it a try one day, it is so so tasty!

I spent most of boxing day just chilling, we played some board games, had some drinks, and then I spent some time on the computer playing Cities:Skylines. I'd spent ages building a nice harbour & industrial area, but for some reason no cruise ships were coming in. It was only when I was trying to decide where to put a holiday island I was planning did I notice all these cruise ships which had crashed into each other and become stuck. Any players know why this is happening?

I went back to work on the 27th, and started by trying to get the shop floor back into a sense of normality. There was gaps everywhere, christmas stock dotted about the place, reductions to be made. It was a busy week, but by the time new years was upon us, things seemed to be in a better place!

And can you believe it, it was the end of the year. 2022 had felt like such a busy but good year overall. I had seen and done so much, and I was looking forward to what next year will bring. Bring on 2023!