“
Well first of all to anyone reading this over the festive period, hope you are all having a good time and in good health. Christmas, well I am a bit of a "Baa Humbug," I hate the build up, the stress and wrapping presents, the wrapping presents bit because it always looks like Lottie Dog has had some input, the stress, because enviably something doesn't go to plan, no matter how hard I try to plan things, something will shove a spanner in the works, the build up because in the world of media it starts in September!
The stress was one of my niece's christmas presents being lost by Royal Mail, the spanner, our car breaking down the day before Christmas Eve and the AA telling us we had a 6 hour wait, oh whoopi, what joy! Thankfully whilst I was off on a strop with Lottie Dog in the local park my guardian angel came to my husband's rescue, okay a local AA recommended garage got us going again, and we could go and deliver our presents and do our Christmas food shop. So why am I delivering our presents before Christmas? Well Christmas is a time where I just want to be alone having quality time with hubby and Lottie Dog, no pressure of trying to get around all the family, eating huge amounts of food and feeling slightly sorry for hubby because he can't enjoy a drink because he is driving.
So for the past 5 years we have usually spent Christmas day having a long lie in, getting up mid morning and going out around midday walking with the dogs, yes I said dogs, because in the past our Christmas Day walks have also included Jazzie and Tilly a dear friend's blond and black labs when she has been away for Christmas to family. But for the past 2 years Jazzie and Tilly have been with their family and it us just been us and Lottie Dog.
Its been the third year that Lottie Dog has been with us, we got her at 2 years of age as a retired show dog, her first Christmas was magical for us has we had just lost Max and we were so empty without a dog, Lottie had never really experienced the country life having come from London, and so to watch her run around the fields and woods was great, and even though we walk her daily Christmas Day with her is always extra special. Watching her senses take everything in around her, her smile when she is off, yes dogs do smile is the best Christmas present I can have every year.
But last Monday I felt dreadful, hubby had be early in his Christmas present giving and had given me his stinky cold, I was shivering, had sore throat, coughing and generally feeling quite sorry for myself. By Wednesday things on the sniffle/sore throat front were fine but the cough had now turned into shortness of breath, peak flow down by a third. Just great, I had done so well, no syringe driver for 5 weeks, Prednisolone down to to my maintenance dose for 5 weeks, and now the syringe driver had to be dragged from semi retirement in the knicker drawer and the Prednisolone be put back up to 40 mg, baa humbug.
Okay it's Christmas Day I am not perfect, but come to think of it who is anyway? But the most important thing I got to go for a walk with Lottie Dog and hubby, okay it had to be a gentle one on the flat, as gradients are certainly out, and there was lots of rest stops, but we all walked about 4 miles along the banks of the River Wye under the beautiful blue virtually cloudless skies, through what was left of the snow. We saw a Heron flying up and down the Wye, Swans, Ducks and various other small birds, and everything around us was peaceful. What could be a better way to spend Christmas? Well I am sure you will all have ideas of your own, but that's my perfect Christmas Day, quality time with my family.
Of course when we got home Lottie Dog being a Dachshund was a tad mucky so needed acquainting with the shower, both hubby and I had mucky boots, but what the hell it was worth it, after hubby sorted Lottie out and I myself I then cooked dinner from scratch for all us by myself, no hubby wasn't being lazy, I wanted to do it. For me I felt reasonably well and I wanted to finish off a perfect day by cooking a great meal for two very special people, okay I know Lottie is a dog, but to us she is a person, she's Lottie (yes I am a bit la la too but that's what 40mg of Prednisolone can do to you sometimes). So today has been my perfect Christmas Day and I hope yours has too.
”