Blimey, is it Wednesday already?? Ohhh I did that, right… as you were.
I’d like to ask for two days off work. Tomorrow and Friday will do, so I can be take the time to be thankful for everything I hold dear. And so I can snap up some goodies on Black Friday… (that’s for my American chums), mind you I shouldn’t be shopping this Friday as it’s Buy Nothing Day (why does it always fall on payday? Ohh right…).
Now I have to admit that my knowledge of Thanksgiving extends about as far as is possible when it’s entirely based on episodes of Friends. Suffice to say I know that the men watch a game of John Madden while the women cook turkey (or a turducken perhaps?), and that you coat your potatoes with meringue (the horror that is sweet potato pie which I consider an affront to my inherited, Irish, love of potatoes). In saying that I hope you all have a good day and retain your sanity.
Given my limited experience of Thanksgiving, I guess it IS a little rich to have a go so maybe someone can answer me this: why do you get TWO days off? Answers on a postcard. Usual address. Ta.
Back to reality then and I’m still bearing the scars of last weekends exertions. No, nothing kinky (don’t judge me by YOUR deviant standards … thankeweverymuch) we were building, well constructing, two flat-pack wardrobes. At some point I took a slice of skin off the knuckle of my thumb then, just as the stinging had stopped, I did it again on the exact same spot. I’m glad my youngest nephew (11) was downstairs or he may have learned a new word or five… thinking about it he probably knows them all already.
I’m not sure that this is a good thing but we’ve now built so many different types of flat-pack furniture that we rarely need to refer to the instructions and when we do, we understand them! We already know that the peg thingy will go THERE and then we’ll tighten the wee lock thingy onto the peg thingy with a Dave Allen key. That last sentence should make sense if you have ever built anything from IKEA. Of course I had neglected to charge my electric screwdriver so it was a largely manual job which is probably why I’ve got a double-deep chunk of skin missing from my left hand.
Sunday saw us start our Xmas shopping. We are lucky to have a large shopping centre near us in East Kilbride which is only a ten minute drive away and is completely under cover. Saves us trailing into the madness that is Glasgow city centre at this time of year. Louise had been saving up to get shopping vouchers – you pay a set amount each month and receive the money back in the form of vouchers, they can be used in just about all high street shops – so despite a lack of cash we managed to get about a third of our shopping done. It was a little tempting to treat it like monopoly money though but thankfully we already knew what we were going for and how much it would cost. Incidentally, and this may not be news to many of you but I never really pay attention to these things, most shops have sales on NOW to try and entice you to part with your money. We got several items at marked down prices. Bonus.
We were also treated, during a pitstop for lunch, to a few tunes from a full Highland Pipe band as Sunday was the day that Santa arrived for his stay at East Kilbride shopping centre. As is traditional (?) his sleigh was accompanied on a march round the shopping centre (twice) by a skirl of bagpipes, which certainly made the discussion, of what to get Uncle Bruce, interesting. Mind you, I do feel sorry for all the other boys and girls as Santa has, for the 9th straight year, chosen East Kilbride as his December home. Sorry about that and whilst I hate to break it to you I think you should know that all the other Santas are imposters.
This coming weekend will mean more shopping, and possibly a chance to catch up with some friends. Over a bottle of wine. Or five. Yes, it’s been a long week. Is it Wednesday already?