Week 39 - Christmas bubbles popped, Fun-due for end of term, and a UkuleleLand gig

Started the week with the fun news that I had won the company Christmas jumper competition. Tbh, it was really just because I think I was the only one who could be bothered to submit a photo of my jumper. But I have won a prize, so I am going to take it!

I had a day full of meetings on Monday, but I nipped out to give blood. I was determined to make the appointment as I got turned away from the last one with my dodgy foot (who knew having a bad foot would make you ineligible to donate).

The week has still been really busy, but I am getting used to it. Wed, Thurs and Fri afternoons all had some town work social thing going on. On Wednesday it was the analyst team social and quiz. My team did well - just loosing on the tie-breaker. Each team had to contribute a round. Ours was a little ecelectic...we had a "where/what on earth is that?" round which was introduced by me on the ukulele singing "on the third day of Christmas"... 3mystery maps, 2 Christmas songs and a winter squash. I played 2 songs on the ukulele in a name that Christmas tune stylee.

I had saved this Christmas jumper for the analyst party:

Mark's Christmas do was going on at the same time and he brought me up a Snow-hito cocktail. It was yummy, but quite heavy for a Wednesday night!

They were doing full on cocktail mixing with a Mixologist (!)

Thursday night was the Bristol office Christmas social. I won the quiz pretty convincingly as there was a round on Christmas music and most of it was stuff I have been playing on the ukulele.

Over the summer, Ben had been in the habit of bringing me dinky-deckers. I had commented that when it came around to our zoom call each week I was still having the association with dinky-deckers and missing having them. He sent me a cheeky care parcel ready for this week:

Friday was the whole UK Christmas party which was an escape room thing. It was fun, my team weren't massively enthusiastic, but they were all very nice and it was entertaining running around the house to find things to make a snowman out of food and such and then solving some logic puzzles (I always love a good logic puzzle or pattern finding challenge).

I had had enough of virtual socialising though and ditched out of the virtual pub sessions to join team Challis for our Friday night round the world dinner. We had decided to go to Switzerland with a cheese and then chocolate fondue. To make it even more atmospheric we sat out in our pergola.

The kids have definitely established that they take the longer, more sheltered part of the bench. But that is cool. It all works well.

It was brill. The rain was beating down and it was quite a wild night, but it was actually really lovely to sit out all wrapped up warm.

Woo kept us entertained by recounting crazy folk stories (Russian, Slovakian and Irish) that she had been listening to on audio book earlier in the day. 

Saturday morning I went to pick up Ben. The idea was that we would sit in the park and record a couple of videos of the two of us playing for Ben's Ukulele with Ben you tube channel. Then we would open some presents and hang out before UkuleleLand joined us for a secret gig at the Bean Tree at 11am.

When we got over there, the skies were pretty clear. We started recording and the heavens opened. Fortunately, Mark raced over with a couple of umbrellas for us - which was so thoughtful 💕☔☔. 

It was so lovely sitting out. The rain just made us laugh even more. We had started playing Baby it's cold outside, as the rain really got going...the ink was running down the page! We were just singing "Baby it's wet outside!" and mucking about. The rain couldn't bother us at all. 

(Though we were grateful for the umbrellas!)

We exchanged presents. Ben got me a Curious George teddy, which was so thoughtful. I didn't recognise him at first as he's a modern one, not like my old George. But I still thought that was lovely - my old George can't be replaced, but I was glad to give new George a home and he has been sat with my old doll Jennifer getting to know her. Ben also gave me an old t-shirt of his that I had admired in the summer - it's a David Bowie Labyrinth one and it's just too cool. Finally there was a sweet little friendship bracelet. For my birthday Hannah gave me a bracelet. I also always wear my What Would Claire Do bracelet. So now I have bracelets from 3 of my besties represented on my arm, which I just love. 

We recorded a good few videos. The main one we were aiming for was Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas. 

But while we were sat there, we wanted to just play. A few people stopped on the path behind us to listen which was nice. I had encouraged Ben to practice Carol of the Bells, as it does sound really good. Don't tell him...but he's actually a very skilled musician and so I love to see him getting a chance to show off 😊.

There were a few songs in my book that I hadn't learnt the chords for properly but I asked Ben to play and I would sing along, again, just to have fun and entertain the passers by. We sang Merry Christmas Darling by the Carpenters which I didn't record. We were having a go at Santa baby and I decided to try and catch the end of it:

There was a bit of discussion as to whether we should go ahead with our UkuleleLand thing. I had asked Melody at the café, earlier in the month, if she would like us to perform on the café hardstanding. We kept it quiet so that we wouldn't be drawing any crowds. We had a few signs about not congregating. There were a lot of people listening and passing by but everyone was sensible. 

The weather cleared right up though by 11am and we were ready to go ahead. We put out a collection bucket for Southmead Hospital Charity and it was nice to see how many people came and popped something in the bucket. I think people were enjoying it. 

The girls came over too and Hannah was there with M (I had told one person...)

Bunnykins did a great job of videoing a couple of our songs.

White Christmas:

Twelve days of Christmas:

After a while though, Mark and the girls went home and I set up Ben's stand with my camera-phone on.

When a child is born & Last Christmas:

Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer:

What shall we do with the Drunken Santa:

Felize Navidad:

Fairytale of New York

Sleigh Ride

Love Lane

We Wish you a Merry Christmas:

After we cleared up, Ben and Kevin and I had a hot drink and a chat. The café didn't charge us, which was sweet of them. We had had a great time, so I didn't feel it was necessary, but they are lovely people.

When I got back we had some lunch, then Mark went off for a wander.

Bunnykins asked me to cut her hair short. It's quite a lot off as you can see...

I think she looks great 😍

When Mark was back I asked him to give me a trim also.

Just before tea we had a knock at the door, it was Melody and some carol singers. 

They sang a couple of songs under the streetlight. It was beautiful. 

Then to our surprise about an hour later we had another knock and some more carol singers...except it was Sheena and Eamon who had brought us a cake - yum. We had a nice chat on the drive before tucking in!

At 7pm we went on a zoom with Tim and Deirdre who wanted to test out their quiz with us. 

Mark went off for a run on Sunday morning. 

I didn't do much at all and am still in my PJs even as I write this at 12:30pm.... I should probably go sort that out 😀.

Hopefully next week will be a bit quieter. I am working until lunch on Christmas eve. Mark and the girls are on holidays. I think I will try and take advantage of the lack of school run by having a run or workout first thing before getting to work. 

It's going to be a quiet week or two anyway, because that was the big news of Saturday - Borris has had to go back on the Christmas Bubble plans. It was a stupid idea in the first place. It is the right decision to have stricter measures in place - but so many people are devastated to have plans cancelled - it has just been such a farce. So yeah, quiet Christmas at home for teamChallis which is all fine by me.