Oh yes, it's begun! The Christmas madness is upon us. There's something about December 1st thru December 24th which turns people doolally, then after Christmas is all done and dusted the January sales madness begins!

Trying to get into Tesco today was a nightmare! I got there just before 3pm, gave up with the main car park and managed to snag the only space left in the overflow car park.

After pushing a trolley, trying to get round the aisles, pick my goodies and then pay I finally got back to my car at 6pm! Yes, 3 hours to go pick up some 'bits' is crazy.

It's like the world is ending, people are spending hundreds of pounds on a "shop" only to be lumbered with most of it left.  Then there's the trying to get rid of it for weeks after Christmas. Some of it probably ends up in a Tombola somewhere!

Still, I got what I needed (sans Icing Sugar which I forgot!) so I was happy. Plus I picked up two bottles of José Cuervo pre-mixed Margarita! This people is very exciting. As a regular Margarita drinker in the US I have been in withdrawal for the last 10 months! Yes it's pre-mixed, yes it's weak and yes it's a little sweet but oh boy did it hit the spot. Bye Bye cough mixture, hello José!

Tomorrow Fraser is on an early which means I can sleep in and won't be woken up out of a deep sleep to open my advent calendar! Lay-in central is here and I'm on the express train!

Well, today was greeted by me waking up feeling crappy about the day ahead.  My chest has developed into a wee cough, and is sore, plus I couldn't be arsed to go into work for yet another day of crap!

But when I got in this morning me, boss and the designer went upstairs for a "chat" about moving forward, roles, making things better.  Boss is taking a more sales related backseat whilst we take on more director/producer roles, which is fine.... but I hope it's realised that my salary needs to match my workload and contribution to the company.

In a bid to lighten up the entire team went to Frankie & Benny's for lunch.  The meal itself was a disgrace!  The server was shit, (his name is Sean and should learn how to wait tables properly), the food and drinks took forever, my Caesar salad was drowning in dressing, sans cheese and with tomatoes (hmm!), the plates were never cleared, our drinks never refilled and we were ignored the entire meal!  I am going to write to their head office as it was one of the worst meals I've ever had!

When in there though a Fraser's friend's girlfriend walked in and sat on the table next to ours.  She was dining with some other bloke, who I assumed was a friend/brother.  I said hello and she sheepishly looked away and avoided me... "odd" I thought.  Later in the day I text Tobes and asked if her and Brettles were still together, he said yes and asked why, so I told him.  Turns out I have put my foot in it, but it may not have been as innocent as first thought.  Oh well, if it was then it was and if not then she shouldn't have been playing around!

I'm off to shower, shave and shine my boots for Nats birthday curry this evening... man I can't wait for bed tonight!

Sums up about how I feel right now!   Work is crap, a certain someone is getting on my nerves to the point of me losing it, and I'm so behind with so much work on I can't breathe!

I was off for 2 days poorly and nothing was done in my absence!  Out of team of 6 no-one attempted to answer emails, get stuff done.... no, just replied (if at all!) with "Selina is off sick, she'll deal with it when she gets back".

Yeah, sure I will!  Because I'm paid enough to be under this much pressure right?  WRONG!  I'm cranky, unhappy and seriously thinking about March and what I will do.

All that aside at least I feel better now, still got a tickly throat but nothing major.  I'm looking forward to the weekend where I can chill out and finish my cake off.  The Christmas cake entered it's next phase this evening by me applying the almond paste.  Homemade I hasten to add, and I got in a right sticky mess making it, but it was fun and got my mind of stuff for a while.  I just wish that I hadn't had to clear up, and then when the kitchen was done, had to clear up my spilt glass of red wine!

Friday tomorrow and we're off out for Nat's birthday curry, then Saturday it's Lee's birthday drinks, followed by a lazy Sunday.  Sounds lush.

What a lovely weekend I've just had!  3 days in Cork visiting Paul, Chloe and the cutest two kids on the planet!

The journey up to Stansted was fine, I was a little worried about driving so far in the little Citroen but bless her heart she did really well.  Despite having only had 4 hours sleep on Thursday night (I was up at 3am and on the road by 3:30am) Friday I was relatively awake. 

During the flight I managed to get some sleep, despite having the aisle seat so nothing to rest my head on and the dick who was sat by the window kept getting up!  You know what mate, you want to be up every 5 mins, sit in the f'ing aisle you selfish seat-hogger!

As soon as I got into Chloe's car at Cork airport Emily began chatting away and it's lovely to see her so chirpy and confident, every time I see her she's grown enormously, especially in personality and ability.  Joshua was being cute and sweet as always, his head is so small I just want to squeeze him really tightly!

We arrived home and waited for Paul to get back from Dublin before having a spot of lunch and then going swimming.  Emily is so good at swimming now, she can go from one width of the little pool bit to the other without arm bands!  Joshua tries to swim love him but he's still a bit young I think.  It was nice to escape into the Sauna with Chloe for 5 minutes and have a good chinwag!  She looks so amazing, dieting like mad with Atkins and South Beach she has the most amazing bod, flat tum, tiny petite frame, she's about as big as she was when I first met her!  She's worked really hard and looks awesome for it.  I made a mental note to get diet tips from her.

Saturday we popped into Fermoy and had chips for lunch, pizza for dinner and once the kids were in bed we played Articulate.  After all my "I'm going to beat you down" talk Paul won, I came last!  Still there were some comic moments and it was nice to spend time with them, drinking and chatting like we always used to back in the St Brelades days.

Sunday the poor kiddie winkles were really poorly though, Emily has an ear infection and a chest infection and Joshua has a chest infection.  Paul and Chloe were up in the night with them trying to soothe and calm them so they'd sleep.  They chirped up a bit on Sunday morning but a trip to the doctors was needed in the afternoon.  They'll be feeling much better today I'm sure after the medicines..... but I've bloody caught it from them!  Well I think so anyway, Sunday night I felt dreadful and today am off work. 

I don't know how I drove home from Stansted last night I had to have a red bull to perk me up enough to get through it!  Plus being tired too I was in a foul mood and stood in the queue for the petrol station there were some Police in there buying stuff.  Clearly with nothing better to do whilst waiting they radioed in my car reg to "check it out".  Bloody cheek!  Just because it's a bit bashed up I bet they thought they'd hear back from dispatch that it has no MOT or something.  As I walked out and passed them I said "was that my reg you read out?" he looked at me and replied in the usual demeaning tone "yes".  I look out of the window at my car and then looked back at him and asked again "well is there a problem?" to which he replied with a smirk "no, just checking it out", I tutted and left.  Tosser!

Despite being poorly today I had a wonderful weekend and it was so good to see Paul, Chloe and the kids again, I do wish they still lived round the corner :-( 

...because this a message that's been recorded, especially for you! And if you leave a name and number, I'll get right back to you!

Yes peeps I'm away for a few days so won't be updating le bloglette!   My ass is going to Ireland to see the fam, spend some time with my cute niece and nephew and beat my brother and Chloe at Cranium!

I'll be sure to take lots of piccies and will try and twitter whilst I'm gone.

p.s. if any of you sung the title and 1st line of this blog to the Curiosity Killed The Cat 1989 hit "Name and Number" then you're on my wavelength!  *high five*