Are We There Yet? Christmas That is.....

image source and cocktail recipe from here

We are at the pointy end of Christmas now, pointy as in the part where you are tempted to stick chopsticks in your eye if you have to look at one more roll of wrapping paper or try and find the end of one more roll of sticky tape.

I intended on having this post out this morning but I became waylaid with cleaning the house, washing windows, dusting skirting boards and disinfecting light switches because clearly Christmas is the same thing as the end of the world and Lord knows one can't face the end of the world with unfolded laundry.

I had all the best intentions for a quiet understated Christmas this year. You know cut right back on the presents and focus more on the togetherness, the laughing and joy as we prepare our meals and the celebration of Christmas itself.

I'd been fairly successful in following that plan.... sort of, kinda, until last night as I wrapped the last of the presents and had an attack of the 'Mum guilts' and headed straight back to the shops this morning to grab a few more bits and pieces.

I didn't mind so much as I needed some basil for the Christmas day Quinoa salad anyways.

After fighting for a parking space, competing with the other last minute punters for a spot in the self serve checkout, and locating a child I accidentally left behind in Just Jeans, we finally arrived home and I stashed the additional goodies to be wrapped later.

Exhausted but content with how organised I am, I treated myself to a cuppa and and sat down to write up my final Christmas To-Do-List. It was at that moment I realised F##K...... I forgot the flipping basil for the Christmas day Quinoa salad.

You know that feeling when you would rather have each of your toenails pulled slowly from every toe than face the shops again.... yep that times eleventy billion.

But I am nothing but a trooper and after forcing some hot bothered and arguing kids back into the sweltering car, we again went in search of car spot so we could rejoin the madness and mayhem at the shops.

Fortunately the basil Gods were looking down on me and presented me with a car space right at the door, which meant my kids were saved the embarrassment of watching Mummy curl up in the foetal position in front of the fruit & veg aisle whilst grabbing at strangers ankles and pleading "Are we there yet, Are we there yet?"..... or something like that.

I cursed the basil as I violently threw it in my basket, and collected my kids from where they were cooling down in the freezer cabinets, grabbed a bag of Malteasers and a New Weekly magazine which I intended on eating and reading whilst I am locked away with 'an upset tummy' in my bathroom later and plastered my face with my biggest 'I am usually very sane so please don't commit me today' smile for the checkout chick.

And so I am here now, typing this out and desperately hoping I find some extra Christmas spirit in the G&T (Mummy's Little Helper) I am clutching like my life depends on it.

Tomorrow will be better, I only need to face the fish markets at 4.30am and visit the shops to get the Quinoa I forgot for the Quinoa salad on Christmas.

Are we there yet?

How are you coping? Are you all ready for the big day?

Do you clean your house like it's the end of the world instead of Christmas too?