So that was Christmas...

 It's Christmas afternoon/early evening and I'm knackered.  Sorry about the language,  but it's the only word that will do. I'm bathed and in my nightie and the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special hasn't even started yet.  So what, gentle reader, has led me to this pass?  Gather ye round...

I'll be honest, I really wasn't looking forward to this Christmas.  In 2019, David was in hospital over Christmas, so it's the third one I've spent alone. 

Blissed out on heavy-duty painkillers post-op

 That's been by choice, by the way - I've had several invitations to Christmas Dinner from family and friends.  Christmas Day was always for just the two of us, to do as we pleased, watch what we wanted on TV, eat and drink what we liked.  Boxing Day we visited family, and Christmas Eve we were At Home to any friends who cared to drop in. David's parents were regulars and the event featured karaoke and cocktails.  

David and his dad belting out "My Way"

For the past couple of years, I've carried on the tradition, although it's been limited to a couple of friends coming round for drinks and nibbles. This year,  it didn't happen.  The runup to Christmas was stressful - the car got a puncture which took longer than it should have to sort out (long story short, the tyre I ordered was delivered to the fitters' previous address - the courier just lobbed it over the fence!) The car wasn't driveable for over a week, which meant that I couldn't get my Christmas deccies out of storage. (I never did bother with the tree in the end)

In earlier years, Mysti disapproves of the tree and deploys her laser vision

Then my upstairs neighbour (a lady close to 90 years old) fell and was eventually, after waiting a day and a half for an ambulance, was taken to hospital.  Fortunately, no bones were broken, but she and her nephew, who is my downstairs neighbour, caught Covid. My friend, who was looking forward to braving the germs and calling in on Christmas Eve, caught a non-Covid by nevertheless nasty lurgy from his son. In fact, half the county seems to have caught the same lurgy, including my niece and her family.

So, what with one thing and another, I was feeling pretty low yesterday.  Everything seemed to remind me of David and how much I miss him.  I did manage to get out and about in the afternoon, but in the evening there was a huge thunderstorm which gave me a thumping headache.

Swansea beach before the weather turned icky

One way I try to cope with the season is by treating myself to a really nice present (from the cat!) so that I've got something to look forward to on Christmas Day.  This year, I got a laser cutter and accessories, the idea being that I can make items to sell and fund my hobby when I retire next year.  But yesterday I was seriously wondering if I was doing the right thing.

After breakfast this morning, I lugged the various boxes into the living room and got to work.  First impression was that it was bigger than I'd thought.  I'd watched a lot of YouTube videos about the model I'd bought but the size still came as a surprise.  Most people said that it took about an hour to put together, and the videos I'd watched made it seem straightforward. I started at 10, with the cat supervising from inside the box it had shipped in.

I finished at 2.

Now, to be fair, I did stop a couple of times for a restorative cup of tea.  And the first few steps went smoothly, once I got all the pieces oriented the right way round.  But there came a point at which I was required to connect some ribbon cables and the sockets were in a very cramped space.

Picture that makes installation look much easier than it was!

After struggling for an hour, with much swearing, I consulted the oracle, i.e. YouTube.  It was disappointing to discover that I was, apparently, the only person ever to have difficulty with fitting a cable into a confined space where I couldn't see what I was doing!  

After another hour I managed to connect the cables.  I breathed a sigh of relief, then I realised that I had the cables running over the top of the frame instead of underneath it, where there were convenient spots for cable ties to keep it under control.  I contemplated leaving everything as it was, but after a few minutes of hysteria I unplugged the cables and started again, heroically resisting the impulse to crack open one of miniature bottles of gin I'd been given.   It was a bit easier the second time, I only took about half an hour!

The rest of the process was straightforward enough, but by the time I'd finished I was hot, sweaty and dishevelled.  Christmas dinner had been a ham sandwich.  The cat had long since given up and retreated to her usual lair. 

I still had a couple of accessories to install but after downloading the relevant software to run the cutter I decided to quit while I was ahead.  I needed a bath, something to eat and drink, and a lie down.   And I realised that I hadn't been sad all day.  Frustrated, annoyed, and frazzled, but not sad.  And, after getting the machine put together, I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself!  

So all that remains is to wish you the compliments of the season, and all the best in the new year!