Journey Interrupted.

AArgh! What a week!

Monday : we celebrated Thomas and Elyse turning 9 with cakes + candles and hot dogs for tea - their choice. The candles were a bit chewy though.

They still haven't been on the trampoline yet. Getting up and coming home in the dark - it's horrible...and I've noticed that not so many folks in our street have lit up their homes with twinkly lights yet. Normally, by the 1oth we can rival Oxford Street and I always moan because it seems to early, but I miss it now :(

Tuesday: I attempted to go to Welwyn Garden City and got nearly to the M25 when the traffic news advised me that there was a 10 mile tail back from the A10 and that my other route, A1/M was also blocked, so even if I'd made it that far, I would still have been wasting my time. So I cancelled that visit.

In the evening the Singing Company were carolling at a Gardening Club at a local Corps and I ended up looking after the children that felt sick and eventually called various parents to take them home. However, I did get to enjoy some of the programme and had a flashback when one of the girls was reading the Christmas Story and got the giggles. I recalled a similar experience when leading a responsive bible reading in Sunday School, not long after I had been made a Senior Soldier at the tender age of 14, and had been invited back from the dizzy heights of bible class, I guess to be a good role model. I was rubbish at it.

Wednesday: Christmas Lunch Day and I shared a car on the way to Colchester with 4 of the loveliest people in the world...well on Wednesday anyway! Not really, they still are lovely, even on Friday.

It was a stunning day weather wise, crisp, frosty and sunny, Colchester is quite a nice town to wander round, and we did have a bit of a festive laugh. I can recommend the food in the The Lemon Tree, although we did question the wisdom of the Marquee extension during December. The waiter confessed to turning the heating off, when he returned to see how we were faring and we all had our coats on - not good!

Thursday : Using December at work to get prep done for 2008 events and plans, but forgetting that people I communicate with are really, really busy doing Christmas Stuff and don't want to know about Summer next year just at the moment, but that's fine - still smiling!

Thursday Evening was T and E's Party at the Pizza Hut - brilliant. They had both invited 5 friends each and 4 each turned up, so Thomas and his friends sat at one end of the table, Elyse and hers ( all boys) sat at the other, and Keith, Joe and I were in the middle.

Thomas and his mates were all over the place, chucking crayons about, crawling under the table, not eating their food, until prompted - they were SO into their game, they didn't even realise it had arrived. CHAOS.

Elyse and her friends, on the other hand, were like mini adults, eating with knives and forks, chatting calmly (I know..I couldn't believe it either), laughing politely at each others jokes hahahaha. You see, girls just do have such a civilising effect. She's been invited to Top Golf Party on Saturday - her friends are all members. BIZZARE!

Mind you, when the Party Bags were given out, they all got a bit random and scary, well Keith was scared, I'm a professional!

Joe then had to be back at school for The Christmas Event.

Friday : Another day in the office, but was also looking forward to a visit from the DCO from London South East, bringing SABAC resources and we WERE going out to lunch too. However, she phoned me this morning and cancelled as she's ill. Booo! I text my Boss, as he was going to come to lunch with us. The word 'phoned' in predictive text is 'sinned' so nearly sent - Denise Cooper has just sinned. ( She's a Captain in the Salvation Army - they don't sin!)

Friday Evening - I was really looking forward to visiting Chelmsford Kids Club as they were going to be watching Shrek the 3rd on their big screen, oh and to encourage, equip, empower and enable their team, but I had to come home first and collect my kids in the process as Keith wasn't sure what time he was going to be home.

The A12 was solid from junction 14, so I phoned and said we would be late, but turned off at juntion 17 hoping to wizz down to the Army and Navy Roundabout, but it too was solid, due to some silly traffic light arrangement at the roundabout,which certainly keeps Chelmsford free of traffic, but causes those who eventually get there an hour and a half after they set off, to just turn straight round and go home - nearly crying, but being brave 'cos the kids were in the car.

So, just over a week to go to the big day and it all still feels a bit far away and chaotic, quite a long way from the festive feeling I had this time last week.

Looking farward to a good day tomorrow with another lovely person and then Christmas With The Salvation Army at the Queens Theatre.

It's All About Jesus....it really is!