Xmas and All That

Tuesday 25th December 2012

Central heating kicks in at 6.30 am precisely. I’m still very sleepy but I suppose it’s best to get my scribbles from the brink of inertia done before the festive experience kicks in good and proper.

Me and Jenni were awake at four briefly. She wanted to get up then. I said No way. She went for a glass of apple juice. I went to the toilet then back to bed. I can barely keep my eyes open. I think eight o’clock is early enough and we might wait even later. We are in the small bedroom, we have the single mattresses side by side on the floor and it fills the whole of the available space save a little walkway at the foot of the makeshift sleeping area with about a foot for the door to open. Somehow we have to haul two large sacks of presents down the stairs without crippling ourselves on the way out the room.

Lil’ Jen is asleep and snoring on her right side, bedclothes kicked off. In about fifteen minutes this room will be a furnace. My mattress runs adjacent to the six foot wide bookcase which is stacked double thickness with lever arch files, journals, paperbacks, nick nacks, videos, dvds, etc. I hope nothing falls from up high and twats me in the head or that’s my Xmas knackered. Not crackered. Jen conceded that four was too early but might be up at ten to seven to watch the original Jesus Christ Superstar. Somehow I think this is highly unlikely. Hopefully I’ll be able to get back to sleep after this. All the talk of time and Jenni doesn’t wear a watch.

There’s a row of about ten hardback A4 journals and notebooks standing to attention on the bottom shelf. Next to that my big Theatre Cap-a-Pie Small Fires Leaders’ Course file. And next to that two files of a similar size which belonged to my mam. They were her teacher training course assignments. I never did teacher training. Mam said it was very difficult and used to frustrate her each week as the modules never seemed to run in chronological order and only worked as a cohesive until once the term was completed. I’m pleased that I never went down the official conventional teaching route. I’m pleased that the degree course fell through, for myself that is – it would probably have been a fantastic opportunity for Waddy service users but I’m quite chuffed that all I know of facilitation is through self-motivated trial and error. I never liked formal education. I still have some paperwork to complete before the end of the year. Hopefully I will get it done this week after a couple of days break from my normal life.

I suppose persevering with morning pages on Xmas Day proves I’m incapable of dispensing fully with my routine.  I am starting to get very warm, but think I’ll try to sleep for a little while. It’s almost seven o’clock. I reckon Jenni won’t wake for at least an hour. She is still snoring. Merry Xmas to us, to everyone. I hope people all over get t enjoy a fun-packed day, whatever their belief or tradition. 6.55am.

Yet another successful Xmas dinner operation by the Pascoe Urwin alliance. Me and Jenni have had a fantastic day. I bought her a jar of Bovril and she got me a fly swat. Oh, and she also got me Dee Snider’s autobiography, Winter Journal by Paul Auster, a brilliant book called The Poet’s Notebook and Peter Samson’s Writing Poems. I got Longfella (Tony Walsh) cds and a John Hegley dvd, a Marvel Chronicles suprheroes book, a tripod for my pocket camcorder, a magnetic rubber pen for the fridge door, a six inch screw pen, a waterproof notebook and pencil, an emergency food tin stuffed with sweets and bacon jam, a dozen pairs of thermal socks and lots of other things; scarf, slippers and Xmas socks from Diane and Kyle; A4 notebooks from Jenni’s folks; a pro cutting matt and magnetic ruler set plus a ream of A3 and two bottles of Rochesters non-alcoholic ginger wine from Mam and Ernie. Jenni is well chuffed with her items – particularly the purple strapped watch, Jesus Christ Superstar dvd, Devils Carnival dvd and her vintage Queen swag. She is downstairs watching Eastenders. We have had quite a telly day. Although to be fair, I slept through quite a it of it. We took loads of photos of food consumption and general malarkey and will select some for facebook tomorrow. It took Jenni a couple of hours to eat all her dinner. We’re saving Xmas pudding till tomorrow. I have a wee headache coming on. Might have to get some tablets in a minute or two. I have enjoyed thumbing through Dee Snider’s autobiography and anticipate a cracking new year read. The Poet’s Notebook is printed on the same parchment style paper that my chapbook will use – if I ever get round to finishing the thing. Got to make the most of this lazy time though, coz we will be pretty busy in the new year. Nice one. 9.03pm.

Wednesday 26th December 2012

Your computer might be at risk. Every morning that statement flashes up in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen and it’s total bullshit coz I paid for protection. Me and Jenni stayed up till half one this morning. She had her laptop on and I was lazing on the couch with the Xmas songs playing on BBC2.

Jenni is all choky bones next door in bed. The shops are open today so it might be good to get some cough medicine. I feel a bit dazed and under the weather myself actually. At least I don’t have to be anywhere for the next couple of weeks. My head is a total fog. It’s a grey morning. Rain and high winds forecast for the next couple of days. Wish I’d stayed in bed. It’s good to have time off.

Gonna get me some crunchy nut cornflakes for breakfast. Think I might just have soup for lunch. We didn’t have Xmas pudding yesterday, probably have some for tea. I am really sleepy again. Don’t think I’ll get much done today. Hard to keep the pen going. Can’t understand why my hands have decided to play up. Doubt I’ll be any good at repetitive manual jobs these days. Will have to be careful with my hands.

Think I might upload some of the Xmas day pictures to facebook this morning. Shouldn’t take too long. I have loads of writing pads and notebooks now. All I really need is time and energy. Oh dear, my groovy black pen just ran out of ink. 8.26am.

Really hammered today. Feel like I’m coming down with something. Aching all over – fingers, toes, spine, knees, elbows, neck. Feels like flu but without the head cold symptoms. Keep falling asleep and finding it really difficult to get out of the chair. Stomach a bit queasy. I was up quite early and uploaded 32 pictures from yesterday onto facebook. Jenni has been feeling a bit under the weather with her sore throat. We haven’t been outside today. And I doubt I’ll be out tomorrow either. Might try to have some supper in a while. Tried to watch Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland but fell asleep during the second half. Watched quite a bit of The Big bang Theory and Miranda. Had a look through my Marvel Comics Chronicles superheroes book. Hope I feel better tomorrow. Gonna try to have a big lie in.

Jenni has been asleep quite a bit today as well. Took me till dinner time to get yesterday’s dishes washed up. And besides a couple of email checks I’ve done bugger all since. Pie and mash for lunch followed by trifle. Half a large Xmas pudding with toffee ice cream for tea. A few people on facebook have commented on the size of our meal yesterday. Food glorious food.

Neck is really aching like a bastard right now. Took me ages to get out of the chair. I don’t want to do anything really. Going to try to get some supper down to stave off the threat of a migraine. Hoping to pull myself together by the weekend. Really wanted all my journal stuff done by 31st. Pleased I haven’t been sick today. Pleased Jenni is here. 9.47pm.

Thursday 27th December 2012

Twelve hours sleep. Felt okay when I got up and did a bit of typing. Lasted till about one o’clock then had to go sit downstairs for a while. Soon felt drowsy again. Managed a ham and cheese sandwich with Jenni. We watched Jesus Christ Superstar. A brilliant piece of rock theatre. Keep falling asleep. Can’t help it. Jenni Googled Norovirus. Besides vomiting, I have had the other symptoms – aching joints, diarrhoea, fatigue, stomach pain. Had a bath this evening, feel a lot better than this afternoon. 10.17pm.

Friday 28th December 2012

Don’t feel as bad today. Stomach has settled a bit. Haven’t been over the doorstep since Xmas Eve. Haven’t shaved since Monday. Seem to find myself sleeping a lot more. Jenni is sporadically playing Scrabble and checking out the comedy. Andy Parsons is quite a funny guy. He’s just done a brilliant piss-take of Adele’s 21 album with a track by track analysis of why she’s unhappy. It was good to get two and a half thousand words keyed in today. 11.38 pm.

Saturday 29th December 2012

Me and Jenni took a slow walk up to Consett. Cold, damp weather. Left knee hurting. Probably just cold getting in the joint. And of course, depletion due to years of dropping off ledges on a trials bike. Think I’ll take the opportunity to get a full MOT in January at the doctor’s. First day out since Xmas Eve. Really pleased the bank was open. I got my money for the week and went to a charity shop where Jenni directed me to a pair of black pinstriped trousers. She has a knack for homing in on bargains. £3.80. Naturally I snapped them up. I would pay thirty for a pair but the ones I’ve seen elsewhere had blue, red or pink stripes, not white.

Went to a few other places before picking up food supplies from Barry’s in Middle Street then went off in search of pocket diaries in Boyes. Looked all over the shop but couldn’t find them, asked a member of staff who pointed to a small box on the floor near the door. A woman who had been hovering about the stationary shelves moved over to it as well. You’re Meriel’s sister, aren’t you? I asked. Turns out the girl I was at school with now resides in Livingston. We chatted about diaries. I bought a little red and black one. Then ended up in Morrisons for milk and apple juice.

Getting home was cheaper by taxi than bus so we got back with all our stash very quickly. Spent a couple of hours editing then watched a Freddy Mercury documentary. Seen it before but I like watching Queen stuff. One of the bands I wish I’d got to see live. I’ve seen Brian May at Whitley Bay ice rink, I’ve seen Roger Taylor – at Newcastle Riverside! – but never got to see Queen. I always think of my school friend Andrew when I hear Queen. He was a massive fan and tragically died from an asthma attack in his mid-twenties. ‘Days of Our Lives’ was the song playing at the crematorium upon arrival at his funeral in October 95. Jenni loves Queen as well. Who doesn’t like Queen. Awesome! 10.08pm.

Sunday 30th December 2012

Living room. Yellowy light on beige carpet. Ice blue sky above the rooftops of the houses opposite, the ground damp but no rain like yesterday. It might be good to go for a walk. Surprised I’m up sharp after not turning in till one. Watched two Queen concerts back to back on BBC4: Hungarian Rhapsody and the 1975 Hammersmith Xmas Concert. I prefer the earlier material. I think some of the albums were a bit hit and miss after 1980.

Me and Jenni have put our names forward for places in a National Library of Scotland Poetry Grand Slam taking place on 25th January. My birthday. It will be cool to be in the Edinburgh on Burns Night. Hope we get selected.

A little snotty this morning but amazingly my knee has been okay. My new gel grip pen is starting to bed in quite nicely. Think I’ll stick with this model for all of 2013.

Found out last night that Keith Crombie who owned the Jazz Café in Newcastle has died. I never really knew the guy but it was good of him to open up the venue to spoken word. Some amazing nights held upstairs in that place. Something of a legend on the north east music scene and known by many celebrities, Keith will be missed, I’m sure. Lots of tributes on line. Jen says there’ll be a loads of people wanting to go to his funeral.

It’s been quite a day. Worked this morning then made Cowboy Hash for lunch. Was just having a little nap when Jenni came into the living room and announced that she might need an ambulance. Aggravated by stabbing chest pains, she rang NHS Direct and was advised to go to A and E immediately. She doesn’t like hospitals and kept putting off, sat on the couch anxious and pained for quite a while. Fortunately the pain eased and disappeared. By the time I prepared for her a bowl of chicken soup her laptop was rebooted so I knew she was starting to feel okay. Still a bit tired though, I advised her to take a nap. She says I didn’t seem very scared when she was in distress. I had to confess to her that I am not very good in a crisis. Besides forcing her to hospital against her will or ringing Ernie (who was a paramedic for years) for advice against her wishes there wasn’t really a lot I could do. Hope she goes and gets a proper check-up.

This year has been full of good and bad. Mainly good for us – except for my whingeing, that is. I can be a bit of a pain myself at times. Jenni is very good. I’m looking forward to spending the rest of the evening with her. 6.28pm.