Bah Humbug. It's December again - and the NASA countdown!

Bah Humbug, it's 20th December.

That means one thing - NASA countdown time - 5 (days to go).

Being a Saturday, I was ready to go out to tutor in the afternoon, but it was cancelled. Maybe my pupil needed to do some urgent Christmas shopping? After all, the Saturday before Christmas has now got a name: Panic Saturday.

I am not sure why, as every day seems to have been a panic over the last month when I have ventured out - as I mentioned, I hate going out and "milling around" in amongst the crowds of people who are not quite sure what they are shopping for, but they know they need to get something.

So, "Panic Saturday" - I went to the post office.

What madness you ask? I even asked myself! I took a book in case I had to stand in the queue for a long time. If you read my post about queues, you will understand why I took a book.

Surprisingly, the post office as no busier than on a normal Saturday and the ladies behind the counter as grumpy as ever until you smile at them.

Why was I going to the post office? I had sold a book from my Etsy store: The Balloon Ride. The story of the first passenger balloon flight, that took a duck, a chicken and a donkey up into the air. I could do with a balloon occasionally to fly over everyone in my way.

The advantage of not having to tutor, for my son anyway, is that I become a taxi. Not an Uber Taxi, but a Mum Taxi. And off he went to a climbing and mega-zip line party. Perfect boy stuff for the start of the school holiday and a break for my eldest son who got some "on-my-own" time.

The prospect that there may not be many people around at one of the shopping malls, drew me to go and buy chocolate and wrapping paper. I had run out of the latter and you can't have Christmas without chocolate. Fairly straight forward. Until I decided to try out the supermarket.

Oh goodness me! $99.99 for a box of cherries! $18.50 for a medium sized carton of strawberries!

How can anyone afford such luxuries?

I left in haste and went home to make myself a cup of green tea.


BAH HUMBUG
They'll just have to eat apples instead.

Bah Humbug - It's December again - 23 Days until Christmas

Bah Humbug, it's 2nd December, and it's a Tuesday. What could be worse? 

Monday I suppose.

Have you noticed how the price of chocolate increases around Christmas (and a few other overly commercialised festive occasions - like Halloween)? 

Perhaps we should ban chocolate all together - after all it rots teeth, gives you zits and a headache.

The concept of Advent Calendars with chocolate is an awful idea - just another way to pump more sugar into the mouths of babes and young ones.

And, remove copious amounts of cash from parents who, not want to be seen as mean and out of touch (sorry Quentin Blake), opt for the melt in your mouth version.

Not so me! - or not quite so me.

I wait until the beginning of the month, just when the supermarkets believe that everyone who will buy a calendar has bought one. Regular as clockwork, big discounts - so I suppose I end up paying the normal price for chocolate instead of an over-inflated supply and demand type of extortion.

If you have boys, then they rather revel in the idea of eating two or three pieces of chocolate in one go rather than the rationed one a day.

Who says you can't be a Scrooge at Christmas?

BAH HUMBUG

The Seventh Day Before Christmas - Bah Humbug

Bah Humbug, it's 18th December - that means I only have 7 days left of anticipation, or in my case, 7 days to wrap gifts and see if i can possibly find those last minute stocking fillers.

But before I do any of that, I have an unexpected English tuition lesson to give. So I have to stop being bah humbug for 90 minutes and focus on some grammar, conversation and story writing. It was a challenge as in spite of asking for the lesson, my cheey pupil decided to be tricksy and have several moments of "never regaining consciousness" when faced with vocabulary and comprehension work. 

Some coaxing and laughter later and the lesson was concluded. As I was out already I decided that I needed wrapping paper, mince pies and chocolates. So I also picked up a few other things that I did not really need and saw my purse loose weight. 

Note to self, there is a school concert tomorrow evening, better not forget.

I like mince pies, but not with meat. I remember my Mum had a jar of mincemeat and I would sneak a spoon of the uncooked stuff while we were making mince pies. I even managed to find a jar of it here in Singapore - with good intentions to bake my own. Whoops, haven't done that yet!

Bah Humbug, why are there always school concerts at the end of the year? And why are mince pies not filled with minced meat?

The Seventeenth Day Before Christmas - Bah Humbug

Bah Humbug, it's 8th December. The start of the second week of Advent, seven pieces of chocolate have been consumed, with little regard for what was under them. Mind you, I don't think that the original point of Advent Calendars was to include the Transformers.

Bit dazey today. By that I mean I could not wake up. Better put a few more decorations on the tree and contemplate it while I munch on a mince pie.

BAH HUMBUG

I wonder what the eight maids a-milking are up to? After all it is Sunday.

Reminds me, I need to go and buy some milk, I don't want one of those Monday morning adventures like dad in Fortunately The Milk.

The Twenty First Day Before Christmas - Bah Humbug

Bah Humbug, it's 4th December. It's Wednesday already and I had a student essay to review this morning. Good for some brain exercise. I read it to Max last night and he said that it was too intelligent and he had to go to sleep.

Well, when something is on special offer, then it's a good idea to seize the opportunity. No use purchasing chocolate advent calendars before December when you can get them at half price or less on 4th.

Well, the boys didn't mind. They got to eat four chocolates today.

BAH HUMBUG

Where are the four calling birds? Waiting until after Christmas if they have any sense!

I hope they aren't those coelophysis birds I keep hearing outside in my garden?