Hello from Santa’s Grotto! (AKA our tinsel-bombed conservatory!).
I am a big kid (I know, you never would have guessed…right?!) and love Christmas fun. Weirdly, so does Foggy!
However, making things look tacky…sorry….sparkly and Christmassy, takes effort. For the other 11 and a half months, I struggle to find energy to get through a basic day but when you add Christmas into the mix…..UGH.
Because I spend most of my life at home, I feel the need to bring Christmas to me. The conservatory becomes my twinkly haven for a few weeks every year. Tinsel, lights, Christmas trees, elf ornaments and (slowly) flashing Santas cover every horizontal and vertical surface.
I know I’m light sensitive but I seem to not react to Christmas lights as long as they aren’t flashing dementedly and are just…twinkly.
Assembling the sparkle-fest takes a lot of energy. This year, the effort was spread out over 3 days and was mainly only possible in small chunks of time whilst sitting down. Foggy’s P.A’s dad assisted where I was vertically challenged (It helps having someone 6’3 in the house!).
Baubles were hung and the tree was assembled slowly taking my low energy into account.
On top of my Christmas-related exertion, I am also helping to plan my Dad’s 70th birthday party. He doesn’t read my Foggy blogs so I can talk about it without blowing any secrets! Yes, my Nan was inconsiderate and had one of her 14 children one week before Christmas. I micromanage my Christmas activity every year down to the smallest detail. However, this year, micromanagement hasn’t been straightforward! My Christmas decorations were already tacky-to the max…..add to that birthday decorations……if you don’t like sparkle or fun, you won’t like being anywhere near us at the moment!
It’s going to be tricky, a few things have to be done at the last minute but we all know last minute doesn’t necessarily work with M.E. If I’m not uber careful I’ll run out of energy just as the first guests arrive. Most guests are aware that I’m ill, even if they don’t understand what M.E is, so at least I won’t have to explain X, Y, Z while they are celebrating with us.
At the moment, I feel like I’m saying ‘I just need to get such and such out of the way and then I can get back to normal’. I’ve been saying that since mid-September. I’ve had muggle sickness, an exhibition at the OT Show and my own birthday to micromanage. I’ve felt out of my usual routine for months and I know my body doesn’t like it. My energy usage routine left the building months ago, extraordinary things are causing that. At the moment, I’m saying ‘I just need to get past Dad’s birthday’, then it’ll be ‘I’ll be able to get back to normal after Christmas’……’ I can get back to normal after New Year?’ and then this year it’ll be ‘maybe I can get back to normal after the awards event in London?’, by then it’ll be nearly February! It’s not just the exertion involved, just the act of being out of my routine makes me feel discombobulated (love that word!) and out of sorts, even if it’s something as simple as clutter not being put away or piles of presents having no home. My M.E likes routine. For some, that may be boring but for me routine is essential.
I’m well aware that many of you are unable to participate in Christmas festivities. Please know that I will be thinking of you throughout the Christmas period both when I am able to participate myself and when I am resting in my quiet and darkened bedroom away from Christmas shenanigans.
Merry Christmas to you all and I wish each and every one of you a happy, healthy-er, and fabulous 2020!
Onwards and upwards.
Love
Sally
and Foggy (OBVIOUSLY)
xxxxx