Sunny Walk

03.01.21
I met my Mum at Stoke Lyne today for a lovely long muddy walk. We were lucky with the weather again missing the showers and actually seeing some blue sky.
I told her we were thinking of booking a cottage to go away for next Christmas. 
The last few have been a bit rubbish and try as I might to re-create the Christmases of my childhood  - which were magical - I can't. And while that makes me sad, it makes me sadder that my children aren't getting Christmases they'll look back on fondly. Just too much stress, expectation, pressure.
They don't really want most of their presents. I want them to have pillowcases to open first thing because that's what I loved. But they don't. Although I don't know how it'd go down if we said Mummy Christmas wasn't doing it this year. Sigh.
Miss E particularly hates the ritual of being watched opening her presents and just wants to get it all over with. Which I don't want because we have to open under the tree presents after lunch. And it turns into an argument. Which looking back weeks later just isn't worth it!!
Obviously COVID made this Christmas particularly rubbish not being able to see family and friends but there'd still have been tears and stress and I don't want another Christmas like that.
So I want a re-set. A different Christmas, lower key with new routines.
So I've been looking at cottages in Yorkshire and Scotland - to fit in nicely with our Northumberland camping trip after Christmas.
I said to Mum that I'd love them and Uncle D to come too - either in one big house or a couple next to each other. It's not that I don't want a family Christmas, just a different one. 
I like to get things booked so we'll probably book something just for us for now and hope that they want to join us.
After the walk I messaged Mr K to say we should have a Chinese takeaway tonight. A last hoorah before healthy eating starts tomorrow. I only ever have chow mein from the Chinese but tonight I fancied curry. We shared a giant chicken curry and special fried rice. Amazing!!!
Back to healthiness tomorrow and my never-ending quest to lose a stone (or three!!)