Fragile ( but still piling)

Last night I was a dirty stop out. I met a dear (male) friend in Manchester who suggested we start the evening by strolling around the Christmas markets. Very festive and full of lovely German and Dutch food all of which I was persuaded not to eat in favour of dinner at a table rather than in the street.

He also thought that a way to extract himself from the annual dilemma of what to buy a female friend for Christmas when you hate shops would be to invite me to choose something from the market. Lovely idea. Save that the only things I really craved was the whole tray of chocolate white mice. I love looking at painted wooden nutcrackers in the shape of soldiers but.... After a fun half hour or so he said tentatively, "I suspect this market is full of cheap tat."

Well, a girl has to seize the opportunity, so I rescued him by strolling him casually to the nearest department store, pointing him in the direction of the Elizabeth Arden concession and indicating the free bag I craved all the time I was Christmas shopping in Sheffield last week but resisted. Free with £45 worth of makeup that is. Like any man he peered in confusion said, "That's fine. Choose what you want" and vanished. So look what yummy stuff I got. In a box too. I love boxes. It seems like a good thread box to me! It also contains far more for its cost than you get buying individually Of course it turned out that I was £1 under the free bag price even with the big box and the one individual eyeshadow I can actually say I need, so an extra lipstick got chucked in.....

Then we went to Ithaca which he picked because all the stars who were at the MTV awards in Liverpool ( the one Paul McCartney played) came here for dinner afterwards. Of course all that means is that it was dark, black walled and overpriced. But the Japanese food ( which I have never had before) was artistically presented and delicious ( and to my relief, cooked!). We stayed out far too late then when I got back I was on a high and had to tell Dennis all about it and show him how those pallets in my yummy makeup box stack together. ( Oh, at 1am he was sooooo interested in that!) .

So now I am knackered. I wasn't even drinking but I can't do these late midweeks anymore. We have to drive up to Cumbria now for me to work tomorrow, then see A Christmas Carol at the theatre in Keswick to celebrate Dad's birthday, Quilting class on Saturday and retirement celebration Sunday lunch at swanky Sharrow Bay. So I am busy doing what I do best.. making packing piles... a work pile, a quilting pile, a 'things for my quiting buddy pile' a birthday present, a things to do in the space moments pile..... good job a I have a big car boot!