Christmas Cheese, Chums and Norwich Cathedral

So last December I attempted Blogmas, this year I haven’t a written thing.

Sometimes you’re too busy doing life to write about it. But that can be a good thing.

December came quickly and has progressed even quicker. The festivities officially began. I’m all for Christmas but it has its time. December, not November. Although with the Christmas shopping, I like that to be pretty much done by December, so I can focus on the other stuff. The wining and dining, the catch ups with friends and family, the over eating. I’ve done a lot of that these past two weeks and this evening will be my fourth dinner out in just six days.

The wrapping is done, that gets the festive mood flowing. I like a bit of wrapping, well directing of the wrapping, I’m not much use at it myself. My chair makes for a great sellotape holder, you know how we all cut little bits off the tape and stick them everywhere in prep for when we try to hold the folded edges? Well I’m great for being the sticky place.

I’ve almost tried all the mince pies available within a twenty mile radius. So far M&S comes top of my scoreboard with Iceland not far behind. Tesco, well let’s just say they’re not for me. The perfect mince pie should have the most buttery crumbly pastry with a fruity boozy filling. Oh I’ve also got some Heston mince pies which are delicious, but don’t really count in the ratings as they are far from traditional. I have a thing for mince pies, hot cross buns too. Seasonal foods in general really!

I enjoy the run up to Christmas, the prep and suspense. The radio and telly gradually playing more and more Christmas music. Bar Bublé, why does Michael Bublé steal all the Christmas songs?!

I went to a Christmas fair the first day of December. Not the one I usually go to in Bury St Edmunds, the timings weren’t right, plans didn’t come together, and I hadn’t been well. Maybe it was meant to be. So I checked out a more local fair, on a smaller scale, at Norwich Cathedral.

I enjoy a meander around a church or cathedral, I like historical architecture. This was a slow meander indeed, as the place was heaving and I kept getting stuck in people traffic! I’m a fairly patient person (on the inside!) and I had all day, so just took my time gradually pushing in, trying to see what delights were on each stand.

I thought I was headed the right way, moving with the current. Apparently not, there was no right way of flow and people were headed towards me. Wheelchair on wheelchair at one point. These cloisters were narrow in places, only just room to pass another wheelchair in front of the stalls. And when there are walkers pushing in too, all in a hurry, it creates a Tetris situation. All interlocking with no space to move. The wheelchair generally comes off best though, legs are more fragile.

What would have improved this experience was a one-way system. An entrance and an exit. So we all knew where we were headed.

Mostly towards gin. It’s become quite the fashion now hasn’t it, gin. I’m not very experienced in it myself, other than the odd cocktail. I tasted a few though, I must say I liked what I tried. Particularly a Christmas spiced one, as you know I like anything seasonally spiced!

That’s one of the best thing about fairs and markets, the tasting.

There was cheese too. Two of the best things, booze and cheese. I tasted them all and I bought five cheeses for Christmas, that’s a good start to my collection!

After meeting my friend for a disastrous trip to the Cathedral café, the food was almost gone, they just couldn’t cope with the demand. We headed back to her new place for a brew and gift exchange.

I have friends, meet up with people. I do coffees and lunches. But I don’t go to their houses, sometimes they come to mine. Not many houses are equipped to deal with my wheels. Doors are too narrow, steps are used to enter and corridors can be a squeeze.

It was great to visit a friend for tea, be the one that’s welcomed in, the one that’s had to travel. To have a nose around too! The little things are the big things. She can make me a brew anytime.

So I’ve been pretty busy getting my Christmas on. Yesterday the Christmas films started, a trip to the cinema with my niece to see The Grinch. Having nieces make the festivities even more fun.

There was also a weekend trip to Center Parcs Winter Wonderland. You might read about that soon. For now though you could read about my previous Center Parcs girls holiday.

Oh and Christmas wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the garden centre!

How are you getting your Christmas on?