Keeping The Peace is Not an Easy Job

30 November 1999

By the time you are all reading this, it may well be all over bar the shouting – Christmas Day that is. As I sit here there is still one day to go and to be honest, I feel exhausted already. The shopping, the cooking, the cleaning, the visits to friends, the nights at the pub and the present wrapping have all taken it out of me. The thought of sitting down to a nice meal on Christmas Day and then having a sleep is really appealing at the moment.

But I doubt it will be the case – you see, the in-laws have arrived....cue the scary music. They have been here since the weekend and are already driving me mad. Sorry Tony and Sue, but it has to be said. To be fair Tony is alright. We have disappeared down to the pub on a couple of occasions and once he is away from his wife, he is a different man. But Claire's Mum is like something from a horror movie.

From the minute she arrived and cast a disdainful look across the house and sniffed, “damp” she said. I had to explain about the washing machine issue and was told that I couldn't be expected to do things like that and what was Claire thinking by allowing me? The whole last 2 weeks with Claire acting like a woman possessed have all been put in perspective. She was hoping to avoid her mother's disapproval.

So from there we had the inevitable questioning looks when we allowed Ethan to spread yoghurt over his face and let Chloe watch TV in the morning before getting dressed. A path to ultimate disaster apparently! Poor Claire has been holding her breath until she is blue in the face and I have been doing my best to keep the peace. Not an easy job.

The only plus point has been that we have ready-made babysitters available and have a night out planned for after Christmas. They are leaving to spend New Year with Claire's brother – lucky him – so we only have a few more days to bear.

Tony and I have also been spending some time in the workshop, despite the freezing cold weather and the snow. He likes to think of himself as a bit of a reasonable DIYer and has been asking for some tips on various projects he wants to tackle. I have to say he is keen, but useless. I spent an entire afternoon showing him how to cut a mitre joint and I don't think he gets it yet. I know what will happen. On our next visit to them, the jobs will have stacked up and I will get the look...you know, the one which says “I have tried, really I have, but you do such a good job....”

Anyway, Christmas comes but once a year and then life goes on. I am looking forward to seeing the kids faces and have some tricks up my sleeve for Christmas morning for them. Father Christmas will be making an appearance at our house for sure!

So if you want to find out about our Christmas day, come back next week. If it isn't a disaster that is!