I though I was doing things right, going to bed with a hotwater bottle and a book at ten pm. But here I am at twenty past midnight, wide awake, drinking cocoa and with the word knoedelbrot* stuck in my mind.
Not being able to sleep is not a thing that happens to me. Outside of late pregnancy, I have only once gotten up in the middle of the night because it was preferable to lying snug in my bed. But tonight my mind is racing with unwritten to do lists. Only fours days till Christmas. I really must. I can’t forget to. What about the. Will I remember to.
I know that none of these things really matter. We have enough in the house to keep us fed for the few days the shops are closed. The presents are, all bar one, bought and stashed away. Santa never wrapped my presents when I was a child, so I don’t think the children will mind if he doesn’t get round to wrapping theirs. There will be presents under the tree. Good one at that.
We are not having visitors after the 23rd, so no cleaning needs doing. The tree and other decorations are up. The Christmas mugs have been hauled up from the cellar.
THE STOCKINGS! Jesus, where are the stockings? I was about to type that everything Christmas-related has been brought up from the cellar, but the stockings….I haven’t seen the stockings! [Adds stockings (seach cellar or buy new) to list]
OK. New plan. New list.
1. Scrap all other lists
2. Do not make mental lists being made while not being able to sleep
3. Make easy meal plan for 21st to 26th and stick to it
4. Put Christmas books, dvds, cds and board games in one spot in sitting room
5. Make final trip to post office and supermarkets (buy stockings!) on Monday
6. Do not forget the knoedelbrot
7. Forget about remembering the knoedelbrot and go to sleep
*Knoedelbrot is chopped up stale bread rolls used for making bread dumplings, Semmelknoedel, the one food Number One has asked for this Christmas.