Busy week - again

I started the week in the Crisis offices. Thankfully, things had calmed down quite a bit on our team although the frenzy that surrounds Open Christmas was very apparent. We had a rather diminished team lunch at the "Rootmaster Bustaurant", as a couple of our number were ill and one couldn't make it from Newcastle after all. The food was all vegan, the drink organic and all fairly tasty. However, I would have liked my burger and [4] wedges a bit warmer on a cold winter's day in a bus with no door. We asked if they did pud and we were allowed chocolate cake from the evening menu (I say 'allowed' but it turned out to be £5 each). It was rather solid as vegan cake can be, tasted nice but the texture/consistency was not the best.

Tuesday and Wednesday were my last days at 'real' work. Wednesday coincided with an 'all hands' meeting in the afternoon and the company Christmas party in the evening, neither of which found me in attendance. I had a pleasant surprise when, mid-nose blow, I turned to find a gang of my colleagues lurking behind me, bearing gifts of chocolate and a card with nice things written in it. I had to leave early to go to the O2 aka The Dome to do some bucket rattling on behalf of Crisis. Some bloke called Bruce was playing with his band. We managed, between eight of us, to collect about £7500. I think the fact that he mentioned us at the beginning of the encore and exhorted people to donate may have helped a little. I was amazed at how much people will give - it was cockle-warming. I got home just before 2am to a very annoyed and cold cat!

Thursday morning was flipping freezing and I was off to the dentist to accompany Miniwomble for an appointment for a small filling. I was feeling particularly unwell. The cold I had the other week seems to have renewed with a vengeance. When Mike arrived we were supposed to go food shopping but I felt exhausted. We made it eventually, had some semblance of lunch and I had an afternoon nap, I was so wiped out. Our 'Christmas dinner' was lovely - stuffed pancakes, tomato [something-or-other], wine, champagne, cheese and biccies - all cooked by him, not me!

Friday was back to Crisis day, with the two of us going to 'set-up' to help get one of the centres ready for opening on Sunday. I realise now with these things that there appears to be a lot of hanging about to start with and then finally a momentum gathers and it seems that stuff happens. It was a long day and we made it back to NM for around 10pm and stopped off at the pub not far from my house. There was a disco on, with an eclectic mix of music and the locals occasionally dancing. We didn't care, we just needed a pint. Or three.

I was up again, not long after we got home, to return to the centre. The plan had been to go with Megawomble but he wasn't happy about coming so he and Mini spent the day at my house without me and we all met up for tea at Noodles. The day was rather frustrating. We had more volunteers to help but we were rather hamstrung without supplies being delivered. I went through a bit of a bad patch, feeling pi$$ed off about it all, and went and hid in the volunteers' area trying to make that more comfortable (it's always the area we do last as we concentrate on the guests, of course). The children and I had a lovely tea though, they were both in good spirit. They really are good company and can be quite entertaining as a team :D

Sunday is the BIG DAY. Open Christmas starts and it will all be fine. I'm meeting with my shift team for a curry pre-shift and then it's GO! Eeekkkk.