T'was the month before Christmas..

...and all through the house not a creature was sleeping, because the elderly parents had come to visit and were snoring so loudly that no creature could sleep for the noise (not even a mouse).

Just to remind me how much work Christmas will be, my parents came for a pre-Christmas weekend. I'm not sure what possessed me to say yes when they invited themselves - a few days during a holiday is one thing, but a weekend (and a long one at that) during term time is too much.

As usual, my little brother and his girlfriend came over. Now, this is a good thing as they make it easier to entertain mum and dad and they're great company. My brother also makes the strongest G&Ts, which forces us to unwind more rapidly. However, all this meant that I had to rush out of school on Friday afternoon, whizz around Sainsbury's doing the shop I normally do on Saturdays (having tried to shop on line on Thursday but missed the deadline for Friday deliveries), rush home (to find mum and dad had arrived before me), start cooking (discovering 20 minutes later I still had my coat and boots on), endure all four of my visitors standing in my (very) small galley kitchen while I was trying to throw together a lasagne and salad (I should have ordered a takeaway but I'm too proud) and waiting for someone - anyone - to make me a drink!

And that was just Friday.

We went to the Classical Spectacular Concert on Saturday,




and the German Market on Sunday.









They left today, after I left for school. It was so nice to come home to an empty house. Little E and I have watched tv and eaten junk (fresh pasta and sauce - out of a tub). It took me three minutes to cook and one minute to stack the dishwasher. Heaven.

They'll be back in two weeks. Must remember to buy more gin...