Last day of 2016

Saturday:

Can't believe it's the last day of 2016. Happy New Year's Eve to everyone. (Is that a thing, or only "Happy New Year" tomorrow?)

I'm not going to talk too much about resolutions, hopes and dreams etc today because I've been sleeping really badly in the heat so I'm tired and headachy, and also have PMS so basically whatever I tried to say would probably come out as "life sucks and I'm a failure". Maybe I'll talk about that stuff tomorrow!

We've had a bit of a heatwave here. Day before yesterday I refused to leave the house (and air conditioning) at all, yesterday Tim convinced me that the movies would be nice and cool so we went out in the afternoon. I'd already done the grocery shopping in the morning, it was pretty hot. When we got to the movies we found that everything was sold out - we often buy tickets online ahead of time but for some reason yesterday we didn't. So that was a fail. We decided to buy some books Jasmine and I wanted while we were there (no bookshop at the local shops near us, this was a much bigger complex). They kept making announcements over the loudspeaker that the power was out in some parts of the complex, some shops were closed I think because their registers weren't working. We had to go to both bookshops to find the three books we wanted but were successful eventually.

But then I decided to use my gift voucher at a kitchenware shop to buy a spiraliser (turns vegetables into spaghetti). They put through the purchase with the voucher then I said "isn't there 20% off everything?" which they hadn't done. This put everyone into a panic! The check out girl didn't know how to reverse it when using a gift voucher, the other girl didn't, the person they called gave instructions over the phone which didn't help, finally an older woman came back from her break and issued me with a new gift card that supposedly has the rest of the money on it, I have no way of knowing and from the fuss and panic I am not that sanguine. I was there a really long time during all this, dripping sweat (maybe air con was one of the things not working with the power problem), kids bored, husband carrying the slumped ten-year-old like he was three, queue built up behind me. It really felt like we should have stayed home! But I got my spiraliser in the end and love it, made zucchini (courgette) and carrot noodles last night.

Today we arranged to go and see my grandfather, Poppa. We didn't see him at Christmas this year due to that side of the family being scattered to the four winds. Poppa is 98, still lives in his own home alone and looks after himself with only minimal help from son and daughter-in-law who live across the road. I love my Poppa, but admit I was dreading the visit just a little because he is pretty deaf now. Also very hot today. But it turned out fine. Two sets of aunts and uncles were also there so there was plenty of chat around the table. It's an hour drive each way so we don't "pop over" often but should definitely go more than we have been.

Tonight we aren't involved in a big NYE party, we've invited some family over but with all the new babies in the family I don't know if anyone will stay until midnight. I never stay up that late anyway! Tim wants to let the kids stay up this year, Jasmine would be fine but I think Aiden will get very tired. We'll see.

Happy NYE everyone, I hope you have a good night and that the new year starts well for you tomorrow.