The Day After

Well that’s the Christmas side of things all but done with. True, there are a few more parties to go, but I don’t have to be nice to people as I’m handing over gifts. Instead I can contemplate how I’m gonna pay the credit card bill off come the New Year.

Yesterday went with the usual organisation which is the hallmark of Christmas parties at my sister-in-law’s place. I don’t know how they do it. If I was that well organised, I’d probably rule the world… well, all right, I’d probably have a tidier workstation.

I managed to get through the day without getting drunk or insulting anyone. A double first! But it’s more than can be said for Her Indoors, who was pissed out of her brains by half past three. I knew it from the way she kept on rabbiting at the dinner table. Normally, she doesn’t say two words to me from one week to another. Yesterday she sounded as if she’d been vaccinated with a gramophone needle. And she capped that off by throwing up all over the floor and sleeping it off in one of the bedrooms for an hour. If I did that, I wouldn’t hear the end of it until Easter, but because it’s she who must be obeyed, it’s already confined to the annals of unfortunate history, and shrouded in a degree of secrecy that would make James Bond look like a talk show host.

Apologies to Hazel, thanks to Eileen for helping clean up the mess.

Today it’s the traditional Boxing Day hangover. The house looks like a tornado has passed through it, which is surprising considering we didn’t have party here, Her Indoors is still in bed and my head is pounding. It’s what I get for mixing Martini Asti with Worthington Bitter. And the dog is not talking to either of us because we left him on his own for so long yesterday. Moody little sod.

Still, it’s not all bad news. I woke up this morning to learn that ALL TEN of my STAC Mysteries figure in the Amazon UK Cosy Crime chart, with the latest release, Christmas Crackers at number 9. My thanks and best wishes to all STAC readers for this extra Christmas pressie.

And in general, my good wishes to all of you, whoever you are, wherever you are. Have a great Christmas and get ready for 2014.