On reflection, showing the children how to flambé a Christmas pudding with brandy was not such a good idea, as Nelly and Nathan ended the day by pouring brandy all over one of the knitted Christmas pudding tree decorations and setting it aflame.
Stephen and I had to stop slandering each other in the kitchen as the scream from the living room was truly ear-shattering. Cait could learn a thing or two from Nathan in the blood-curdling cry department. We found a considerably-sized Christmas tree fire in the living room. Nelly did not need my support but Nathan did, so I took him in my arms and cuddled him, which felt quiterewarding. It’s in moments such as saving a child from a burning tree that I feel my motherly instincts are at their strongest.
Our Christmas Day ended with the fire brigade dousing everything in water, but they were better company than Stephen, and complimentary about the cold goose. The living room is completely wrecked. On the plus side, it does mean that we will have to press ahead with a full redecoration, and I’m sure the fire will have destroyed any residual traces of DNA.
There were lovely moments on Boxing Day, because I used the excuse of feeling sick to refuse to drive the family to visit Madeleine. Stephen had to go alone to see his steadfastly undead mother. That left the three of us to enjoy the bond of mother and child, which we expressed through baking.
We enjoyed a joyous three-hour baking and decorating marathon. Nathan and Nelly were particularly keen on making the marzipan leaves and berries for the cupcakes. To a background chorus of ‘Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer’, Nelly added the red colour dye for holly berries, and Nathan added the green for the leaves.
The late afternoon was spent eating cupcakes and sitting together to watch a movie. Our favourite isNativity!which makes both children howl. When you consider divorce, putting aside income, a convenient companion at social events, and use as a bed-heater in winter, you’re really not all that worse off. That’s not to say I’m giving up. The announcement of a divorce isn’t final, it’s an opening jab, nothing more, and I used the opportunity of New Year to devise some resolutions to save my marriage.
New Year’s Resolutions
Tend to the physical
Increase testosterone gel dosage.
Build shared goals
Lie about being pregnant.
