Love Is Blind

Christmas Day of course starts with Parkrun, which we do at Long Eaton and it also turns out to be L’s 300th. So that’s a cause for celebration. Then we head over to Derby to take L’s Mum to the care home to visit L’s Dad. While they are doing that I collect my Dad and we all have coffee at L’s Mum.

Then we take my Dad to the Plough for a beer before roast lamb for dinner back at our place followed by Christmas pudding of which we still have plenty accrued from those halcyon days when we used to do races. Christmas pud that is served with both ice cream and custard if you’re my Dad.

Boxing Day is traditionally the run at the Furnace in Derby. We have to detour to my Dad’s place as he’s forgotten some presents and we are running late by the time we get there. Against my better judgement I opt to run with the Lad who get mega wound up when the start is delayed.

Afterwards we hand over the baton (my Dad) to my brother who comes down for a drink where they have different versions of Sleigh Puft on both cask and keg.

The next day Storm Gerrit rides into town for the 50^th Aston on Trent walk. The Lad and I walk the short route in the rain and don’t see a soul. L brings my Dad down to the Memorial Hall for a coffee and then my brother turns up with his dog, much to the Lad’s displeasure.

While the Lad gets possession of the Memorial Hall, my brother’s dog gets possession of the Five Lamps pub where we have lunch.

L and I ‘hit’ the gym later where I do my HIIT workout and a few weights. As I was packing away my barbell weights one lad asked me how many more sets I had to do. None obviously as I was packing away but packing away was an alien concept to him. He took over and left everything out.

On Thursday L goes over to Derby and I meet her along with her Mum in Cafe Rosa. As it’s Christmas, and Christmas is a time for giving, L presents me with a 99p pair of new reading glasses for me to try. They say love is blind. In my case quite literally.

L has PT on Friday morning where her trainer gets her using the sled and videos it. I think just to prove that there’s actually some weight on it.

In the afternoon we head off to Lincoln where we stay over in the Holiday Inn on a freebie because of all the points we’ve amassed. This is all for parkrun the next day. We have a pleasant evening in the Royal William IV pub. That is despite all my food choices being off. The chilli is off, the curry is off and even the steak pie is off. So chicken pie it is then. We both have sticky toffee pudding for dessert because you have to be well fuelled up for these 5ks.

We parkrun at Yarborough Leisure Centre which goes ok until the last 100m when my calf tightens and I hobble over the line.

One of the advantages of staying at the Holiday Inn is that they do breakfast until 10:30 on a Saturday. So we can do parkrun and then get back for breakfast. Except they don’t do it until 10:30 over the Christmas period. Luckily there is Jenny’s Café just around the corner from the hotel. Then we drive home and have a night in the Plough.

Sunday is New Years Eve and we go over to Mickleover, so that L and her Mum can visit her Dad. The Lad and I go for a walk but fail miserably even to get a coffee. All the cafes are closed and all the pubs are full but at least the Lad gets a long walk.

Then we pick up my Dad because we are going to Miller and Carter again as we did last year. We did try to get in at Mr Mans, our local Chinese, but obviously we'd left it a bit late. We must try and book in there for next year. Daughter turns up at the restaurant to arrest my Dad and wish him Happy New Year.

We are back at home for actual New Year with loads of time to spare. I get a text from a couple of friends wishing me Happy Greek New Year as they bail out at 10pm. My Dad then bails out with just 20 minutes to go to midnight and L follows him 10 minutes later. The Lad gallantly sticks it out with me. We watch the fireworks and do Auld Lang Syne together.

 (Sunday 31st December)