V is for Vacation

V…. is for vacation. Or perhaps H … is for holiday because although we are off work, school, ballet, karate etc. we have not actually travelled anywhere and are tucked up quietly in the Middle. I think the north Americans talk about “vacations” but in my mind that involves a trip away and that we are not. Holidays hey, such bliss and the best bit about it all is that we can have the great morning “lie-in”, which for G. and I is a rediscovered pleasure from some long, long distant past, in a pre-J. age, when we were young and beautiful. Our lie-ins typically mean an 8 a.m. wake up call with either R. or L. crawling into our bed as opposed to the usual 6.30 a.m. start to the day. Although we are awake, however, this does not mean we get up straight away. G., who is a blessed hero, goes and makes a cup of tea picks up the paper and a packet of biscuits and we lie in bed until we feel like it. Tea or coffee in bed is an indolent, extravagance that I introduced G. too since this is not a familiar habit with the locals but there is nothing better then waking up with a warm cuppa and the papers. At some point the children wander off to go and watch some telly or play with their play mobile. There is no nagging to get shoes on. No talk of “hurry-up” or “get a move on” or “J. get down here we should have left ten minutes ago”.
J. and K. have been allowed, for the first time really, to stay up with G. and I to watch a DVD or some BBC good-for-the-family film. They love it and make themselves a nest of blankets and cushions on the settees leaving little room for either G or I.
Yesterday, however, we managed to get all little VC-G’s to bed early since tonight is going to be a late night – what with it being New Year’s eve and all. So, by nine o’clock G and I had the telly to ourselves and we put on a cd that Beccy gave G. for Christmas called “Sideways”. A low budget comedy that made us giggle and laugh and reach for the wine. Later we decided to drink a glass of whiskey since Steven bought G a fine 18 year old single malt for Christmas. Fantastic. It went down really well and we ended up watching BBC Radio 2 Music Live – or something like that with James Blunt. Beccy has started a bit of a James Blunt craze with me and I got the James Blunt “All Lost Souls” album from Erwan and have been listening to it non-stop. Its great and the guy, as Beccy points out, is a helluva sexy fella. Truth be told that when “You’re beautiful” first came out a couple of years ago and when it was played non-stop on the radio I couldn’t stand the song. I was under the impression that the artist behind the voice was some kind of a hermaphrodite diva from the Bronx or some Gwen Stefani wannabe. Then when out in Sauveterre one Christmas with Beccy and the family I saw the video for the first time in the local bar and said to Beccy:“Is that the guy who sings “You’re Beautiful”?”
Couldn’t believe that the artiste was such a good looking guy. Anyway, now of course I think he’s a fabulous artists. So talented. Non?
As G. and I were sitting there sipping our single malt at 1.30 a.m. I said to G.
“Is it just me or do you think that the pop scene is improving?”
“No.” G. replied. “We’ve just been in out of it for too long what with having kids and all.”
“Yes, you’re probably right.” I answered. “Its just that for such a long time I got the impression that the charts was full of nothing but soul, hip hop, house and divas.”
“You know what G.” I finally said. “Don’t you just feel like 19 again sitting up here until 2 a.m in the morning watching some kind of Jules Holland show and not worrying about having to be up early. This is great and what life really should be like all the time.”
Anyway I must go now since we have the Hymers coming to celebrate New Year’s Eve with us and there is much to do. G. has taken all four kids to take Belle for a walk and I have already wasted a lot of time just enjoying the quiet peace of the house with no children, dog or husband in it.