Stranded in East Kilbride and other winter disasters.

Happy new year everyone! What with one thing and another I’ve been incredibly busy over the last few months. Since my birthday to be exact. So, where to start with what I’ve been up to?

Well, the big news I suppose is that I’m sort of back in education. I’m doing an Open University course and really enjoying it. It’s taxing the old brain, but I suppose that’s the plan. To date I’ve written three essays and got pretty good results for all of them, which makes me a happy panda. Tomorrow I’m off to Napier University for the first tutorial I can actually attend and hopefully a chinwag with other people on my course. All very fun.

Winter was hectic. We got the theatre back (less said about that the better) and I stage-managed the panto. This year we pulled off a cracking production of Sleeping Beauty. As with all theatre shows it was damn hectic but once I actually stepped back and thought about it, it was very enjoyable. It’s just the journey towards getting it on stage wasn’t very enjoyable. However, the panto sort of fed a common festive problem. Secret Santa.

I shall try and keep my tale of purchasing a Secret Santa gift brief.

Now, I am no longer hiding the fact that I colluded with the director of the show and rigged the Secret Santa. Nothing bad, but I just happened to pull my fellow backstage helper; props person extraordinaire - Jenny. Jen, among her other fine qualities, also happens to be my girlfriend. The downside of this cunning plan was that I had no idea what to buy her. Long story short, I went to Glasgow on the day that most of the west of Scotland got stuck in their cars. I ended up attempting a commute home with my father from East Kilbride. It took us five hours to do about a mile and a half. We ended up back at my Dad’s office where we spent the night.
I cannot complain about this. I had access to hot food and drinks, toilets and warmth. I was also relatively comfortable (sleeping on a floor does wonders for one’s back). This is far more than hundreds of others that night. I left Glasgow on Monday and 10.45am and managed to get home at 11.00am on Tuesday; the first night of the panto.

Fortunately I got a Secret Santa present. Thank you Lush.

I could go on. I could mention my Grandmother managing to break her hip. I could mention a pipe bursting bringing down the bathroom ceiling and flooding said bathroom. I could mention the director of the panto cracking a bone in her elbow the day after the show finished. I could mention the stressful and confusing Doctor Who Christmas special.
I could mention these things, but I won’t. I shall let everyone get on with their lives and I shall be back in touch really soon.

Promise!