Best and worst Christmas presents

The worst was a bug I picked up from somewhere. I'm sure it wasn't mean to be a present, but from about 27th December onwards I was ill - coughing, spluttering, wheezing and eventually so ill I couldn't work. Mind you - if I had rested instead of having to move house and add the wonderful ingredient 'dust' to my poor belaboured lungs, I might not have been ill for quite so long.

It's a month and I'm still not well. But worse things happen at sea, so I was always told when I was a child.

Christmas seems like such a long time ago now! We've cleared away all the decorations, even the sales (which are seemingly interminable) are coming to an end. The credit card bills have arrived, we made it past Blue Monday and now...

Well yes, what now? I moved house, and now live in a lovely place with a great neighbourhood. OK parking is a nightmare, but it could be worse. I only have a shower and no bath (which has drastically reduced my reading hours) and there's quite a bit to do, but it's a new year, a new start. Now I'm better, I should be able to get on and do a few more things. Tonight I am planning to change a tap washer.

And this is where my favourite Christmas present comes in! I have wanted one of these for years, and it is practical and sensible! I have been up ladders and dropped drills, put down a screwdriver and not been able to find it again whilst balancing bits of self-construct furniture... these days are gone! I now have my very own...

I am empowered! I don't lose the screws (though some of mine may be loose), and now I also have a brand new cordless drill, I am intending to have some very productive weekends.

It doesn't take a lot to make me happy, but a tool-belt did.