Oh yes it was

...panto time.
We got up late again and I did my December invoices before we all headed off to get a train over to Hastings to go to Sleeping Beauty, with Grandma Ju, who had got us tickets. Invoices were healthier than expected, given that I have taken a good 10 days off for Xmas.
Train ride was good - Decemberish weak sunshine lighting the waiting countryside. F was on good form and now knows what to expect with the whole tradition. We ate cheezly and pickle sandwiches and crisps and F played a bit of DS and we looked out at the sea when it was that bit, etc.

Met J's mum at the station and she drove us over to the theatre - our seats were up in the Circle, with a good view, and we settled down quickly. This year's story was Sleeping Beauty. It wasn't bad, not quite as good as last year's, I reckon - looked like the director hadn't had confidence, or hadn't managed to communicate it. Still, we were all enthusiastic participants in the shouting, singing, standing up and sitting down bits that were required of us. Much as last year, the whole thing was held together by Jamie Wilson again - he's very good at camp stuff, ad libs, judging the audience and bouncing off it, etc. The rest of the cast were a bit more 'going through the motions' - understandably for a matinee on 28th December, to be honest.

F hadn't had a strop yet, so she made up for that at Grandma Ju's flat, where she suddenly started insisting on doing various things that were annoying/inconvenient, etc. She hid Grandma's glasses, then swore she couldn't remember where she had put them, then 'found' them again. Generally stropped around for a bit and was difficult, before collapsing for a cuddle.
I guess she is tired, maybe was hungry (and sugared up by candy floss and ice cream) and then there's always the growing, which is a bit of a hormonal business.
J set up his mum's digital telly recording box thing, despite a good deal of distraction from Mrs Strop of Stroppington Heights.
After being nice and calm for a bit, F managed to knock most of a cup of black coffee all over the carpet and it was generally not a relaxing visit, so we decided not to stay for tea, but to get chips to take on the train. Unfortunately the chip shop we have been to before had closed.

Never mind, we got the train back and got chips at this end, with houmous and salad pitta. F had cold pizza on the train and a cereal bar, followed by a little pile of cheezly at home (her slightly odd request!), whilst watching Farscape.
My cold is definitely on its way out, but still not feeling 100% and am coughing a lot.