Stuffing my face

Christmas Eve, and we appear to be somewhere in Wales, Wrecsam to be precise, which is pretty much the town that my Nana Miriam was from. It's also within spitting distance of the place where I was born, but tonight we're here as part of Nathan's family's Christmas celebrations, which always include a Christmas Eve visit to Pizza Hut.

I didn't know it was possible to cram as much food into my face as I've managed to cram in during the last couple of hours. I feel quite ashamed, and am quite sure I must resemble a pizza by now. Nathan might have to roll me out of the car when we reach his mother's. We're singing Christmas carols on the way home, and I'm singing as loudly as I can in the hope it might make me lose some weight!

I was pimped into dressing up as Santa Claus earlier on to deliver presents to some of the children on the estate where Celia and Ron live. Obviously I made a big song and dance about how uncomfortable I felt with a pillow sellotaped to my stomach, but after the initial embarrassment wore off, I quite enjoyed the experience. It is rather sweet to see how children respond to a man dressed as Father Christmas; however crudely! I secretly wished I was in a green Santa suit, however, rather than a walking advertisement for Coca Cola!

We went to Shrewsbury this morning, which is a terribly charming market town and a lovely place to shop. Part of me wishes I'd left all my shopping til the last minute, because I could have bought some lovely things today. It's a nick-nacky sort of place. The river looked particularly swollen today, which is strange because I didn't think they'd had a huge amount of rain up here recently. I think it's obviously a town which is very used to flooding, but the big question, of course, is whether to say Shrovesbury or Shrewsbury. I've always said the latter, but is that because I was born in the county or because I've been corrupted by too many years living away?

December 24th 1661 generated the dullest entry ever from Mr Pepys. He stayed at home, then went to work and that was it...