Before The Dawn

A very rude awakening this morning as the alarm went off at 6am. I know, not that early for a lot of people but when you’re retired it feels like the middle of the night!
We needed the early start though. Christmas food shopping to be done and the best way to avoid the crowds was to go in early. As it happened, it was 7.30ish by the time we actually got to M&S but the gamble had paid off as plenty of parking, no queues and we were able to get just about everything we wanted.
The wisdom of the early start was confirmed later in the morning when I went for a PT session - town virtually gridlocked and a lot of folk around frantically dashing from shop to shop.
A doctors appointment for a blood sample to be taken in the afternoon. I’m hoping it will confirm continued progress in the Diabetes reversal quest. Definite struggle to extract said blood though - nothing in the right arm and left arm only gave it up very reluctantly. Got a telling off for not drinking enough - apparently 5 cups of tea by lunchtime doesn’t count, it has to be a litre of water! No doubt there will be a follow up phone call in due course if any changes to medication are required.
Whilst we were out we returned to M&S to see if the few items we couldn’t get in the morning had now been put out on the shelves. They had - and there seemed to be a lull in the crowds - so a quick “in and out” means Xmas shopping is now complete.
Next Christmas task is to get presents to various relatives. In order to keep everyone safe we will just be leaving things on the doorstep and ringing the doorbell. We’ve also checked with them where is a safe place to leave things if no one is going to be in. Might be possible to have a quick socially distanced chat but that is going to be the full extent of family interaction for this year!
Considering the chaos the country - and the rest of the world - is in at the moment, we, personally, are probably the most prepared we have ever been for Christmas, though I appreciate that is little comfort to those whose plans have been wrecked by recent developments. Still, only 369 days until Christmas 2021!