h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

well, given that I am in most evenings because I hate my job so much, and the atmosphere there (yet another of the women was crying in the loo after an encounter with a particular manager - and yes, he's done it to me often) I didn't really want to go. But the Gruesomes get on well with some of the kids, and they like a party and getting a so I agreed to go...

... yesterday evening was our Company Christmas Party. In the past we have done groovy things like going, en masse, to Winterberg and staying overnight in a chalet hote there for winter sports and a party.

We are now about 45 people, though, and since this is a family (including children) occasion it's starting to get a bit expensive.

So we had it in a fairly local (to the office) hotel in Krefeld. As usual there were presents for the children (finally, they asked us to make suggestions after I complained about what they have received before) - for mine I actually chose the games and they (and I) are both reall happy with them.

Our two secretaries organised it, and did the decorating of the big room where we were and two of the younger staff members organised the entertainment.

After work I zoomed home (well, zoomed insomuch as I drummed my fingers very impatiently on the steering wheel and glared at people while I was crawling through the evening traffic) got the gruesomes changed and zoomed (faster this time) off to the hotel.

There's a tombola (each family gets one ticket) - which in the UK we would call a raffle), buffet and wine and beer (and soft drinks) on the company.

was working so I got the gruesomes settled in the room where thre was kids entertainment (games, crafts and face-painting) and went to find somewhere to sit. And eded up with ThatManager (whose wife and daughter are utterly lovely, and he can be very charming when not at work) but later drifted over to the people I like better. (they remind me of me when I was in my late 20s...)

Anyway, to cut a long boring story into a shorter (but still boring) version: I won one of those home Beer Pump thingys (no idea what they are called in English - Beerzapfanlage) from Philips and the girls got their games.

There was a bit of faffing around making newcomers introduce themselves and a bit of Karaoke, but I went to check on the Gruesomes when that was on.

When the disco started the first song was that Feel Like Dancing (Scissor Sisters) and Gruesome #1 made me dance with her - so then everyone else started to boogie. Round about then arrived (and we agreed I'd drive) Gradually people started to leave, but we were having a great time, and the Gruesomes were having fun...
so in the end we left at 2.45am,got home at 3.45am...

it's 10 past 11 and the Gruesomes are away, is at work and I'm happy not to have a hangover.

But it was really great fun, which is nice since that seems to be in short supply at the moment

Sounds like you and the Gruesomes had a great time

Glad you had fun - it sounds like it had the potential to be a real endurance test!

(I hope you realise the milestone you've reached - starting to grope for words in English that you know perfectly well in German! <cosmopolitaneurosmiley&gt

oh I crossed the groping-for-english words a while ago! mostly to do with childbirth!

I'm interested now, I'll have to Google it now.

Gruesome #1 has just got up - 2:15pm... she's just like a teenager!

You gave birth in German? There's no end to some people's talents!

heh heh heh!
actually, I did the birthing parts in very loud and very colourful language,but the bits in between contractions were conversations with the doctor about the NHS and stuff. We also learned a bit of vocabulary, sort of (because some American and British people used the hospital occasionally) ... where he pointed at equipment and told me what it was for in German and I either knew the proper name for it, or I told him how to describe it in English. As the contractions got closer and closer the conversation started to get really fast until the midwife butted in and told us both to concentrate on the job in hand.

It was a great way of not thinking about how much it was all hurting!

Midwives can sometimes be busybodies, can't they. But generally they know their stuff.

I have to say that my midwife (delivered both gruesomes) was fantastic, and she really only started to nag me when I'd hit 10cms and should have been pushing!

In my defence, that was about 10 minues after I got there for #2, it was all a bit... well, last minute!

The Gruesomes, btw, are enthusiastically playing with the games (River Crossing and Rush Hour) that I picked for them.

sometimes I get it right