Rob, Rambling - A lot of things interest me...

I do enjoy this time of year for the general spirit of goodwill around. I was just in McDonald’s, grabbing some lunch, when an example presented itself.

NOTE: I generally avoid McDonald’s other than for the odd Double Sausage & Egg McMuffin, which is pretty much like the ambrosia of the gods in muffin form. I’m not massively impressed by the usual burgers there, especially Big Macs of recent years. Oh, and the Big Mac has gotten a little smaller, right?

I’d ordered a Quarterpounder With Cheese meal, and then a Cheeseburger on the side. What?! I’m a growing lad, and in any case McD’s burgers have got smaller over the years.

Evidently, the time at which I’d ordered a cheeseburger was the wrong moment, as I then had to wait for one to be prepared. It took forever, during which those cheeseburgers which made it down the chute were swiftly grabbed by workers a little quicker than the girl who was serving me.

After waiting for at least five minutes (I know, a whole five minutes. The horror!), the girl serving me leaned over and asked if I’d “like a double?”. Hell yeah! The chute of double cheesburgers was piling up, with nary a single one of the, erm, single variety in sight.

She popped a double into my bag, and I walked out a very chuffed customer.

Thanks, random McDonald’s server on High Holborn. You made this guy’s day!

Who’s got two thumbs and burnt his lip on a fork from his new fondue set last night?

THIS GUY!

I nipped down to Gatwick airport yesterday to pick up my parents’ car, as they were heading off on holiday for the Christmas/New Year period and are letting me borrow it. It saves them parking costs, and it’s a whole lot easier for me to get to/from the girlfriend’s parents’ house for Christmas itself.

As I wandered through the terminal to their hotel, and also whilst sitting in the hotel bar with them, it struck me just how happy everyone around me looked. Yes, travelling can be stressful at this time of year, but the smiles on people’s faces showed that they were prepared to cope with it for the reward at the other end.

Some, like my parents, were escaping to sunnier climes for a week or two. Others, no doubt, were about to cross great distances to be with family for Christmas. Either way, the whole place was relentlessly upbeat and jovial.

‘Tis the season…

I feel very sneaky whilst buying Christmas presents for the girlfriend and having to keep everything hidden/secret from her.

It’s going to be so worth it though.

I’m very pleased with myself for having almost all of my Christmas shopping done and dusted already. Usually, it’s around the 20th before I even think about it, and then I end up rushing around. Not this year, though, no.

My parents are off on holiday over Christmas and New Year, so they came up to London on Sunday for an early Christmas. This meant I had to get their presents sorted by then, and I figured I might as well get the girlfriend’s as well.

Saturday was thus spent wandering around the shops (hell on Earth for me), and I think I did alright. I had some ideas whilst I was out and then jumped online back in the flat to get the last couple of things. Organised, for once.

All that’s left is to get something for my sister, which should be easy enough. And then it’s time to put my feet up and crack on with some mince pies!