today is one of those strange days.

Some call it St Stephen’s Day, while others call it Boxing day. I don’t know what I call it but it isn’t either of those. I think I’ll just call it Monday because coincidentally it just happens to be Monday.

It’s a day where it seems I have to either partake in a sport or go shopping in the sales. I am not in the blindest bit interested in any sport, especially things like sea-swimming, fox hunting or horse racing. I went to a racing meeting once and discovered it was long periods where nothing happened followed by a couple of minutes of everyone shouting their heads off. Boring.

As for the sales… The idea of cramming myself into some shop or other and fighting with the crowds to buy something I really don’t need just because it’s half price is frankly the stuff of nightmares.

Actually I did but something in the online sales today. I’m not quite sure why. It’s a set of Christmas tree lights [for half price, of course] which I shall pack away for next year. I meant to get a set in the last couple of weeks but didn’t bother my arse. Now I needn’t bother my arse next year either.

Another thing about today that always puzzles me is the mess. Somehow at some point in the night the house fills up with clutter. There are dirty dishes everywhere, and bits of cardboard and loads of torn paper in heaps on every available surface. Sweet wrappers abound and there’s a pile of dirty washing on the floor.Where the fuck does it all come from? Is this Santa’s revenge just because I don’t believe in him? Do his little elves deliberately dirty up my reasonably tidy house just to annoy me?

I think I have better set to work tidying the gaff.

It’s better than having to go to the races anyway.