500 miles in 24 hours but what a journey it was. Wow. I can report that BBC Breakfast’s red sofa is really rather comfortable and thanks to my ninja like reactions remains posit free. In case you have been hibernating from the world of mummy and boo: Yes we not only made it to BBC Television Centre in London but Boo pulled the hat out of the bag and charmed her way through six minutes of live national television. It may be over a week ago yet feedback is still coming in thick and fast. The reaction has been amazing, with the majority of you being completely in awe of Boo’s utter professionalism, not to mention stage presence.
Despite the 4am start Boo and I were bright eyed and bushy tailed, fuelled with an abundance of excitement. From the moment we were directed from the main gate to our allocated parking space (very V.I.P.!) we were met by such kindness from the runner to the floor manager not forgetting the two wonderful ladies in hair and make-up, without whom many viewers would have been scarred for life by my not so yummy mummy appearance!
Once Boo grew tired of the green room, the signal was given for us to make our way to the sofa along with Professor Katherine Rake CEO of the Institute or Family and Parenting where Charlie and Susanna were waiting for us. We barely had time to settle down until it was lights camera, action! For those that know us, we were our usual self and it wasn’t until around half way through that it clicked just how many people were watching this – I mean we’re talking MILLIONS! – You can spot this moment by the sudden inclusion of a few too many ‘Erms’!
By 8.30 were sat in Carluccio’s in Wimbledon Village enjoying a well deserved breakfast with our entourage aka Mummy/Grand-ma. All in a day’s work for Mummy and Boo!
So now the presents are opened and the waistlines well and truly ruined, how was our first Christmas as a blended family?
I’m pleased to report that there have been no fatalities, which is a result for any family over the festive period, blended or not. Christmas Day itself was a rather quiet affair – although I’m still getting use to six people in a house being ‘quiet’! If my youth translation skills are anything to go by, the Stinkies were pretty please with their gifts, and it had been so long since I wrapped some of them that they were indeed a surprise for me too! It turns out that Christmas isn’t Boo’s favourite time of the year; she took this opportunity to remind us mere mortals that she has the power to reduce the household to a quivering wreck at the click of her delicate fingers!
The biggest challenge I felt for a successful Christmas was the food. So in order to strike the perfect balance we did breakfast my way with a continental breakfast with plenty of champagne flowing – an essential for any family festivities. Christmas lunch was traditional with a cheeky twist at the finale in the way of a Christmas pudding cheesecake.
To sum up Christmas in the Mummy and Boo house: happy, yes – yet I think we’ll need a few more years before everyone or at least the adults can really relax. There’s no doubt that Christmas is a stressful occasion so add to the mix, separated parents, stepmothers, and new babies, it’ bound to be a sometimes strained and trying time.
One thing that Christmas 2011 has taught me: the devil is in the detail – thank goodness for that last minute dash to the shops for chocolate coins. No Christmas stocking is complete without a Satsuma and a handful of melting gold coins!
