Stuff and ting (again).

Oh my God work was a bastard today!!!!!!!!!

I didn't sleep from when I got back from that party, so I was up until my alarm went off. After that I made myself a cuppa then got myself dressed and out to get down to ye olde (S)Lush. I got there on time - although attempting to hide a slight hangover - along with two other girls I work with but there was no one there to actually let us into the shop. We waited and waited but no sod turned up with a key so I ended up having to call Dan, wake him up, stress him out, and get him to come down to the shop 2 and a half hours early so we could get in and set up. We ended up only having 20 minutes to put all of our stock delivery into the back room, put out all the testers, get all the tills online, wrap the soaps and shampoos, mop the floors and beat the crap out of the MP3 adaptor to get the music playing through. To top it all off, Dan evilly pointed out that, because today was supposed to be the busiest retail day of the year, if we were caught not doing anything useful then we would be fired without warning ON THE SPOT! After that he asked if I wanted 4 extra hours today, to which I declined for fear of getting the shove for accidentally needing to run out back for a sneeze or something...

The only good thing about today was that I got to hang out with my supervisor, Vicky J, for a little bit and found out we both like a lot of the same literature and TV programmes. That and the new girl, Geri, brought us all home made cookies and ORGASMIC chocolate brownies (Dan freaked out and yelled at some of us because they weren't vegan friendly though...hungry Dan is worse than regular Dan, I swear!).

Now, an explanation for the hangover...I went to Ben's work Christmas party last night. I eventually found something smart/glam to wear:

There's a glittery shrug and some lovey heels involved as well, but they're not on sale in the shop anymore so there are no pictures.
I was a nervous as hell about the whole thing and was so uncomfortable in that dress. I got a stunned look from Ben though, which I'm taking as a good sign. The party was at some posh hotel in Ealing somewhere and his workmates are nice but DAMN SCARY!!! I know that's probably the protocol for a bunch of people who work in a West London primary school, dealing with unruly midgets and all that jib-jab, but I felt so damn...I don't know, like I would get told off or have a whistle blown at me at any minute.
I only planned on having one boozy drink then sticking to something soft, but after the flow of conversation that happened on our table I think I got drunk enough for about 5 people. They asked me about our sex life, sat there discussing things "our men" wont do but should (Ben went red at this point and I just excused myself and ran off to the ladies to breathe for a bit). After that it went on to talk about Ben's family and how much his Mum likes me and couldn't stand his exes (not exactly something I wanted to hear talk of; makes me feel weird), then it got on to talk about his younger sister being pregnant and that he won't get as much attention as he does now once the baby is born. Their idea to counteract this? Get me up the duff!
No no no no no no no no no...............of course that started a slight tiff between us both simply because the "Why are we together if we want different things?" thing came up again. Fuck me, it's only been a year.

Ben left to go to the bar and I was left sat with a bunch of cackling, sex crazed, middle aged women gazing at me and asking me mad questions along with "We hear sooooo much about you.", "He never shuts up in the office; Shelly this, Shelly that..."
One of them - whilst stupidly pissed - said "Darling, you're actually fucking gorgeous and don't seem like a no brained twat...why the fuck are you with him anyway?"
Unfortunately he overheard that one and didn't look pleased.
I downed another glass.

We finally left once the meal was over with and before ANYONE could drag us up to the dance floor. I was swaying in my heels and clinging to Ben's arm as we wandered around to find a cab office.

I highly doubt I'll be going to anyones work do ever again after that. Fucking hell.

What I did pick up from that evening is that he and I are OK. I keep complaining about us having this stupid problems, but when push comes to shove we can both sit there, have a laugh, be damn embarrassed together...he even called my parents the "in-laws" during the cab ride home yesterday. We're making plans for him to spend Christmas eve with me and my family (as crazy as they all are...he's been warned that my Granddad WILL throw food at him if he refuses to take it when offered) and I'm spending Christmas day with him and his family (apparently his mum has even bought a bottle of Bailey's for me to sit and have a drink with them).
It's all so cool yet so very weird.

I'm going to leave you with a song I'm hooked on at the moment. It keeps being played on the radio and I love it...

I was twenty-one years when I wrote this song
I'm twenty-two now, but I wont be for long
People ask me when will I grow up to understand
Why the girls I knew at school are already pushing prams

I loved you then as I love you still
Though I put you on a pedestal, you put me on the pill
I don't feel bad about letting you go
I just feel sad about letting you know

I don't want to change the world
I'm not looking for a new England
Are you looking for another girl?

I loved the words you wrote to me
But that was bloody yesterday!
I can't survive on what you send
Every time you need a friend

I saw two shooting stars last night
I wished on them, but they were only satellites
It's wrong to wish on space hardware
I wish, I wish, I wish youd care

I don't want to change the world
I'm not looking for a new England
Are you looking for another girl?

My dreams were full of strange ideas
My mind was set despite the fears
But other things got in the way
I never asked that boy to stay

Once upon a time at home
I sat beside the telephone
Waiting for someone to pull me through
When at last it didnt ring, I knew it wasn't you

I don't want to change the world
I'm not looking for a new England
Are you looking for another girl?