Xmas!

It's over!

So Xmas is over for another year! We host every year as Janet has carers’ visits and can't transfer in and out of a car. That means a lot of extra planning, shopping, cleaning, preparing and extra hard work. Our youngest daughter who lives with us, did a lot of excellent food prep on Xmas eve. My older sister came up on Xmas eve and her company was very welcome, especially in the evenings which can be lonely. She brought fabulous lights with her9.

On Boxing Day we did a video call with all the family in Southend. Traditionally we all got together on Boxing Day. We would travel down as a family. Often doing the return journey in one day. Sadly, my parents both died in 2006, within 7 months of each other. My mother died on Boxing Day. This Boxing Day I ground coffee beans for my sister's morning coffee. I have my mother's Moulinex coffee grinder from the 1960s. It has never been possible to turn it on and off. It has been stuck in the on position for over 60 years. Consequently you have to use the plug switch to turn it on and off. However, on Boxing Day when I tried this nothing happened. I realised the on/off switch was working. After all that time and on the anniversary of the day my mum died. Spooky.

Today we looked after our grandchildren as our oldest daughter and her partner were ill. As I drove them from Pitsmoor in the north of the city to our house in Nether Edge in the south of the city, K age 4 and S age 2, sang Queen's ‘Don't Stop Me Now’ as this was used in the Sonic the Hedgehog film. We played a lot of Gruffalo dominoes and had a great time together.