[guide.chat] Back To Normal.

From: "Elizabeth Kay" <ebeth.kay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Guide.chat" <guide.chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 9 Jan 2013 15:48:39 -0000
Getting back to normal now that Christmas and New Year are over is a relief in 
a way. Christmas was always  a very special time for me in the past and well 
worth all  the hassle the season sometimes entailed, but in recent years I have 
found  myself a bit lacking in enthusiasm. 

My husnand used to say that one of the disadvantages of being retired was that 
one did not have holidays to look forward to any more. The respite from going 
to work and
having time to spend doing other things played a large part in the enjoyment of 
the festive season when he was of a younger age. Now, when my days are 
punctuated with the normal activities of life, this extended period of 
disruption has been a bit frustrating.

My favourite TV programmes for example disappeared for a couple of weeks and 
now that they have been restored I find some of them have been re-scheduled. I 
wish the powers that be would realise how upsetting this is for their regular 
viewers. Several are now at times inconvenient  for me to watch and I cannot be 
bothered recording them.

Christmas Day however was as good as ever. It started as usual when my son 
picked me up at 10-30 am. for the short drive to his home where my daughter- 
in- law Lynne,and one of my grand-daughters Catherine, home for Christmas from 
the Lake District greeted me. Their home was warm and welcoming with a huge 
Christmas Tree in the corner twinkling with fairy lights. 

Before long we heard the sound of the local brass band  which appears every 
year without fail to play carols outside homes in the area on Christmas 
morning. This is the signal for all the neighbours to come out to join in 
singing carols and to go round wishing one another "A Happy Christmas". It 
makes a very good start to the day. One of my son's neighbours celebrates his 
birhday on Christmas Day so the band plays and we all sing "Happy Birthday" 
before they leave.  

We returned to a warm house and hot coffee to await the arrival of Judith, 
another grand-daughter along with Andrew her partner and baby Isla, now fifteen 
months old, followed a bit later by Lynn's sister Hilary, loaded up with 
parcels. It was now time for Bucks Fizz. I cannot remember when these rituals 
began, but it is a saying in our family "Do something twice and becomes a 
ritual!

Christmas dinner comes next. This is traditional and cooked by my son David who 
requests help only when it is needed. Charles Dickens could not outdo our 
Christmas feast. Suffice it to say that from the perfect turkey breast to the 
flaming brandy round the pudding everything is exactly as it should be. 

Presents were opened as usual during the afternoon, but this year eblivened by 
the presence of Isla. I am hoping for a photograph of her sitting in the middle 
of all the wrapping paper enjoying every moment and squealing with delight 
every tine she managed tro unwrap a present.

Another tradition is that Lynne prepares an evening buffet which includes a 
home made trifle but I regret to say that very little of this is eaten. I 
usually bring my share home  to consume on Boxing Day. Fun and games or more 
recently a TV Programme of one sort or another concludes the day.

As the years go by I wonder how long it will be before inevitably things begin 
to change. But perhaps this will not be in my lifetime.   Elizabeth
[guide.chat] Back To Normal.

Other related posts:
