No Surprise

As you'd expect Christmas for me this year will be a mix of smiles and tears.

Smiles because I love baubles, candles and the fact that I've forgiven my next door neighbour for being an utter pain in the neck. A lot of strength comes from being magnanimous.
Tears will no doubt ruin my eye make-up as thoughts of mum accompany my festive preparations.And as her face appears in the steam on the kitchen window and her voice soothes as I peel yet another potato I will say "Merry Christmas, you old silly" and drop the spud in the pan.


This year's economically sound gift buying trips have been good but each one tainted by the fact that I didn't buy mum anything. Ouch!.Last year I bought her a wedding ring on account of the loss of her original ring (she was very upset about that) . 
This year the only losing going on was her losing her pain then me losing her.

But as I decorated the front room with coloured candles and a basket of tangerines  I talked to mum. I said I missed her and that I hoped she was ok.



This morning I'm off to see Hairy's Mum, the tiny feisty Viola. I've made up a small hamper for her and hubby, Trevor. It's stocked with chutney, cheeses, homemade cake and sugar free strawberry drops. (Vi being diabetic, but not a wholehearted one). Trevor will have what's left...

And that's what Christmas is about...Love. And inappropriate gifts!


Merry Christmas All.
Love
Angela x

I only went out for some beansproutss

But as the Co-Op is next door to the charity shop I thought I might as well pop in...
And as I stood at the till, cash in hand, I'd found a bamboo steamer and fountain pen, one of the volunteer ladies came up to me.
"Haven't seen your mum for ages. How is she?"
After quietly telling her she tapped my arm saying "It'll be alright love"

In the next charity shop Judy (72) said much the same thing. Her comforting words though interspersed with how, after losing her mum of 92 she still felt the loss even though it was several years ago.
"You never quite get over it" she said
Fighting to halt our tears we stood solemnly by the glassware, gazing at each other both missing our mums.


I managed to get the beansprouts and would have loved telling mum about the Chinese meal I'll be cooking Saturday.. She would of course bah-humbugged the idea preferring, of course, a nice bit of cod.

After a brief break with Mr Hairy Suit in a restored railway carriage on Coppins farm in the village of Alphamstone, I've thrown myself into decorating the bungalow with all things festive.
And after putting some parsnip soup in the slow cooker, I painted the doorstep ox blood red.

The front room has had a thorough make-over by moving furniture around from here to there and back again (!) and icing the dining table and mantelpiece with Christmas baubles and copious amounts of candles.

My new 'secondhand' walnut dresser looks glorious, it's glass shelves holding all my Agatha Christie books and on the cupboard a few of my favourite poetry and quote books. Last week I discovered a new author, Edward Marston. I've almost finished "The Excursion Train" a thriller set on a train in Victorian England. And yesterday, after I'd seen the dentist ( a mere filling)  I picked up two more of Marston's books in Oxfam.
 "The Silver Locomotive Mystery" and "Blood on the Line".
All featuring the formidable Detective Inspector Robert Colbeck and his sidekick the heavyset Sergeant Victor Leeming. There aren't many books which keep me turning pages but "The Excursion Train" certainly does. I love it.

Now I must fly...................