New Year

I know that some of you will be well into your New Year by now.

Some may not be there yet.

Whenever you reach 2020 I wish you a joyful, peaceful.....and healthy New Year.
For us, it has been a year of ups and downs, too many downs, but also many things to be so thankful for.
Long hospital stays have been balanced by care from so many of our family and friends. Recuperation, equally long and ongoing, has been helped by visits from a marvellous Physiotherapist.
Having my daughter back in England has been a huge blessing, and she is now moving forward with the purchase of a property.
A new job for a son, messages from Sydney from eldest son to say they are not in danger of fires, grandchildren who are all successful in their own fields.
Whatever we go through, we know that we are guided and watched over by the Lord.

Christmas

'For unto us a child was born.'

Wishing you all a peaceful and joyfilled Christmas

and a very healthy New Year.

Thank you all for your lovely comments on our Anniversary.

Anniversary.

It's a very significant day for us today.

For my husband, who in February was so unwell that the hospital told me not to expect him to make it through the night....he is so very grateful to be celebrating our 40th Wedding anniversary.

Our Lord was with us.

And so there are roses, celebrations, and a special afternoon tea later with family at a very nice hotel in Truro.

Neighbours, carers, friends and family have all sent flowers, wine and cards , helping us to celebrate.

How very blessed we are.

A tree and hyacinths.

It's just a little tree but I'm rather fond of it.

Some years ago when I had decided not to bother with a 'real' tree, my son presented me with this little not-real one, insisting that I should have a tree of some sort..

It comes out every year and cheers a corner.

My Hyacinths have been sitting quietly in a dark corner of the garage, and are now enjoying a warmer room and beginning to 'green'.

I'm so looking forward to the Spring like feeling when they bloom.

Candlelight

During a pretty wild storm this week, all our electricity cut out.

There was something very nostalgic about lighting candles and sitting in the semi dark.

Flames glimmered and shone and we remembered our childhood evenings.

My little Angel 'windmill' spun happily around.

The scents of the winter Candles filled the room and took us to another time.

The Carers arrived while it was still dark, and although we couldn't make hot drinks (we dont have gas), one of them said that their previous clients were enjoying fish and chips from the weekly village van, and she would go and get some for us! 

We did enjoy them, and as it was the two carers' last call, they stayed and shared some of the chips with us. A candlelit picnic of sorts.

The electricity came back on later, it had been off for about five hours, and over two hundred houses were affected.

We rather enjoyed our time by candlelight.

My pretty gift.

Isn't this pretty?

I was given this Christmas cactus by an elderly lady who had won it in a raffle, and decided that I should have it.

It was such a surprise.

I have never had one before but admired them on other windowsills.

Its proper name is Schlumbergera, but I think Christmas cactus suits it better.

It seems to have a lot of buds, and I've looked up on a website as to how it needs to be treated.

A friend said airily 'Oh, it's bomb proof, you don't need to worry about it'.

I hope she's right!

Thank you for your kind good wishes. The virus turned out to be much nastier than I had expected, but I'm gradually recovering, though I dare not drive at the moment as the light headedness sometimes returns. I'm slowly getting the house ready for Christmas, a wreath on the front door, my little Christmas tree decorated....little by little.

Colds etc.

Big box of tissues, check

Paracetamol, check

Copious glasses of water, check

Thermometer, hot water bottle........

and so on.

It's that time of year when some evil thing hits me.

A bad cold turned into Labyrinthitis, never experienced before and rather daunting to find that the minute you sit up, you pass out with dizziness.

Or, as the nice Dr said jovially 'like having a bad hangover ha ha?'

Ha Ha.

Very quiet here for a few days.