Relatives

When I was married to my first husband, one of his family members belonged to a religion that didn't celebrate Christmas.

To ensure their children were not deprived at Christmas, every year they used to come to me for Christmas lunch, I don't believe this was anything to do with religion I think this was just a way for her to get out of the cost and effort of cooking Christmas lunch. She insisted that she was only prepared to serve egg and chips that day, where as I served the full production.

This meant I was cooking for eleven instead of six, and then my in-laws invited themselves so I was now cooking for 13. I'm not complaining, I loved it, though I would have preferred it if anyone had helped with the clearing up afterwards.

Nobody contributed towards the cost of this lunch though they sometimes bought a tin of biscuits or sweets with them. My husband was extremely tight fisted with money but not when it came to his family. I took full advantage of this and made sure he paid for everything and more!

At his request I served turkey, pork, beef and ham at this lunch, I ordered enough meat to feed us through to Easter so my food bill after Christmas was much reduced for a few months.

This went on until the other family's children left home whereupon they decided they could afford steak for Christmas lunch so my services were no longer needed.

Bedtime bliss.

Bedtimes are blissful, I can have as many covers on the bed as I want and I can pull them up to my ears. I can be warm and comfortable with no-one complaining that they are too hot and no-one complaining that I have too many covers over me.

I don't like a hot bedroom, I like a cold room but I do like to be able to snuggle down into the warmth of the covers. I have flannelette sheet and a very thick winter duvet with a couple of blankets on top in case Beano gets cold.

Beano occasionally likes to get underneath one of the blankets  the  bed but he soon gets too hot and sleeps on top of them.

There is no-one complaining about being too hot, no-one thrashing about because they can't sleep. No-one constantly nudging me because they have seen something on FB that they find amusing.

I still sometimes wake up, usually because I need the bathroom and sometimes I struggle to get back to sleep. Then I read until I feel sleepy and drift off again.

Cards.

I've ordered my Yule cards for this year, actually I've ordered an assortment of cards. Some are for yule, some are blank they will be used for birthdays or can be used a note cards.

I've purchased them on Etsy from Dru Marland who lives on a canal boat on the Kennet and Avon canal. Some of the cards are drawings of boats but most are snow and wildlife artwork.

I love Dru's work and I prefer to purchase things direct from the artist if possible. I don't buy gifts for my grandchildren, I give them money and this way they receive the money in an attractive card.

High Five!

I bumped into Cass this morning whilst out with Beano and went back for a cuppa.

As soon as she saw me she gave me a High Five, saying Russell Brand!

She knows my opinion of sleazy men be they famous or not.

She remembers me turning the TV off when Jimmy Savile  came on and this was years before he became infamous. He'd been at an event I'd attended as a child and I'd found him to be extremely creepy.

Decorating!

The hall is finished, it only took two mornings to do it, it is a very small hall with four doors in it.

The living room is next, the paint is due to arrive later today and it's a similar colour to the existing paint, the whole room will be painted and it will cover up the white stripes where the plaster was chipped off and replaced.

I'm not having the ceiling painted or the skirting and doors, just the walls.

The decorator lives a few doors away from me and I could tell by his conversation when he arrived that he knew I had encouraged the local children to call round for sweets on Halloween. He seemed to find it amusing that I'd done this against the instructions of a neighbour who doesn't approve any children visiting, not even my grandchildren. I played dumb and just said how much I'd enjoyed seeing all the children dressed up!

Samhain

Samhain was very successful, I had an almost endless stream of visitors and gave out many sweets.

Some were toddlers with their parents some were older and in groups of four or more.

My grandson, dressed as a superhero, arrived in a group of six, my granddaughter came with just one friend they were both dressed Lorax, I only recognised my granddaughter when I noticed her rollerboots.

I think my favourite was the father and son dressed as dragons.

All were exceedingly polite and everyone said thank you.

Next year I shall probably dress up as a witch myself, though I don't wear a mask as I don't want to scare the little ones.

No doubt my neighbour will be round tomorrow to complain but Sufficient unto the day, Matthew 6:34. For a pagan I know a fair bit of the bible.

Almost one year.

I've lived in the village for almost a year now, I've made a determined effort to join in with village life.

I joined  the Autumn group first, then went to the coffee mornings and finally I started attending the pensioners monthly lunches.

Sometimes I go to the local pub for lunch, I go alone partly as I have no one to go with and partly because I'm comfortable on my own, it's a very friendly pub and only once have I been made to feel uncomfortable by two women at the next table who were pointedly whispering about me. One of my neighbours also doesn't think its appropriate for me to go to the pub but her opinion doesn't bother me either.