Christmas starts here...

Current work: on holiday
Listening to: Christmassy stuff
Reading: Rachel Hore, A Gathering Storm (enjoyed very much–good characterisation, and although I did guess the twist I was fascinated to see how it happened)

Christmas for me actually started on Friday, when the children broke up. The book is in; lovely ed says she’ll get back to me in the new year, so I have Christmas off. (I had last Christmas off, too, but it wasn’t for a nice reason. This Christmas is going to much calmer and happier.) Had ‘early Christmas’ yesterday with bestest family. Not sure any of us is going to eat for the next week (says she, planning to scoff the Wensleydale with cranberries as an omelette filling to go with a salad at lunchtime). Daughter was happy as we played Quelf with her (and we have come to the conclusion that the people who wrote the questions were either on something or asked random stuff to a bunch of very imaginative 10-year-olds). Amyway, it was fun.

There were some really good dramas on TV yesterday (aka some much-needed well-filling). Caught the last half of ‘Lost Christmas’, which put a lump in my throat (and I thought was beautifully structured as well as beautifully acted – I didn’t realise how good Eddie Izzard is), and all of ‘Just Henry’ (again, nicely acted and a real slice of life in 1950; although we’d all pretty much worked out the truth well before it was revealed, it was enjoyable). We were going to watch ‘Young James Herriot’, but it started with animal cruelty (meaning I had to go and make a cup of tea) and after that it didn’t grab us. Joy of joys, DH switched over to a lovely nerdy science programme and stayed there instead of flicking channels. I love the way Brian Cox presents things and could watch him all night – not sure if it’s his enthusiasm or the effortless way he simplifies some very deep concepts that I like most. Although some of the quantum stuff lost me (mainly the more advanced maths notation), I really enjoyed it.

Today is a sad anniversary for me – I lost my mum 25 years ago today. I still miss her terribly and am sad about all the things we didn’t get to share. But I have wonderful memories of her – she was incredibly brave, she was patient and kind, she was great company and open to talk about anything in the universe. I was privileged to have her for nearly 21 years. God bless you, Mum.

I’m over at the PHS today doing what’ll probably be my last ever MOM slot (I get a foodie slot every month next year, yeehah). Have repeated my subject. Yeah, yeah, we all know who I picked. Enjoy, and merry Christmas.