So much for my ‘daily’ blog – my excuse is that the build up to Christmas has been busy with moving Mum into a Rest home where she will get more care than the independent living of her other home. She was moved there two days ago, and is settling in well.

In the meantime, Christmas has been downplayed a bit this year. Not that I am sorry about that. In fact, it has been a very pleasant experience avoiding the crowds and the shopping centres, in favour of making my own gifts and baking. As much as possible I’ve done my quick trips out to get things, by bike. It’s been so much easier and more relaxing than most other years when I try and do more. I still managed to make the ginger shortbread I enjoy and the strawberry shortcake, both of which are long gone (Christmas bbq last Saturday). My normal contribution to the Christmas day feast are salads – and I’ve made the kumara, red onion and cranberry one already. This all means that I can wake up slowly tomorrow and calmly approach a day that will be rich with fellowship and the enjoyment of catching up with my cousin and family, my sister and her children, and my Mum later on. We always have a good time, and it is full of laughter and good food.

I’ve sat and watched a few of the old favourites on TV just now: Blackadder’s version of A Christmas Carol, Father Ted, and Graham Norton. What I have missed though, are carols. We sang a few last weekend at the church barbecue – I meet with some others in our homes around our neighbourhood – and we finished the year with a potluck outside. In the past, I’ve got my cello out and played the lower part and my sister has played her violin, and various friends join us if they have an instrument. Missed that this year.

Aside from the major shift for my Mum, the other highlight was receiving Rhonnie’s gift of the Outlander Season 2 costumes I’ll wear in coming memes, and at the Kiwi Gathering in April. It was a delicious moment unwrapping that parcel and bringing each gorgeously made garment out and trying it on. Google photos made a wee animation of the balldress:

And now I’m about to go to bed, happy that all is prepared – including these little truffles all wrapped and ready to be eaten tomorrow. Merry Christmas and God Bless Us Every One.