The great day will soon be upon us, so a happy Christmas to you all.
Ours started last Monday when we went to the tiny Norfolk village of Thursford to see the Thursford Spectacular, a three hour show of glitz and glamour, with amazing music, singing and dancing. An experience to remember, made all the better for us because we had lots of friends with us and Ian coped well. He flagged towards the end of the second half so we made a hasty exit, but once we were home again and he’d had the ubiquitous cup of tea, he was fine.
Today we went to see his consultant surgeon at the hospital and were told that Ian has progressed very well since his operation and can now do anything he likes, even play golf. He has to get a bit fitter to contemplate that, but it was the best news for Christmas we could have had.
My only church duty this weekend is to lead the midnight service on Christmas Eve, then I’m off until the new year so am planning to enjoy the break. Becki and Alex are going to cook Christmas dinner (or so they say) while Ian and I take our ease, apparently. I’ll believe it when I see it. Then we all go over to Fiona and Stuart on Thursday, for yet another Christmas celebration.
Meanwhile I staggered round Tesco this morning after the hospital visit, for the final Christmas shop. The shopping was fine, but I then stood in the checkout queue for thirty-five minutes, which was less fine. Oh well. Has to be done.
Tomorrow morning we pick up the turkey (yes, a genuine Norfolk bronze) and all the trimmings and vegetables from the local farm shop, then that’s it on the shopping front, hopefully for the rest of the year. Feels good writing that – no more shopping in 2011!
So a happy Christmas to you all. Enjoy your families if you have them, and have a wonderful time.
Things are looking up in the Scott household. Ian grows stronger daily, and this week managed to walk to the shop and back without looking grey and half-dead.
The Christmas cards are written and posted, and with my new pink laptop (an early Christmas present to myself – and yes, the colour is important!) I was able to mail merge and thus run off typed address labels, which made life hugely easier.
On a sadder note, it’s our next-door neighbour’s funeral tomorrow. I’m taking it, and am pleased to be doing so since it feels like one last thing I can do for him. He was the best neighbour you could ever hope to have; we would often come up from Pulham on my day off to find the grass had been cut, the bins put out, and on one occasion after a holiday, the patio had been pressure washed and the front step beautifully repaired. We’ll all miss him in this Close.
For us, Christmas starts tomorrow when our youngest daughter returns from Belgium and will be staying until January 4th. On Monday a group of us from the Close and some friends are all going to the Thursford Christmas Spectacular. This is an amazing Christmas show, put on in a tiny village in North Norfolk and attracting thousands from all over the country and beyond. It’s a unique mixture of sacred and secular, and is a truly stupendous sight. As we used to live near Thursford we went every year in the early days, but since moving away hadn’t been for years. Last year we were offered a couple of tickets and loved the show so much that I immediately bought tickets for the Close. The shows are so popular that you need to order tickets in January for the following Christmas in order to get good seats.
I have two carol services coming up in which the choir is involved, then on Christmas Eve am helping out at the midnight service, before an early rise next morning to get the turkey in the oven.
It’s a family occasion. Our son will be coming on Christmas Day, then during the following week we’ll all troop over to older daughter’s to have another Christmas with them (and this after granddaughter’s sixth birthday on Saturday. She’ll be high for weeks.)
All in all, a great time. I love Christmas.
Every day I notice small improvements in Ian’s condition. The scar (about fifteen inches long, all down his chest and abdomen) has healed well, and every day he does a little more. Yesterday he had his first short walk around the Close where we live. It’s only about a hundred yards, but he made it once in the morning and again in the afternoon.
Today’s achievements are two-fold. This morning he cut his toenails (OK, I did rather screw up my face at the thought of that particular job) but it was such an effort that he had to lie on the bed again afterwards.
Later this morning he decided to walk to the shop and back. The shop is a two-minute walk away in normal times, but for him it was twenty minutes. I was just about to go out and look for him when he staggered through the door looking grey. I think it was a little too ambitious, but at least he made it.
Tonight I’m going out to choir practice. It will be the first time I’ve left him alone, but I think he’ll be fine. Tomorrow I’m going to spend an hour at the church fete (signing books) and on Sunday will drive into Norwich for a slot on Radio Norfolk’s Sunday programme. That’ll take about an hour, all told.
So we’re getting there. Today I resumed some of my writing and am hoping now to write properly – when I’ve done the Christmas cards. That’ll take forever, but I do enjoy Christmas and love receiving cards so really do need to write some.
Sadly, our lovely next door neighbour died last night. He’d had only a short illness, so we’re all a bit stunned by his loss. He’ll be greatly missed. The family have asked me to take the service, which will be a real privilege.
Life is gradually returning to normal – and how precious it seems.