Christmas 2022

Hello, again! Finally :)

Thank you all so much for all your kind comments and messages on my previous post, both privately and on here. You have all been so kind, especially as I have been absent from this space for a little while. It will be time for a good catch up in the next few days, but first I thought I should write a few lines before this year ends. 

I have enjoyed a lovely Christmas. Simple and relaxed, which is just how I like it to be. The last day of school term came around very quickly in the end, and the very next day we were on our way to Edinburgh to visit the Christmas markets. If you have been reading here a while, you might remember this trip was originally planned for Christmas 2021, but I made the decision to postpone due to the constraints of travelling etc. I have to say, Edinburgh looked beautiful all decorated for Christmas. The markets were bustling, but not too crowded and everyone looked to be having a wonderful time. Our hotel was excellent, and we were staying right in the centre of the city, so we were ideally located for seeing the sights and visiting the markets. Everything was fine until the second evening. We had already enjoyed a ride on the carousel and I booked for us to go ice skating, which is something we love to do at this time of year. Once we had been kitted out, Lily sped off confidently and I followed at a slightly more controlled pace :) It felt good to be back on the ice again. Everyone was having fun, even those who could barely stand. Christmas music was playing and it was all so very festive. Then it happened. Almost as though in slow motion, I could see a young woman begin to stumble quite close to me. Then as I slowed, gently swerving to avoid her, she tried to steady herself by grabbing hold of me, but instead I was pulled right down, onto the cold hard ice, on my back. I was in pain, and the impact left me feeling badly shaken and nauseous. After a minute or two I was able to stand and a very nice young man came to assist me off the ice, by which time it was clear I wasn't seriously injured, just very badly bruised and in shock - thank goodness! It could have been so much worse.  

The following morning it was also becoming increasingly obvious that I was finally succumbing to the cold virus which had been doing the rounds at work. Smiling to myself, as I had been telling my colleagues for the last few weeks that it would get me just in time for Christmas :) I just found it odd, that rather than feeling the need to 'feed' this cold, I had lost my appetite instead, wondering if perhaps I was still just feeling shaken up by my accident. On arriving home I thought I should take a covid test, just to rule it out, only to discover I had a positive result!

As you might expect, I have been having to take things easy since then. Thankfully, my mild Covid symptoms have completely disappeared, but I now realise my sore back is going to take a while longer to recover.

It was still a lovely Christmas, I just made some adjustments. I didn't bake my own bread on Christmas Eve, I bought an iced sponge cake from the supermarket and Lily had the important task of adding the festive embellishments, I didn't bake the mince pies until the 28th and nobody even noticed! The door wreath never materialised. Lessons learned - I really dont have to try and do it all. The girls were here for Christmas Dinner, and all in all it was a very relaxed affair. We managed to get out for a short walk in the woods on Boxing Day but the wet weather has seen us spending most of our days at home. 

Boo has been very well behaved and all the Christmas decorations remain intact. The house is in disarray, the kitchen cupboards contain far too much chocolate and the coffee table is hidden beneath the usual pile of Christmas detritus. I have been procrastinating for as long as possible, but I think I will need to tidy it all up very soon.

I am still feeling rather fragile, but intend to concentrate on building up my strength over the next few weeks. 

Thank you, again, for always taking the time to stop by and read my little blog. Sending warm wishes to you and yours for the coming New Year. May it bring you peace, joy and happiness. 

J. X