It's that time again!

Yes, that time already. Time is speeding up; the familiar markers of the year have rushed through at an alarming rate. No sooner has the Summer Solstice been and gone but the family birthdays fly past, then my own, and all of a sudden the Winter Solstice is upon us too. And then Christmas arrives and my usual uncertainty as to what day of the week it is gets worse than ever.

Anyway, it's here, as is the family. The house is a chaotic mess and full of toys, noise, laundry and ridiculous amounts of food. We will be one person more this year; our friend who is seriously sick has refused to accept the barely-credible bad behaviour of her own adult children for a moment longer, and has agreed to spend Christmas with us, where she knows she is loved. She is making the long drive this afternoon. We will be bursting at the seams, but who cares. Loving kindness is the best gift of all, I think.

Baby E is no longer a baby, but a talkative toddler in love with us all, including the dog ("Hallo, Foshie!" innumerable times a day) and the cats ("Cootie gone!" - as Scooter flees from his enthusiastic advances). We are all in love with him too, despite the occasional mega-strop, and highly amused by him. He orders us about - we usually obey, although Flossie is largely oblivious to his stern instructions to sit, eat, not eat, or how his toys are "Mine! Not Foshie!" We walk on beaches, gaze in wonder on our local steam trains, and have intense conversations about diggers....

  
I hope this season will prove to be festive for you too; after the general ghastliness of this past year, we must all be wishing for a calmer, saner, more loving year to come, but also bracing ourselves for whatever lies ahead.

Wishing you all warmth and love and kindness; Happy Christmas and see you in 2018!