It’s cold
Mary and Roger shared my bed last night and didn’t want to get up this morning
Bun slept carefully between them, all three under the duvet.
Weaver left home for the night,
Hunting voles and shrews in the frost of the Church field no doubt.
I nurse a coffee in a mug my sister Janet gave me yesterday
Ann gave me a drone for Christmas, Janet a lovely metal robin and 10 tickets to the storyhouse cinema !
Nu sent personalised writing paper
What fun.
Before I leave the dark cottage , I’m pleased by the garland of Christmas Cards in the living room.
The last card received by hand delivery was from affable Despot Jason and family at teatime yesterday
It filled the room totally as if it was a key in a lock .
Bun plays in the discarded wrapping paper as I leave my cottage
My uniform over my arm, coffee in hand, right eye blurry as hell…..
I have decided that this is the last Christmas Day I will ever work as a nurse
43 years all told
No more
Merry Christmas to you, dear John! 🎄🎊
ReplyDeleteYou've done your share of that shift and more .
ReplyDeleteWeaver... independent and contrary..like some people!!
Happy Christmas..take care x
Happy Christmas John! I hope the day goes well even though you are at work. I also hope you will be able to enjoy the next Christmas day freely at home.
ReplyDeleteIt is a cold morning here too and quite still outside.
Happy Christmas John, Mary, Roger, Bun and Weaver.
ReplyDeleteYes, I think you should move over and let someone else do the Christmas shift from now on. They can't say you haven't given it time!
Hope today is filled with laughter, love and warmth. xx
I think that after 43 years, you have def. done your bit!!
ReplyDeleteI hope that you have an easy day and can at some point enjoy a large G and T . Merry Christmas. X
Merry Christmas John, to you and your family. Great decision - the best present to yourself. xxx
ReplyDeleteThere comes a time when you realise and decide that a job of any description just has to be relinquished and move on, which now you are fully qualified to do as a Counsellor, stride forward to life on your terms in 2026. Merry Christmas from Jan in Castle Gresley.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good feeling when you make a decision like that isn't it. Enjoy your last Christmas Day shift, I hope it's a good one. Happy Christmas John. 🎄xx
ReplyDeleteI’ve never done anything for 43 years! Well done. I’m smiling as I imagine Bun in the wrapping paper.
ReplyDeleteHope your last Christmas day shift goes well ! And you can relax with a G and T when you get home with your pets! X
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day and Happy Christmas John.
ReplyDeleteI had outpatient surgery yesterday (4 hours!) and tried to thank each and every nurse/doc/staff/security guard for working on Christmas Eve! They all looked surprised, interestingly. So 43 "thank you" to you, too.
ReplyDeleteCeci
43 years is definitely enough. Although I do quite miss having to work in the week between Christmas and New Year when I was getting fed up with being stuck in the house and a bit sick of my family!
ReplyDeleteWOW, John, what a wonderful gift to give yourself! Merry Christmas, John, and a very happy 2026 to you and your band of merry critters!
ReplyDeleteJoyeux noël, can't wait for the drone photos. Take care of yourself.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a good shift. It is such a relief not to work the Christmas Eve night shift which I did for years in a busy Maternity Hospital. No silent nights there, and sometimes more Herod than Wise Men.