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
Todays hospice staff
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.
Merry Christmas! I did 44 years as hospital RN and worked many holidays as no family. On a med/ surg unit the time was usually good on Christmas as many visitors for patients to keep them occupied. So happy now that I’m retired. So cool you got a drone…. And such nice gifts. It’s been about 15 years since I’ve had any gifts to open on Christmas. Happy that the holiday will be over.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas John and to all of your co-workers!
ReplyDeleteHugs, Bun
Merry Christmas and a quiet New Year. I worked for 42 years, at an office job, not medical. Still, it just hit me one day, that I had enough. Best decision I ever made. Enjoy your new drone - can't wait to see pictures of the town.
ReplyDeleteIf I were in hospice today I would want to see crew like yours—and your sweater too! 😄
ReplyDeleteWell done you, for 43 rich years!
A blessed season ahead to you ❤️
Merry Christmas, John! And a special skritch on the head for Mary, Roger, Bun and yes, even Weaver provided she doesn't bite me for it.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas and thank you for working Christmas Day, so many Christmas days.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas John. Yes, 43 years is quite enough. I will be alone today. It is the first time in 84 years that I have been alone on Christmas. Son Tom and wife Julie are spending the holiday on the Gulf of Mexico (YES, Mexico not America) and my plans to spend a couple of days with daughter Tracy have been shot down with her coming down with Covid for the first time ever. She is no longer contagious but feels rotten and we will have our Christmas on Saturday with her, son-in-law and their 3 adult children, that is, unless, SIL hasn't come down with it yet. They live far enough from me that I always spend the night. So today I will make the most of a bad situation. I have a chicken to roast, will make real mashed potatoes, my southern style green beans with bacon and onion cooked in, and some sinfully rich eggnog with a splash of bourbon for dessert. I have a good book to read for entertainment. Merry Christmas John, and to all of your other followers the same.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas John.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, dear John! I do believe you have paid your dues when it comes to nursing. Onwards!
ReplyDeleteCelebrate that last Christmas Day shift!!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, John, and an even merrier Christmas next year when you'll get to sleep in.
ReplyDeleteWhat a jolly group of nurses are working with you today - and your sweater is not only glorious, it won't show stains!
ReplyDeleteHappy last Christmas shift!!
How are Mary and Roger doing at work or did they stay in bed?
Am so glad I found you and your wonderful blog years ago now as you and folks here add delight to my days! Thank you all.
Merry Christmas and God bless us, everyone!
Hugs!
Merry Christmas, John!!!🎄 sending love and Christmas hugs! Carol in Atlanta
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, John! xo
ReplyDeleteI always worked Christmas when we had the stores as we didn’t expect the other staff to do it. It was always our busiest day of the year and enjoyed the hustle. I am now spending my 7th Christmas alone, listening to bagpipes. Thank you for all the holidays you have worked so that those with children could stay home for them. You deserve it to be your last one, you have done your time. Merry Christmas to you and the crew. Gigi
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas. Thank you for your blog. It gives pleasure to so many.
ReplyDelete