I feel whole again after hospice shifts which have proven challenging in ways you never expect .
Because of my experience and gender, I often work with the more challenging patients at work, yet I have the same mental mechanisms and reserves as everyone else, so downtime today has been therapeutic and necessary
My sister plated a lovely dinner for me today followed by a fuck off sherry trifle to die for.
Kay, from work, got her chef husband to plate me up a wonderful dinner too as did a friend from the village who left me a selection of Tupperwared goodies worthy of a Queen’s Ransom, left on the ubiquitous kitchen wall.
I’m watching the Kylie concert from The Albert Hall which is nose to nipple with gay men and I will be going to bed soon ….
The dogs are crammed in close
But I concede that the cottage needs a cat again ….
A friend’s Queen mother has given birth late in the season and will be looking for homes in the new year
I was too tired to go to my sister’s house last night, and mooched on the couch.
Dorothy was indignant at Mary’s entrance and sniffed around her with the expression
“ Where the fuck have YOU been!!!”
We shared a bowl of pigs in blankets and watched old reruns of The Great British Bake off when Mary Berry had longer hair and Hollywood looked like a car salesman .
Today! After a glorious lie in, I drove down to my sister’s but missed my nephew and family by minutes. I bought them theatre tickets to a Liverpool theatrical comedy “all the family would enjoy” ( which means I’d hate it)
My sisters did me proud with some lovely gifts , which I opened when I got home. ( a treat as I get bizarrely embarrassed when opening gifts in public)
The gifts included vouchers for the Storyhouse and a dvd of Giselle which tickled me pink!!!
It’s Christmas Day and it is as dark as night. Roger and Dorothy are with me down the lane. Mary is sat in Bluebell, ears pricked. She is coming to work with me today .
Bitches fall out sometimes and never forget a spat, and poor Iwan ( Trendy Carol’s Husband ) found himself in the middle of a noisy bitch fight yesterday, which was unfortunate .
To help with frayed nerves, my old girl will be coming to work with me , and will be spending time sleeping in Bluebell and being walked and loved and cooed over by a plethora of Hospice staff, patients and visitors.
Dorothy is too excitable in the car and will bark incessantly during the 3/4 of an hour journey , not something I can cope with on Christmas Morning , so Mary it is.
But at the moment it’s just me, Roger and Dotty
And the dark lane , in uncharacteristic warm weather.
A barn owl , huge and almost silent swoops over our heads but is missed by the dogs in their sniffing, I watch it in awe….
I’m tired and have not slept well
2023 is coming towards its end and I’m going to think about that over coffee before I leave
I want 2024 to be a happier year, but I’m dammed to know just how I make that happen
I was four cards short in the living room Christmas card Garland 😰🎅🏼🌲🌈🎄🥃🎊🍷🍹
The sound worm in my head today. One of the doctors at work has been singing it incessantly, I’m sending a bit of silliness to reader Virginia who perhaps needs the diversion today🎄
Chic Eleanor texted me yesterday afternoon and like a teenager would suggest thumbed an exciting
“Meet you in The Crown in ten minutes” text!
Luckily I was holding my phone when she messaged
We arrived together
It was lovely,
“I do look a sight darling I’m in my scruffs” she shared breathlessly
I thought she looked magnificent,
Even her pashmina looked Christmassy
We stopped at the pub for a good hour and half before leaving for home
Hug fest in the car park before we parted.
She made my day, as she so often does.
So today….
The final village cards will be delivered . A book to Mrs Trellis, cards to the Manley’s and to others.
Jackson Nurseries which lie just outside village delivered a pot of spring bulbs to every house in the village, a tradition which is a sweet one.
Before she skipped off home, Eleanor gave me a tiny gift in the shape of a felt heart
“It’s for your first Christmas Tree next year” she cooed
“Now you have enough decorations, no there’s no excuse”
I thought about the beautiful iridescent glass bauble, the magnificent rubber chicken and now the heart, and a score of others put away in drawers and boxes and in the tea caddy on my desk
