NEW YEAR NEWSLETTER. 2010.
Happy New Year to all my readers! I hope you’ve had a good festive season and ready for the challenges of 2010! Out of the Noughties and into the Tensions…
By heck it’s been cold here, two foot of snow and ice, one crashed car and the central heating packed up on Christmas Eve for starters. Then we got stuck in and couldn’t collect our son from the airport flying in from the USA, panic all round but the good old railways came to the rescue as they have done for many of our neighbours.
Our guests having being re living 1950s lives: wood fires, fan heaters, hot water bottles and lots of broths and comfort food. We’ve grown soft over the years as we reminded ourselves of childhoods with chilblains, ice on the inside of the window, drying clothes round the fire and layers of vests and socks in bed. All very well if you’re fit and well and can walk up a head of steam in the fresh air but how our old grannies must have suffered.
But they had real tweed and wool clothing and long combinations, corsets, flannel nightdresses and stone hot water bottles. I could have done with a few of those myself.
Now it’is time to face a pile of editorial revisions for Winter’s Children and must think up a new story for next year but not before I dismantle Christmas sadly; cards and decorations, trimmings and a pile of half eaten bits in the fridge before they sit on my ribs for another six months.
This has been the first proper winter for years. Chances are if it continues are water supply will freeze up and that’s not funny but one magical memory will be of singing carols on a starlit night, scrunching through the snow with lanterns and being topped up with brandy and mulled wine en route. The singing got rowdier as we neared the end but we finished as usual by the little war memorial singing “ In the Bleak Midwinter” recalling all the absent friends and family no longer able to join us there and especially the names on the fountain of the young men who never got to have a family Christmas again. Sadly that is a reality felt by many this Christmas tide.
Thank you for your greetings and comments. I do value hearing from you.
Have a good year!
Leah
