Christmas Day

With two marriages behind me, as well as the Minx and seven children in my life, you can imagine Christmas is a logistically hectic time. Although, once sorted, I have to say that it has all worked out pretty well so far, this year. 

I started off this morning in Chorley with the Minx and then headed north to meet my big girls at the cottage for fizz, presents and lunch. I must say that I loved them when they were little, got off fairly lightly during the teenage years, and now find myself with four young people whose company I adore. I'm always thrilled to be with them.

Dan and Abi were dropped off at 4pm, bringing with them two brilliant presents from their mum and her partner: a Gretsch guitar (for Dan) and a beautiful electric ukulele in the style of a sunburst Les Paul (for Abi). Fantastic. And then we all had more presents before settling down to wait for my parents. 

It was roughly around that time that I took this photo. Dan is playing music, as usual, Charlie is on the floor reading, Izzy is working, wearing her hat from Dan (to make her a "strawberry blonde") and Milly, well, Milly is fast asleep. She works two shifts a day, five days a week, saving up for her six-month trip to Canada with her boyfriend, Evan, which starts next month. I think she's tired a lot of the time but she shares her sisters' play hard ethic, too, which doesn't help.


I enjoyed these couple of hours before my folks arrived, just me and my six kids. Although, that said, it was great later on, too, when we were all sat around chatting: a big noisy Christmas, full of love, is exactly what I wanted.