Something special.

Today my mother would’ve been 100 years old. Born Christmas Eve, 1920. Sadly she died over 20 years ago. The house where she was born is long demolished, my younger son plays rugby nearby. She’d a good happy life with my late father. She was a kind woman, and good mother and grandmother.

This is a cherished piece of her jewellery. She regularly wore it. She loved it, and I do too - I bought for her when I worked overseas at the beginning of the 1980s. It’s an Oncidium - The Golden Shower orchid - also know as the Dancing Lady orchid. It’s a popular flower in Singapore and it grows freely. In the 1970s a young Singaporean scientist discovered a way to encapsulate orchids in gold; this was taken forward by Risis the jewellers - their business has flourished.

We were out for a duvet jacket walk this afternoon when our younger son texted to say the Brexit agreement had now been reached. Absolutely not in my name.

U.K. coronavirus cases over 39000, and just short of 600 deaths today. Scotland 1314 and 43 respectively. Not good news on Christmas Eve.

We’re ready for Christmas 2020. Looking forward to safely enjoying what we have, and what we can, with those most important.