Mid-May Christmas

One of the things that upset me the most in the past year and more was the acceptance of the idea that we weren’t going to be able to spend Christmas with our family. So many losses - freedom, music, eating out, holidays shunted into the long grass - but spending Christmas on our own for the very first time just felt unbearably sad.

We’ve just made up for it. We got to Newhaven after some epic traffic jams in time to change into slightly more festive gear (eg dangly earrings)before pink champagne (laCastellane - my favourite), a present (a book about the Orient Express) and a great dinner that included fondant potatoes and pigs in blankets...

My #2 son is an amazing cook. I can’t begin to tell you how it was to eat and drink and laugh and talk to my amazingly grown-up granddaughters and not be responsible for any of it ...

What I can tell you is that writing this on my phone after more wine than I’ve had in months is quite a trial. I shall desist forthwith...