Solstice lunch

V and I went out for a pub lunch to celebrate the holidays beginning and him feeling stronger.  We went to the pub in this charming valley side village at the bottom of an incredibly steep hill and had a delicious risotto.  Not very christmassy!  We then went into Petworth to look at the shops and lights which were all lovely. Bought some beautiful Amaryllis which always feel chic and Christmas to me. 

Coming back through Midhurst,  Cowdray ruins were lit up and a Christmas festival fair going on next to it.  It’s the Solstice!  Here’s to claiming back the light from the darkness as winter also deepens.  

Supper in front of the fire..V went to bed early and I watched a BAFTA documentary from my list (new voting rules)  about St Helena which was rather solemn but occasionally interesting.   Who knew that the British fleets in 1807, having embraced abolition, intercepted slave ships on the way to the Americas but rather than taking them back to Africa from where they’d left only a couple of weeks before, diverted them to St Helena where they were put in ‘hospitals’ and camps and largely died.  With just few hanging on to create descendants in the contemporary population.  

All this whilst exchanging WhatsApp messages with the brothers about my mother’s phone situation.