What a year it's been this 2012. A Jubilee and the Olympics; a Jubilee birthday for me and the friends I was at school with, and the wonderful gift of a Grand-daughter.  I've a feeling 2013 has a lot to live up to. 

By and large, even years seem to be better than odd one's for us, and though I'm not superstious about the number 13 there aren't many predictions that things are going to improve nationally or internationally anytime soon, let alone in the small corner of the world we call home.   Despite her every effort M hasn't had as much as a sniffle in the last year and recovered with great speed from the accident which damaged her arm. In fact, with her indomitable will and self-assurance she could make a bid for world domination any day soon. I'm in no doubt whatsoever that she isn't going anywhere anytime soon, either into a nursing home or another place (- though if she could become a lodger with a friend in W*****, she'd go tomorrow) and I'm sure I shall be writing this just the same at the end of 2013 .  (Unless she's finished me off by then!)  The fact that she's phoned all her friends to announce that it was her last Christmas can be added to the last Christmas announcements she been making since 1995.  I hope the friend who was sent money for M's farewell lunch last year has had it in a savings account gaining interest above inflation or she may well land up out of pocket.

So here we stand at the gate of the year, looking back and looking forward.  I hope you will all have a happy New Year's celebration wherever you spend it and the year to come will bring you all the things you wish yourself.

Signing off...

The terrible light in this photo taken yesterday gives you some indication of how dull it's been outside.  Mercifully, we don't flood here but my heart goes out to everyone who has been.

The presents are wrapped (no prizes for guessing that the largest amount is for the smallest person), the food has been delivered by the nice man from Abel & Cole and the fridge is full to bursting.  The clementines above have already been reduced - well we had to try them out, and we've had the usual debates about whether we need more cheese, bread, sherry?  And H is proposing a trip to the French bakers tomorrow, so goodness knows what he'll come back with.  Tomorrow I shall do everything that can be done in advance - including cooking turkey for M who won't eat the duck we always have instead.

So, I hope you all have a lovely Christmas, and I'll be back next year. X