Dear Carol and Billy.
I'm up early as it is Deana's day to go to the market.  It is already 32° and it's only 7am.  Not sure what it is suppoed to reach today but guessing quite warm.  We used the aircon for the first time this summer yesterday as it was 37°.  I feel for you with it so cold and dark there.  I have Bree's kids sorted for Christmas I was unaware, but Colby is doing archery and wants a bow so sending money for a bow as he wants his own.  Sebastian and Stevie both do dance so putting some toward their fees.  and will just get them something small to open on Christmas Day.  They will barely even notice they haven't got a bigger present from me.
Sunday at Anam Cara was a lot quieter, still busy but at least had time for a short break with a cuppa.
When I got home Nick and Deana had put the lights up outside and set on a timer so they automatically come on at 8pm.  They are so pretty, I'm surprised though that ours is the only house in the street with lights up for Christmas this year, usually there are a lot more.
I'm not sure it would be easy to stop worrying once you've had cancer, even if they say is hasn't grown or there is no sign of it.  I've got to write some Christmas cards today., at least most of them I can deliver only a couple to post which should still get there.  Sorry to hear your gym has closed, presenting you from attending.  Tomorrow I will have Eli, so should get any cards done while he is napping that don't get done today.  Then Thursday I am going to Bree's, she will do my nails (she is still training but the last set she did nearly 3 weeks ago are still great apart from the growth of my nails) in a Christmas design.  Can't wait to see what she does,  Tonight I have the Rotary Christmas Dinner in Beeac (only 10-15 min drive from Colac), they usually do a lovely meal, so that shoujld be good.  The rest of the week should be fairly quiet until Sat.  Looking forward to a couple of quiet days to relax.

Billy,  Hoping you get positive results from the blood tests that have been done, and they can sort out what you need.    Hope your Christmas in wonderful also and have a safe happy New Year to you and Bren.

Take care, love to all.  Sue xx

 

Dear Sue, we have sunshine today although it's still only 6 degrees!  So I went to town and got my money back, everything is the same so I'll wait until next year.  I ordered four things from Phase 8 and they are sending each one separately to  hub box in Darlington, we've just collected one and then a text saying they couldn't deliver the next one, what a carry on having to re book it if it happens again I'll scream!  My Internet has gone on my phone so I'm still waiting for a call back so all this technology is driving me bonkers.  I texted Ray to see why Dorothy was upset and he said she doesn't talk much now and misses her friends, so, so sad that she is suffering due to this not seeing anyone, it's getting harder not easier.  I bumped into a lady in town who I recognised but couldn't remember her name, Carol, she said, you never change!  Hubby laughed when I told him, ask her her name next time he instructs, I can't do that it looks like I don't know who she is, but you don't, he says sensibly, so what would you do girls, ask next time or carry on the charade for the few times you meet?  Ella face timed us last night, I love you so much she says, can I teleport myself there, have a hug and then go home, my heart breaks but is happy knowing we are all safe.  Sue, have a wonderful time at your meal, send us a photo of you dressed up and going out, we've forgotten what it looks like.  My nails are a cherry red, toe nails as well, Margaret said why get toes done, my reply, matching underwear and matching manicure is a must in case I get run over, she says I'm mad.  Sue's tongue is very sore and she is sick of a mushy diet, roll on Christmas day when she can munch her lunch.  So take care all. Love Carol x 

So the weather has scuppered my plans again, Margaret and I were going to meet outside and have coffee but it's pouring down with sleet, hubby came down about ten thirty and asked why we had got up in the middle of the night!  My Alaskan bear eyemask is brilliant it's like wearing a blackout curtain over your face, it stops me getting tram lines on my face from the pillow and is the best nine pounds spent this year.  So my Phase 8 delivery has turned into Nightmare on Elm Street, the amount of texts, go to this website, re book, enter all the numbers blah blah has driven me bonkers, I rang customer service and she looked at it and said, ooh that looks complicated!  So I've demanded my money back or they can sort it, I've just had another text, one item has been successfully delivered, only two more to go, I will not hold my breath.  We've just done a round Robin Christmas card drop off, anymore cards and they've had it, bah humbug!  Hubby picked up new spectacles the other day, he couldn't see through them, back he went, they had tested his eyes wrong, so he's off too get them now.  This reminds me of going to a new optician once, I have a lazy eye from when I contacted measles aged three, so obviously it's got worse over seventy years, this means I have very little sight in my right eye, my left does all the work.  So I went to try them on and couldn't see anything!  Go for a walk the optician's said and get used to them, but I can't see I exclaimed, you'll get used to them he said, most people do, anyway being me I refused to leave because I was basically blind!  He went and got another optician who checked me out, they had put my left lens in my right eye and vice versa, no wonder I could not see!  Harry face timed, the tree looked wonderful and he climbed the ladder to put the star on whilst I watched, Zippy was running under the tree and knocking all the baubles off but got fed up and started chewing Daddies slipper instead.  Harry said I had the loveliest face a Grandma could have, he lives in my heart.  Roll on being vacinated I can't wait to hug my three gorgeous grandchildren and never let them go.  Much love, Carol x 

As I came out the shower this morning I heard an almighty crash and knew straight away that my one and only bone China cup that I have morning coffee in had bit the dust.  I'm sorry hubby shouts up the stairs I've smashed your cup!  So my first job of the day was to get the hoover out to collect all the tiny bone shards scattered across our tiled floor.  We were going to Stockton to buy new ones when Margaret rang, she was on the way back from her sisters grave and was upset, come for coffee I say and we had a big hug and a good chat and I listened whilst she reminisced about Maureen.  I know we broke the rules but we have stayed safe in our bubbles and she was a friend in need.  She is also concerned that Charlotte won't make it home from London tomorrow and as I am now listening to the new broadcast she will soon know, I am so pleased we made a decision months ago to not see anyone or we would both be so heartbroken.  So stay safe, Carol x 

Hi Carol and everyone else on this thread.

I just wanted to pop in to wish you all the best for Christmas, despite all the restrictions. I gave up on A normal Christmas, this year, so no cards, presents or turkeys. I've given the money, I would normally spend, to charities whose need is far greater than any of my friends. We are having Chinese for Christmas dinner. My daughter has ordered a banquet to be delivered to my house on Christmas Eve, and we will reheat it next day. In fact the only thing I've done that bears a resemblance to earlier Christmas times is get in lots of chocolates for my daughter and me.  I'm lucky that she only lives a couple of miles away and we have been in a bubble so can see each other.

Billy, I really hope your results are good, I was a bit worried by your silence. Have as good as day as you can on Christmas Day. Bren is lucky to have you.  Lots of love to you both. 

Sue, have a wonderful hot Christmas Day. It's hard to imagine it at the moment. Thank you for your letting a stranger like me feel as though I'm hearing from a friend. and Carol, without your diligence in keeping this blog going we would all have a little less to look forward to. Thank you, I love reading about your family and friends 

Thank goodness that we, at least, have the technology to keep in touch with people all over the world.  This year would have been far more scary and depressing without the good old Internet! Here's to 2021 and hope it brings us back to family life as we know it.

Christine xxx
 

Dear friends, that includes anyone on or reading this thread, well here we go, Charlotte got out of London along with hundreds of others trying to beat the midnight lockdown, Margaret is so relieved and she will stay for sometime.  Lisa rang, Harry says he is missing me so much she was going to drive here over Christmas so we could see each other, not anymore I say, I know my daughter well and felt she would try this, I am relieved that she can't come, 600 miles for one day in all that traffic would put us all on edge, sad but that's how it has to be, we are face timing tomorrow as Mummy and Daddy are working all day.  Faye rang, we both love Strictly so discussed who would win, neither of us thought Bill Bailey but what a joy he was to watch.  Hubby didn't look too well last night, he has a niggly cough but it is cold and the weather affects him so much.  This has been my one regret that he has been so well but my family have not been able to see him, we all know we are living on borrowed time so it is hard but if there is one thing I have learned along the way it is that you can't change things no matter how hard you worry and wish you could.  We are both safe, our family are home in their bubbles and although we don't agree with the way this is going railing against it doesn't help.  Christine, so pleased you gave us an update, I enjoy writing this as it always gets my worries and anxieties out of my head, I sometimes think I'm writing in cyber space but someone must read my ramblings!  I'll keep posting if it helps, I do feel as though I have helped, I have people on private messaging who have, or parents have lung cancer and it helps to explain how you can live with stage 4 and have a life, although limited.  Take care, Carol x 

Dear Carol,

It's been a busy week,  Our hot weather didn't last too long it was much cooler by Wednesday.  We had a lovely Rotary dinner on Tuesday, and we had a Christmas Trivia quiz as not everyone was in favour of a Kris Kringle.  The Beeac Hotel really does a lovely meal.  Then Wednesday I had Eli, Thursday I was up early to go to Melbourne, Bree and I had a lovely day, she did my nail, I spent some time with the kids, then visited a girlfriend, didn't get home till really late, then Friday errands, a bit of shopping, bought a ham and turkey for Christmas day, a stint in Deana's shop while she did some deliveries.  We had a lovely banquet for tea, The last one they were doing for this year.  As usual it was late when we finished as there is just so much food.  Sat came and as I'd been so busy with too many early mornings after my busy weekend I slept till late, watched Eli for a bit while NIck did flower deliveries for Deana, then went to Melbourne for Neil's old work Christmas Function, so another late night, but it was so good catching up with friends that I really haven't seen most of this year.  Today I've caught up on a lot, chores, washing, which hadn't been done all week.  Got all mny cards delivered except 1, I have to buy a stamp for it as I ran out and the PO isn't open on Sundays.  I did buy myself a bottle of perfume, something different this time, Oscar de la Renta.
I'm hoping Sydney's covid cases don't spread to Victoria, They have about 70 cases over the last few days, so most Australian states are restricting travel from there.  How is it going in the UK, are numbers dropping at all.  I can't get over the fact that the optician got the lenses in your glasses back the front.  Talking about Christmas trees, I asked Bree about hers as the Christmas star was at a funny angle on the side of the tree, she tells me one of their cats (Hex, she is nearly all black apart from two white feet) climbs to the top and knocks it down, apparently she doesn't like it on top of the tree.  We keep picking up baubles that have been played with all over the house, but at least the cats are only knocking a few from the lower branches off the tree.  Harry sounds wonderful, such a sweetie.  I have a few fine bone china cups, or even mugs that I use, I hate stoneware and anything that's too chunky for a nice cup of tea or even coffee.  I broke a few rules also when out, I hugged and even kissed a few, and we aren't supposed to do that either, but sometimes it's just the right thing to do,  I'm really sorry you won't have family with you for Christmas, that will be hard,  You'll have to face time them at the very least,  Hopefully this time next year, this Christmas will be a distant memory and we will all be looking forward to a Christmas spent with all our loved ones.

Take care and love to all.  Sue xxxx

Dear Sue, Boris has cancelled Christmas!  We now have a new mutant strain and basically everyone is in another tier.  Faye rang 5.3pm Saturday and went in the bath before Strictly come dancing and when she got out she was in tier 4, she said to Gordy, I didn't even know there was a tier 4, well there is now.  So iff she dashed to the shops as from midnight (like a reverse Cinderella story) all non essential shops, restaurants, pubs were shut.  She had a walk out yesterday and said one if the pubs in town had abandoned half drunk wine bottles, glasses, bags of uneaten crisps and half drunk beer on the tables outside, she said it was like the Marie Celeste of the high seas.  We are now the pariah of Europe, no tunnel, ferry ir plane travel, we are locked up on our Island.  I've just read a funny letter in the paper, it's from Crook in County Durham which is not far from us, he said they have more sheep than people but are now in tier 3.  We'll at least you are getting out and about, which is lovely, I so am sometime hoping we can all meet before we fade away.  My car is at my brothers garage today, I was meant to stay with Karen but she rang and said I had to sit at the other end of the table and she was worried about me going.  That was fine by me, she smokes like a trouper, I would have died of smoke inhalation before covid.  So I'm off to collect my car and then home again, the weather is foggy and wet so I'll be glad to get home off the motorway.  I'm all done now, Sarah has been, all the cards have gone, all our presents are under the tree and all I need is a pudding, Lisa bought one from Harry's school, but it was so big and heavy she didn't post it, keep it I said, well have it when we finally meet.  Take care, love Carol x 

Dear all, what misery is being inflicted on us now?!  Lisa has gone into tier 4 as is Faye.  Faye face timed me earlier we actually had a conversation without Ella interrupting.  Faye received a home made Christmas card from the little girl on the autistic spectrum that she taught at school, her parents had written a beautiful thank you to Faye inside,  little  present and the school had sent flowers as she has now left their employ, how lovely that during this horrible time they kindly thought of her.  She was telling me that she took her CRB form into the new school, met the lady she will be working with who scrutinised it and looked at Faye saying, we're you born in Darlington, yes she says, so was I she exclaimed!  So they were raised seven miles away from each other and although they moved 230 miles away they will be working together, life is so funny.  Hubby has not had a good night, he has terrible pain in his leg and slept badly, he looks worn out and I'm pleased we will be on our own as he is not up to being jolly.  This always happens before holidays, I think its what is called Sods Law.  Well that's it today, take care, Carol x