There is so much to tell, so much has been happening and there is a juicy post coming up (when I can find the lead to download pictures off my camera). We have just spent quality time in the mountains with family and friends (unfortunately only 3 days and 2 nights). A really special time with Mike and the boys (and Hayley and Kim), Caroline and Steve, my friend Cheryl from New Zealand, Kathy and her boys, my sister and her family, my brother and Lucie, my mum and Rob and Rob's son and daughter-in-law down from Kenya - 23 of us in all!! We then left the family on Christmas Eve and headed home. We have just had the quietest and simplest Christmas ever - (ham rolls for lunch and my first glass of wine at 8.30 (pm) after another roll (with cheese this time)). Most important to was get home to spend some time with Michael's mother who is not in good shape but still pretty amazing for a nearly 93 year old.
Anyway last night I was listening to some Christmas music and getting a tad nostalgic (again). My favourite Christmas song (I know you won't all agree) is Fairytale of New York which always reminds me of the wonderful rendition Nic and Bielle sang about 3 or 4 years ago (maybe that is why it is now my favourite).
I was trying very hard to get my emails working and gave up in frustration. After pouring my second glass of wine Michael and I settled down to watch some television. A bonus of Ricky Gervais on Graham Norton and then the Michael McIntyre show.
What a co-incidence....
As I closed my eyes last night I prayed for the first time in awhile (it was the first time in over 10 years that we did not make it to church with Helen on Christmas morning). Although pretty tired I lay there for ages thinking and praying and then getting sidetracked in between. I said thanks for my very special family and wonderful friends, a husband who is always behind me to support and listen, three sons who have not had an easy 18 months but have come through stronger, Gareth who keeps us laughing, Nic who wrote amazing positive tributes to everyone around the Christmas table that were so special, Matt who embraces everything with open arms and went to so much trouble organising the Mexican themed dinner, Caroline who just gets stuck in and is always there to help, my mum who holds it all together (and tells us when to sit down and "eat before it gets cold"), my sister who trudges on with a smile (and a cackle) no matter what is thrown at her, a brother who is like an extra son, nieces who are like my daughters and add so much to our lives, Kathy and her boys, who are and act like brothers with my boys, Cheryl who kept us in continual fits of laughter and slotted right in like she had always been there (wish she was) - the list went on but then, like it often does in the middle of the night, you start thinking about things like - I hope Nic has arrived safely in Nature's Valley and then you think bad thoughts about the roads and what if something has happened and now it was too late to phone him and then because it is the middle of the night everything seems so much worse, and then about Helen (Mike's mom) and how I hope that she will hang in until her two sons from Canada and Boston arrive in a couple of weeks (it is so difficult to judge just how long she can carry on and she seems so small and helpless) so I prayed a bit more for family that are getting older, family that are far away, friends that are travelling and friends who have health issues and, of course, happiness for everyone too and then you get a bit afraid because so often you think that you have too much good in your life and something has to go wrong and that you do not deserve to be so lucky.
Thank goodness it was not too much longer until my sleeping tablet kicked in (don't tell my mother) and I awoke to another beautiful day in Cape Town and an early message from Nic telling me that he is now safely in Cape St Francis.
Good times and so much to be thankful for.
What I forgot to pray for was a little bit of energy - just a tad - today has been the most lazy day ever!!
Oh dear, I forgot the lyrics:-
It was christmas eve babe
In the drunk tank
An old man said to me: won't see another one
And then they sang a song
The rare old mountain dew
I turned my face away and dreamed about you
Got on a lucky one
Came in eighteen to one
I´ve got a feeling
This year´s for me and you
So happy christmas
I love you baby
I can see a better time
Where all our dreams come true.
They got cars big as bars
They got rivers of gold
But the wind goes right through you
It´s no place for the old
When you first took my hand on a cold christmas eve
You promised me broadway was waiting for me
You were handsome you were pretty
Queen of new york city when the band finished playing they yelled out for more
Sinatra was swinging all the drunks they were singing
We kissed on a corner
Then danced through the night.
And the boys from the NYPD choir were singing Galway Bay
And the bells were ringing out for christmas day.
You´re a bum you´re a punk
You´re an old slut on junk
Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed
You scumbag you maggot
You cheap lousy faggot
Happy christmas your arse I pray god it´s our last.
And the boys of the NYPD choir's still singing Galway Bay
And the bells were ringing out
For christmas day.
I could have been someone
Well so could anyone
You took my dreams from me
When I first found you
I kept them with me babe
I put them with my own
Can´t make it out alone
I´ve built my dreams around you
And the boys of the NYPD choir's still singing Galway Bay
And the bells are ringing out
For christmas day.
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