I have been away for almost a week, first to Winchester, then to Limpley Stoke (lovely name, lovely place) then back to Winch again, seeing old, old friends and some young ones too and a new baby, I stayed with son T and grandson M. who cut my hair for me, very well, and that was a first. I took L out for lunch and pushed her in her wheel chair, and it is only when you do this that you realise how bumpy the pavements are and how difficult it is to negotiate kerbs, doorways and steps. I visited B in her new Care Home at Arlesford where they like dogs (she has Charlie there with her and B.Wiggins was welcomed) I also had a lovely evening with E and B (ex Meeting House residents) and their five beautiful children including a three week old baby, whom I seized as soon as I arrived and had a really good session getting to know. Such a treat. She almost fell asleep at one point and I asked one of the others where her cot was and she said `Oh we didn`t think we would have any more babies so we gave it away`.
I am never properly prepared for Christmas. When will I ever learn? Three members of my music group gave me beautifully wrapped parcels and cards yesterday. It had never entered my head to do the same This also happened several times in Winchester. Oh the mortification! I am hopeless at wrapping up presents, always have been and I have never got the hang of sellotape.
I went to a good party the other night: Bring and Share veggie supper, very little alcohol, but we were asked to put our names in a hat to do a turn: a song, a poem, a game a dance. A very elderly woman who had been a jazz singer with a band in her youth, sang poignant songs accompanied by another elderly guitarist, someone told a story, many of us did poems. Nine year old grand daughter Tiger was master of ceremonies and as I think I have said before, she is brilliant at `crowd control`so it was a well organised affair.
Next I have the Old Folks Christmas do ( for my sheltered housing place) I wonder how that will turn out. Rather formal I expect but you never know........
Then I am off Up North for a week to see my lovely family and B.Wiggins will have to make friends with sister J`s two formidable cats. I think they are bigger than him.