Counting my blessings

Apart from a pre-breakfast lope to Morrisons to buy breakfast eggs and a later foray down to the sea to take a spare key to Lorraine, who'd contrived to lock herself out of the car parked outside Pat and Maureen's place, I happily drew all my tentacles into the house and lurked indoors. All I wanted to do is read The Sea by John Banville which is a magnificent book. I had no desire at all to go out and party, and it was a wild night too with strong gales roaring into Seaford. Instead Lorraine and I preferred to stay indoors and count our blessings.

During the day I had a go at writing this blog in a kind of an accounting for the year way. But it ended up being like one of those cringy letters people send you inside Christmas cards. Enough to say that I'm not entirely sorry to see 2024 slink off. There were lots of events: Mason dying in February and me spending lots of time with Mum. Pat and Maureen and Beth and James are all now settled in Seaford. I ended my copywriting business and turned 65 -- which took a bit of adjustment (I keep dreaming I am in an office . The nightmare starts as it is discovered that I have done no work for months. Very relieved when I wake up).  A decent if not stellar year for my own writing, podcasting and so on.   

Losing Calliope made Christmas a bit weird. I love Christmas but there was a dissonance of feeling sad underneath. I still expect to see her when I wake up, or when I get home. And after sixteen years, not being interfered with as I work at my desk feels odd. Who else will go to sleep in my underpants when I leave them on the floor?

To bed shortly after midnight, feeling conscious of my luck. Lorraine and I remain very happy together. I was really pleased to see Mum over Christmas and yesterday, and to hear from Toby and Romy today  (celebrating the new year in Bali with Ranie where it was raining hard for much of the day). I am also lucky to be blessed with great friends. 

Beth and James are expecting a baby in June, I have surprised myself in how excited I feel about becoming a grandpa.

Happy new year! 

Below the seafront scene... A strong gale blowing. The writing on the path says SHARE WITH CARE.