Santa Flashback and Maureen in hospital again

Lorraine off to Ashford to see Maureen. When she arrived, having bought fish and chips, she discovered Maureen unwell, and took her off to the hospital. They spent the rest of the day there, but ECG and other readings were okay -- but eventually she was kept in overnight. A long day for Lorraine -- and Maureen disappointed not to be released back into the wild.

I pottered about at home, had a chat with Mum, and then mooched off to Adele's house, via Morrisons to buy soft drinks, and the jewellers who replaced my watch battery for a mere £5. 

At Adele's there was quite a collection of glass mates who had all brought food and so on - and as the event was a Secret Santa with people swapping gifts they had made -- Adele had put some Christmas music on. Adele, Sally, Rick (no longer) around the corner, Frances, Deana, and Jane. I found myself at the end of the long table, and the secret santa presents were distributed. Rick was on my left and started first and Deana who was on my right. The presents were opened one by one, starting with Rick, and a series of lovely presents were unleashed on people. 

By the time it was Deana's time to open her present (from me) I was cringing hard.  I don't know why things like this make my toes curl so much, but they do. Luckily Deana appeared to like her cross folded poem based on the fact that Deana means 'valley', and other people were nice about it too. 

I was given a box made out of cassette tapes, which was a writer's block - with the words writer's block deliberately misspelt. This turned out to have been a thoughtful gift from Frances, who said I could keep it on my desk to contain any blocks. As I was sitting next to Deana I talked to her more than I had done, and she is quite a sensitive interesting person, who told me about seeing a ghost when she was a child -- the sort of thing I lap up. Rick in good form, and we spoke of meeting up for a curry with Ben at some point.

Also saw Marek who collected Sally, and Patrick, who had been upstairs recording music judging by the drum noises. And met Steve, Deana's husband, again. All cheery. A burst of lunchtime jollity which ended with me learning that Maureen and Lorraine were in A&E again.

I hurried home -- it was a spectacularly beautiful day -- and managed to speak to Lorraine. At five, I slipped off for a beer in The Old Boot Inn, for the first drink of the week. Steve there too having spent the week up in Leicester with family. Then back home, via the fish and chip shop. Sporadically chatting to Lorraine and watching a documentary about Miles Davis. Eventually I was shepherded by the cats off to bed, feeling a bit sad that Lorraine and Maureen were still at the hospital. 

Below Rick and Sally and Adele;  Kate and Adele and Francis, Jane and Deana taking possession of her present from Secret Santa.