The most wonderful time of the year

Thankfully we are all hale and hearty again Chez Stitches.  Thanks to all for your kind messages.  That was a miserable couple of weeks.

All was rectified at the weekend with an impromptu visit from my niece and great-niece. (Apologies for grainy pictures…the light here this weekend has been pretty grey)

It was the first time Button and Princess Rosebud had met, but they were as thick as thieves within about 30 seconds of meeting and were pretty much inseparable for the whole weekend, howling as Princess Rosebud was bundled screaming and kicking into the car to go home.  They even went to bed together and were heard plotting over the baby monitor… “I don’t think we can get out!”

Whilst they worked out how to scale the cot walls for all of three minutes before falling fast asleep, we were joined by my nephew for supper.  Normally there are more of us squooshed around the table, but this weekend we managed to keep them to ourselves.  It was wonderful.My brave and beautiful niece is inspirational. She is an amazing mother, wife and daughter as well as a wonderful woman in her own right. She is developing her talent as an artist and is about to embark on a degree programme.  She does this on limited financial resources but doesn’t complain that she doesn’t have lots of stuff, just counts her blessings that she has her family around her.  I wish I’d been that grounded at 21!My nephew has donned the mantle of family comic.  We didn’t stop laughing from the minute he walked through the door and gave us all bear hugs. Normally he is quite reserved but over the last few months he has grown in confidence and he was the life and soul of the party. Despite all his challenges (and he has had many) he is doing well at college, making plans for his future and looking like a cool dude whilst he does it!Sunday we had a lovely sunny day, so it was off to the park for breakfast for us and breakfast for the ducks.For me this marks the beginning of the Christmas season.  I find it truly sad that there are people who can’t or won’t surround themselves with their family at this time of year, but I’m not one of them.  I’m glad I was able to kick off the festive season in this way.

I still have the smile on my face.