I had a lovely Christmas.
I wasn’t looking forward to it really, as it was going to be the first without Mum. We’d each, my brother, sister and I, made plans to do things independently of the others, as we knew from experience when Dad died, that the best thing to do is not spend it together as if we did, then we would notice her absence most. And the day before Christmas Eve we had the disturbing news that my ex-sister-in-law in Ibiza had been re-admitted to hospital – she’s fighting her second bout of cancer and also my brother’s mother-in-law had been taking into hospital with a heart attack. Fortunately, the news from both is promising but such lovely women deserve more from life!
After a very pleasant lunch on Christmas Eve with my sister, my daughter and I went off and spent it together at her place – and we had a lovely evening just the two of us together, eating a tapas supper and drinking Crabbie’s Ginger Beer followed by Bailey’s (!!) and indigestion throughout most of the night.
We’d been invited to her boyfriend’s family for Christmas Day and so after a lovely breakfast of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, we set off to the Kiernans’ and had a lovely day! We chatted and watched TV and played games and, of course, ate and drank ourselves silly and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and I can’t thank them enough for making it such a nice day for both of us.
On Boxing Day I made my way back home as Daughter had to go to work, and then I went to Brother’s as it was Sister-in-Law’s birthday. Another pleasant evening was had, eating, chatting and playing The Chase game. Even having watched QPR’s performance that afternoon hadn’t spoilt the day too much for Brother and Elder Nephew.
And then, it was all over for another year. At 7am the following morning I was at my little job in London Southend International Airport and Christmas was a fading memory.
And so, today we finally arrive at what has to be the most sentimental day of the year: New Year’s Eve. It’s the day we take a nostalgic look back, through an alcohol rosy mist at the highs and an alcohol grey mist at the lows. For me it was the strangest of years. From my little part in the Ladykillers in the West End, to appearing in the Women of Antigua production again, to losing my job because I wrote a book, to publishing my third novel, to losing faith in so-called friends, to meeting up again with old friends, to the biggest blow of all – nursing, then losing Mum; 2012 was indeed the very best of times and the very worst of times!
And today is the day when we look forward to a better year from tomorrow onwards. We also set ourselves resolutions that we know are going to be extremely hard to keep and will give us an excuse to beat ourselves up within fifteen days, probably. My resolution? Just to be happy. Life is meant to be happy. It’s not meant to be a struggle or spent doing things you don’t want to do or with people you don’t want to be with. I will continue to follow my own path; to write my books and my blog, to go to auditions, to visit my gorgeous little green house in Antigua as often as I can, and to spend time with family and friends that I love.
Tonight will be just another night for me – a bit of TV, read my book and then bed. Tomorrow will be, as always, another day.
I wish all of you whatever you wish yourselves for 2013.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Definitely a year of ups and downs. I hope 2013 Is a happy eventful year for you I’m really looking forward to your next book. xx
Thanks, Wendy! Happy New Year to you, too xx