Post Christmas

Things went alright a few small barks and bites but no major injuries. Yesterday I got to meet my friends first grandchild who I had made some knits, she is lovely. I've finished a new cardigan for her. It's from a Debbie Bliss pattern and in her wool which is nice but too expensive really. I had some lovely rose buttons to put on it.
I want to do some gardening, bought a nice David Austen rose. The problem with roses around here is the humidity which means we have a lot of black spot but this rose has none on it so I've got hopes for it.

Christmas and grief

I woke this morning thinking of my mother in her green sleeveless dress with her birch basket on her arm and the presents or food in it arriving for Christmas Day and my sister in tow if she was home. My sister is overseas this year and my mother has been dead for 4 years. One of the girls is at work the other two are doing Christmas with their partners family so we are having christmas on boxing day again. So it is just us for the day. We were going to go to the beach for a swim but its a bit grey not cold but not very inviting. I have got better from the worst of grief, life drags you back into it kicking and screaming because you want to stay with the dead, but they are gone and free.
Now it's rainy which is good because its been so dry and I won't have water the garden I am cooking a duck, I've read so many recipes I'm confused so I will just go back to my old way honey and soy sauce marinade but I'll put some 5 spice in.

Nearly Christmas

We have booked a cruise to New Zealand after Christmas. We haven't done much travelling since we had children, no money, so we are happy to go any where. We have never been to NZ or on a cruise so we will see how we like boats. I'm sure we will like NZ through Australians find the NZ accent funny. I think Aussies and Kiwis are like family a pain in the bum but you love them. I am doing Christmas very haphazardly bits here and there as things come up and sock knitting for presents. Which I might finish in time or not, so promised presents.
I haven't been much into celebrating Christmas since my mother died so the girls have been going out and organising the tree but this year they are busy with starting their careers so I carted the thing home.
I have to say it through I get very sad at Christmas my dad died a week before Christmas 20 years ago and now with my mother gone too.

4th last working day

I'm having three weeks holiday and then 6 months long service leave and I have 3 more days to work before it. It's my trial retirement I might go back or not, we will see how we manage financially. I am getting really angry and fed up at work. All the mad stuff people do is driving me crazy. Time to have a break. I will miss the mothers and babies I guess but its good thinking I could go back or not.
It is so hot today it's midnight and still 29 degrees, it was 43 in parts of the state. There are big mobs of Christmas beetles flying into the house. I can smell the bush behind the scents of the garden.