Thursday 21st December

Another early morning start except that I stayed at my daughters last night, son in law was up and about getting dressed for work and off to catch a bus, a train into London for an early morning meeting.  Unfortunately they only have one bathroom and so I had to wait for him to leave before I could make my morning trip to the bathroom.  Once up I went down made coffee, took it back upstairs with me waiting for the rest of the house to come to life.  Eventually we move downstairs and started our day getting the printer to work to print out the Sudoku and the Telegraph crossword and it really took effort.  Fortunately my daughter is quite computer literate and re-jigged the wifi and printer settings.  Over the second cup of coffee she handed me my Christmas card that she'd made for me based on Miley Cyrus' Wrecking Ball video substituting a Santa hat, a chain made out of sequins and the wrecking ball made like a paper bauble....class.  I loved it and she was so pleased with it and excited to hand it over.

Eventually we got dressed and headed to the local supermarket for a few items for supper tonight and temptation took us to the clothes section where I found an oversized  fluffy hoodie reduced to half price and I just had to buy it and it's great, fits where it touches and keeps me really toasty.  SIL arrived back from London, we had supper of barbecue sweet and sour pork chops with potato wedges and peas.  I'm stuffed to the gills again and shall be dieting when I get back home for sure.  Early morning trip to the supermarket tomorrow for the final shop and then I go back to my home base until Christmas Eve.....LN.....Early night.....early morning start to beat the crowds.....LN

Friday 22nd December

So that early morning start didn't materialise.  SIL was up first, I'd been awake but waited for the house to come to life before I started my day and I heard him go downstairs.  My daughter went off to the bathroom next and we went down the stairs together to find that SIL had made tea for my daughter and coffee for me....what a star.  My daughter had already printed off the Telegraph sudoku and her crossword, the television was on and we half watched a Christmas film from Netflix, I tried to do the sudoku and she her crossword but eventually we both gave up.  I've brought mine home with me and will attempt it later and it was only a 'moderate' one.  The plan to hit the shops early didn't happen, SIL decided to catch the bus and to into Brighton to the gym and we waited for him to text us to say that he was nearly finished.  We drove into the Marina in Brighton, parked up in the Asda car park close to his gym,  he joined us at the car and off we went to do another Christmas shop along with lots of other people.  I had my own trolley for the few items that my host had asked me to collect and they dropped me back at home at approximately two in the afternoon.  It was one of those days where it had just slipped away from me.

I settled on the sofa and West Side Story was just starting on the TV and it's a film that I'd never seen or seen it so long ago that I'd forgotten it.  I love the music, one of Leonard Bernstein's best and my host appeared from upstairs around three in the afternoon.  I finished watching the film, put a load of washing in the machine and am now thinking of what to do for supper, I'd be happy with chocolate but I don't think that's really on the cards.  I'm here now until Christmas Eve, have presents to wrap and maybe even go into Brighton tomorrow to buy some more.  I've just looked at the clock and realised what time it is.  This update is late and as for supper, I think it's off the menu....chocolate seems a much better proposition.....Cadbury Dairy Milk.....my favourite.  LN.....Christmas is approaching fast.....I can almost hear Santa's reindeer bells....LN

Saturday 23rd December

So it was a stupidly early start this morning, I heard the clatter of crutches on the landing and it was enough to get me up and about, making coffee and watching television while my host went back to bed and slept like a baby.  I had the last of the mini-pork pies and and made a ham sandwich for breakfast, did a load of washing, emptied the rubbish and tidied up the lounge and kitchen and felt very virtuous.  I spent time on FB replying to messages, moved back downstairs and watched Saturday Kitchen until I could watch it no longer.  I dressed for the outside, put my big boots on, leather coat to keep out the wind and set off over the Downs and down to the seafront.  Lots of people about walking dogs or dogs walking people about...I'm never sure and there was one man who was walking bare footed and I told him I thought he was brave.  He replied that his feet were now getting cold....what an idiot!!  It's one thing being close to nature in the summer, when it's blowing a gale and raining a little, I call it odd.

I carried on to the sea-front and walked towards Saltdean and even went down to the sea.  It was quite a stormy sky but I love the way that the sun sparkles on the sea and how it catches out certain areas and illuminates them.  Again lots of dogs and there was one lady who was dressed in an all-in-one brown onesie and it was the same colour has her dog's natural coat so I had to take a photo.  I walked back to the village and over the road to Tesco and bought mince pies and more crumpets just in case the mood takes me.  My host was up and about when I got back, he went for a shower and while he was in there there was a knock on the door and it was a man from along the road with more books for my host.  I invited him in since I do know him, made tea and we sat in the lounge until my host put in an appearance.  He left around half four, he's a very active octogenarian, reads lots of books, loves opera and very interesting to talk to.

I'm now upstairs and have spent the last ten minutes sorting out the photos and shrinking them down to size to get a few to post.  Dull damp day, very windy and cold and hopefully it will get better as we move nearer to Christmas day....but I doubt it.  LN.....Bath tonight for me unless I get lazy which might easily happen....time to get on with supper.....LN

Sunday 24th December

Up at seven this morning and with very little to do, watched television with my morning cup of coffee and felt completely at peace with the world.  It was mince pies for breakfast, well it is Christmas and then into the bath at ten and lingered enjoying the tranquility, washed my hair and dried it and got dressed.  I had nothing to do except deliver my last card to my neighbours and complete my packing for two days at my daughter's house.  I was getting picked up from home, we arranged a time and then I had a deadline to meet.

I hadn't seen my neighbours since last Christmas so there was quite a log of catching up to do.  Their son was home for the holiday from Cornwall, was flying later that day to Mexico with twenty or so mates and what a good time they'll have I'm sure.  They're all surfer dudes, he's now a similar age to my two and I could hardly believe it.  Still single and free as the birds of the air and surfing this year is taking them to one of the favoured resorts of the west coast of Mexico also home to crocodiles and of course, mother was getting a little scared about it.  we decided that crocodiles stay on the surface and wouldn't come up from underneath to which my comment was that that was only the sharks.

My daughter was early, my host had taken to his bed again so off I went.  SIL had done his normal and prepared everything for tomorrow and ended up making pavlova for pudding because no one really likes Christmas pudding after a blow out.  Supper over and feeling very stuffed, coca cola to wash ii all down and we're all about to settle down to a Christmas film...probably Holiday and then a fairly early night so that Santa is left to his own devices.  LN.....No children this year to coax to sleep.....it used to be so much fun...and still is but in a different way....discussing how it used to be.....LN

Monday 25th December

Merry Christmas to everybody who reads this and those that don't.  I've had a pretty wonderful day with my daughter and SIL. breakfast of croissants with butter and jam, more presents than I expected with lots of chocolate that hopefully will get eaten before I get to packing a suitcase.  It's been a horrible stormy day outside for most of the day but warm and comfortable inside.  SIL cooked the lunch and I really didn't think that I would finish it but only left a little stuffing which was acceptable to the cook.

I fell asleep this afternoon on the sofa and was told that I purred gently through one or two programmes, family are very forgiving, woke up and managed a home-made pavlova with very thick cream and strawberries, soon to be followed by salted nuts, more chocolate and more television.  We all enjoyed the Michael Parkinson's interview with Morecambe and Wise and the three of us were chuckling away......the humour is timeless.  Now my daughter has settled into 'Call the Midwife', it's not something I've ever followed so I've taken the opportunity for a quick update.

I hope you've all enjoyed this Christmas, surrounded with love and kindness and for those that haven't, I hope that it comes your way soon,  LN.....Now back to join the others and I think there are more chocolates waiting.....LN

Tuesday 26th December

Well it's been another lazy day...not fit weather to be outside.  There was a plan to garden today if the weather proved promising but instead it was a day of turkey dripping and jelly on toast which was a throwback from my childhood, sudoku that I just couldn't manage despite several attempts and a crossword that my daughter knocked off in quicksticks.  The afternoon was one of chocolate and television, the film Calamity Jane was showing and I was very surprised when my daughter joined in the score and we had a sing-along.  I remember the film from the old days with my parents and the sound track on long player.  I was surprised that my daughter knew all the words as well.  Lunch was a cold platter of turkey, ham, pigs in blankets and a pork pie for me with pickled onions, cheese and Branston and I think it's going to be the same for supper.  It was washed down with water, as you know, I don't imbibe and even the Coca-Cola has gone by the way and I stuck to water.

It's been a pickie day, Christmas chocolates have been filling in the gaps in the day and I must admit that I've just finished the top layer of a box of Cadbury Dairy Milk and was applauded my daughter and SIL for managing to eat them all.  Disciplined I put the lid back on the box......the rest will be saved for another day.  Six o'clock, I think it's time for a shower and get into some really snuggly clothes for tonight's viewing.  We haven't checked the schedules yet but this year seems better than normal, perhaps it's because you are not restricted to the main four channels, there's so many programmes to choose from.

Home tomorrow, I have lots of things to sort out with regard to my hosts health and I'm hoping that the hospital will be open to make appointments.  I've also got to see if I can get a care plan in place and easy to cook food delivered.  It's not what I came back for but it is what it is....as the saying goes.  Switch off time, again no photos, there was no gap in the rain to go out there and get the camera into action.   LN.....And now onwards to the New Year.... ..LN

Wednesday 27th December

Another mixture pf a day....I stayed another night with my daughter and SIL, woke up early but didn't want to disturb the household so lay quietly until it was seven thirty and I could creep down and make coffee.  My daughter wasn't far behind me and came down with the crossword for her and sudoku for me....and I'm still trying to solve it....even though I'm home.  Christmas is over for another year and reduced to what's left in the fridge that needs eating up and in my case what I've brought back with me to share with my host.  My daughter and SIL follow an eating plan based on points for luxuries that they are allowed and I find this difficult to follow.  Food stuffs or treats and rated and I must admit they are very serious about it....on the other hand I'll pig out and then not touch any of it for a week or so.  They're both more disciplined than I am.  My daughter and myself had toast for breakfast with the turkey jelly and we just enjoyed it....in our book it only occurs once a year so we don't even bother scoring it.  Breakfast tidied away we started to take down the Christmas decoration. In our house I always was rushing to get them down by twelfth night and some years I managed it and others I didn't.  Christmas packed away, I packed my bag and was ready to leave by twelve armed with the remains of the turkey dripping, the trifle that we hadn't managed to eat, cheese that I'd bought specially for me which I'd never got round to eating and lots of 'treats' including my half  box of dairy box that was patiently waiting for my attention and it got it this afternoon.  

They dropped me off at one thirty, helped me get my belongings into the house and off they went.  I've had a very good time with them, fully catered accommodation and I'll be leaving a review on Trustpilot or Trip Advisor...at least that's what I told them.  My host wasn't out of bed so I unpacked my belongings, stashed the food in the fridge and the goody boxes are on the lounge table for grazing.  I watched the film Sister Act and devoured most of the chocolates so supper is out for me.  I did serve up an omelette for my host and two bowls of trifle went into the lounge and empty bowls came out again, I loaded the dishwasher. cleaned the kitchen and settled down to Only Connect that I love and University Challenge.  It's not that I know many of the answers and it always comes as a surprise when I know any of them......still I try.  Nine thirty my time and it's late for the update...apologies offered and hopefully accepted....my life seems a little disjointed here and I have still things to do.  LN.....Planning day tomorrow, hospital visits to organise for my host and transport to be arranged....and I really do need to start taking photos...even I'm missing them....LN

Thursday 28th December

Apologies for not posting last night, the brain was willing but the flesh was weak due to technical issues.  It's one thing being in your own house where you know where everything is but even though this was my home for along time....things have moved around.  

I toyed with the idea of going for a walk and by lunchtime the weather set in and I wasn't going anywhere.  I settled on the sofa, television on and that was me for most of the day....There were lots of couddavs, woudavs and shouldavs..but not a lot happened but I did enjoy watching Michael Palin's journey down to Ur of the Chaldees going through lots of war torn countries along the way.  This was followed by Queen's journey 'In his own words' and I really enjoyed it.  I missed the man and his music, I went abroad in 1967 just when they were breaking on to the scene, didn't come back until 1971, married in 1972 and was busy raising children after that.  I think I really came to appreciate them very late to the party but not forsaken them since.

Just a couple of photos from yesterday from my bedroom window and the birds seem to be permanently in residence....even without the leaves for protection.  LD......I promise to update tonight, if only for my daughter so she doesn't have to worry.....LD

Friday 29th December

So after posting this morning late, I headed for the bathroom and sank into the tub, washed my hair and switched off from the world.  I have a very large corner bath. the shampoo must have been in there for about ten years and it's an Aussie Miracle that it all still works as well as the day it was purchased.  The only conditioner that I had was ant-frizz and it's just as well, I came out of the bath wrapping towels round my hair and torso, noticed that there was a message from a friend that I'd contacted before Christmas.  I hadn't heard from her for a while and neither had other friends and we were all worried about her so when I got the message, I had to replay immediately and why wouldn't you?  I eventually go to dry my hair and the anti-frizz worked...it was an Aussie miracle!!

By the time that I was ready to face the world, the sun had gone in.  I was plannning another route march down to the sea front but after spending time on the message, drying my hair and searching for an ornament that I'd bought for my mother and intended giving to my daughter, it was too late to go down to the beach.  I didn't find the ornament, I thought I'd packed it away when  I went to BG but short of unwrapping the bbubblewrap covering everything, I gave up.  I then moved on to the jewellery that I leave in the UK, put some to one side to take back with me to BG and the rest packed away until the next time.  I should really go through it and sell it back to the jeweller that I bought a lot of it from, it's mainly silver and is a fair weight.

I've been watching television for the rest of the early evening.  The nice thing is that the money they're chasing is for charity so the contestants are more humourous and not self serving.  Unfortuantely the Christmas spirit might fade come the New Year but by then I shall be in BG with no British television to watch so it wil be back to Netflix.  Search for supper about to commence, not that I'm really hungry, it's been a 'grazing' afternoon and I think i'm at the peak of a sugar rush.  LN.....Time to lie down in a darkened room and do a spot of meditation......LN

Saturday 30th December

So I was awake at four this morning and realised that I was in for a swollen bottom lip, just like I used to have before when they swapped my tablets over.  I'm allergic to some foodstuff, had eaten cheese and crackers last night and those were obviously the culprits.  I went to the bathroom and took one of my 'Alergia' tablets, went back to bed and lo and behold this morning it looked like I'd been 'Botox-ed' but only the bottom lip.  I took another tablet and drank about a pint of water which was the remedy from my phamacist in Bulgaria and the lip has slowly gone down and I'm now back to normal.  I went back to sleep until half eight and the obvious solution is....no more cheese and crackers for me for a while.  

I made my way downstairs, tidied round, emptied bins to earn my keep,put the television on and watched rubbish for awhile and by now I know most of the adverts.  I can't wait to getting back to cleaning out the woodburner, filling up the log basket and log carriers and moving snow when it appears.  I think I feel more alive in BG.  I wnt back to my bedroom and logged in to my ancestry program and was surprised how much it has changed and not always for the best.  I've been reading the facebook page and how others are coping and it's as I expected, it's not being re-engineered by people who do this as a pleasureable timewaster. The changes aren't being introduced slowly where you have a version control...it's whopped out to the masses and you have to work your way through it.  I got fed up with trying, I closed down realising that my head just wasn't in the right space either to have patience with it.  Downstairs again but this time for toast and apricot jam, I thought I'd got out a new pot of marmalade and was too lazy to go to the cupboard and find one.

It's been another grey and miserable day and my intial though was to take a bus into Brighton and do some window shopping but when I saw the weather I changed my mind.  I can't even go to church tomorrow, even that's closed down until next year.....I must check out the weather report for next week.  One thing I could do it is to carry on completing my next year's travel journal which was in my Christmas stocking.   I've noticed on FB that one of the local firms is advertising cruises going out from Athens and sailing the Med, further investigations are to be undertaken so now to update the journal with the phone numbers and the nice thing is, travel insurance is included in the price unlike the UK.  LN....Enough for now, down to the body of the kirk.....photos promised for tomorrow....LN