Christmas is always on 25th December !

Christmas comes every year at the same time. Why is it then that the end of November is upon us again and I am starting to panic? How did the year creep up on me so quickly again. I am normally such an organised person (well I think I am) but how did we get here so soon. There is no way that I will start any present shopping in October, and November always seems a little too early but then December arrives and suddenly its only 3 weeks to the big day. I did order some Christmas cards with Celyn Villa on but they turned up as post cards instead. Having rung the supplier and ‘told him off in the most polite way I could’ I did receive a full credit so if you receive a very nice Christmas post card from us you will know why.

Of course our business is running a B&B and we continued to be busy. On top of that we have carried out quite a few improvements, the new shower, carpets, beds etc. We also had a visit from a professional 'Blogger' and her family who visited the area for the first time, she wrote some nice things about us in her blog which we were thrilled about. So all that running around has used up any spare Christmas preparation time I might have had before now.

I have just come back from a few days at my parents, so lovely to see them both and of course helping my dad look after my mum who had a stroke last year. But dad got a dreadful chest infection whilst I was there and he took to his bed – so I was looking after both of them! I did get to baby sit my new niece though. Her mum and dad’s first evening out since she was born. She was so good apart from the two dirty nappies (saved up just for me) but it was a joy to feed her and spoil her just for a bit. The next time I see her will be Christmas and she will be 4 and half months by then. Where does the time go….

One of our regular guests who comes over from Spain to visit her 92 year old Mum asked me if I would do them a lunch, so yesterday I cooked at midday instead of in the evening. Six of their family came for an early Christmas get together, they had a great time and I started feeling quite festive. Hence the panic I think. Most years by now I would have made Christmas chutney, pudding and cake not forgetting the sloe gin and the freezer full of homemade goodies.
But this year I HAVE DONE NOTHING. Thursday is 1st of December I will definitely start then!!!

Remembrance Day

November is here cold, wet and foggy. That’s today. But what a fantastic month October was. I haven’t blogged for a while (well ages actually) due to a very busy couple of months. We have been making improvements in the house. New carpets, showers, beds to name but a few things.

It’s now Sunday afternoon and I have spent most of the day on the computer – catching up. So thought I should blog whilst I am here. I watched the Remembrance Sunday service on the TV today and whilst London was bathed in sunshine, it was overcast and dull here in Carmel. However the weather really fitted my mood today and I always get upset when I watch all the old soldiers march past the cenotaph. But the saddest thing is that it is not just the old soldiers now that we should be grateful to. Being born not long after the second world war I was brought up to respect all of those who fought during the world wars but how sad is it that even today we are still losing brave service men and women to conflicts that it seems will never be solved.

I have often blogged about technology being incredible and the things we can do today are fantastic. Is it better that we can keep in touch so easily or not? How many people who are away would love to receive a letter instead of a quick text? The fact that we can tell the world everything that we are doing instantly via Facebook and Twitter is amazing but does it really give us the time to stop and smell the roses. When I think about those old soldiers and their loved ones who only received letters very rarely is seems so sad, yet I am sure that those letters were full of news and love and were read and re-read many times. A tweet or a text seems to be here one minute and gone the next but unlike that letter they are in fact here forever.

A pile of old letters tied up with ribbon seems a much more romantic notion than a text. Maybe that’s why we have all started blogging – it fulfils that part of us that misses writing letters.