Loss :: Birthday :: Christmas

Exactly one week ago today (22nd December) my Dad in law passed away peacefully at home with his family around him.  Poor Dad has spent most of his adult years suffering with one major ailment and then over the last few years other problems had arisen.  These past few months had been particularly difficult and around six weeks ago I mentioned to Mum that Dad seemed to have lost the will to live.  Despite my comment though, no one had expected the end to come so quickly for in a matter of days he deteriorated very rapidly.  As you can imagine the past few days have been a bit of a blur but we are all working together adding our own thoughts and helping Mum to plan a funeral that reflects Dad's character and interests.

Dear Dad, May you rest in peace and rise in glory xx 

Birthday

On Monday 23rd December Pip turned eleven years old.  We managed our usual birthday photo at 8:38 am followed by a quiz whereby Pip had to solve a riddle to earn part two of her present.  I had fun composing the riddle in the previous week and had hoped to organise a scavenger hunt but that wasn't meant to be:

A Birthday Riddle

It doesn't matter if its left or right

and Cristiano is the dude in the frame.

With no hands allowed and a clever hat trick

It's skill that's the name of the game.

You need to watch your step

as I'm more lost than rather found,

I might be a bit of a light weight

but I have no issues spinning around!

What am I?

After some pondering she worked it out ... a much needed football since the previous one had aquired a hole!  We also bought her a whittling knife and flint and steel which were put to good use later in the day.  As per tradition Beth arrived late morning and as an extra treat we 'borrowed' her for slightly longer, so she stopped for tea followed by cake and watching " Nativity 3."  Pip's birthday provided a welcome relief from the previous 24 hours and was definitely sunshine on a grey day.

 Finding the flint and steel.

 My goodness I don't have bags under my eyes but suitcases!!  In my defence we did not get home from being with family until 11pm and I finally fell into bed at 1:00am and up again at 8:00am ;-)

 Cheers!

 After lunch bowling session.

 Using the flint and steel to burn last year's Christmas tree branches in Ben's fire pit!

Beth whittling a wand for Pip and Pip stripping the branches for extra kindling.

 Toasting marshmallows and all the best folk wear ...

 ... sunglasses when the sun goes down :-)

 Eleven candles on two cakes, ready now, one, two, three and ...

... blow! 

 Happy Birthday dear gal and cheers to a precious friendship.

"Friends are like stars in the sky, you might not always see them but you know that they are there."

Christmas Day

We managed to attend mass on Christmas morning, followed by our Christmas dinner and opening of presents.  It was a fairly peaceful and restful day which was sorely needed.  I haven't fully recovered from the virus that I had two weeks ago and once again I am battling with a sore throat and swollen glands, always a weak point.

 Building with Christmas Lego.

 Cashew nut roast and assorted vegetables.

 Playing the pudding ping pong game :-)

The tree and Ben playing his battlefront game on the play station; he saved his Christmas money from last year and added it to birthday money and bought this in September.  He has a lot of fun playing online with Tom in Grange, it is quite strange hearing Tom's voice through the television :-)

Hope you are having a blessed Christmastide xx