With family and friends this Christmass

Very big Mike on top of big Dave on top of the not so big at all girls on top of a straining couch

This pic made me laugh...Big Mike sleeps anywhere (sitting behind us in case you wondered)

Singing carols (John was thirsty after taking the lead) in the street

This house is so beautifully lit up that people come from all over to see it. They loved us singing Carols.

I remember taking our two small daughters for a drive through the cities just to see the lights...sigh.....this doesnt happen anymore

Not going away this Christmass was really no big deal. Having rented out our appartment has meant that we have a little extra this Christmass. Our beloved daughter, not being with us this year, has meant that it was NEVER going to be the same as usual anyway. There are other reasons too;

Letitia, who was responsible for one of my biggest lessons in life, and who blessed me in so many ways. Strange for me that I came to know her so well over a period of a year.....she was yet another of my friends who I've known for a thousand years and I will see her again. Spending this Christmas at home to be with her was her gift to me. The most precious.

Then, Emma....she is parly blind and deaf but brother!!!!!!.....she hears the vaguest rumble of thunder which throws her into a total and mindless panic. Walking around our house, you will notice shutter pannels missing, gouges in the front, back and garage doors, and a bent metal barrier going up the outside stairwell. She has her own little domolitian derby every time there's a storm!!!!

God alone knows what would have happened if we'd gone away this year...while we were at midnight-mass on Christmass eve, we had a huge storm and she chewed through and ripped apart our court-yard gate.

I've been sooooo tempted to teach her 'fetch' at the bottom of the pool...but, well, I get as far as shouting at her which absolutely crushes her...and thats punishment enough I guess.

This year, we spent the day with family friends. It was one of the most wonderful Christmasses we've had in a long while...it included 21 people, mostly young,prayer, guitar playing, singing 'happy birthday' to Jesus, Christmas carols, swimming, good food, lots of laughs, two little orphan boys who joined us, Amazing Christmas lights, gift swapping...(literally...long storey),my son singing beautifully to everyone(he didn't take his pipes)human pyramids, singing Christmas Carols in the street....having such a perfect day really made me miss my vivacious in-your-face beautiful daughter ....she would have been the soul and life of the party!!! However, Christmas was made when she phoned later on and spoke to all of us.