Tuesday 8 December 2015

Tis the season....

We put up our Christmas decorations at the weekend
I wasn't really in the humour
And the thoughts of getting in the Christmas spirit made me want to curl up in to a ball and cry
But 
As the day went on
And we went through the attic
And found all our decorations old and new
I managed to cheer up a bit
I did the whole tree
Draped lights over the hall stand 
Lit cinnamon fragranced candles
And all of a sudden I felt really Christmassy 
We are having a quiet Christmas this year 
There will just be the six of us
And my elderly neighbour is coming for dinner
But I can't see her staying too long
As she likes a drink
And we always have an alcohol free Christmas 
I think back to Christmas growing up
It was always a wash out
My father would get horribly drunk 
It was always best to stay away from him before four drinks and after eight drinks
He would usually insult someone 
I can remember one Christmas when we all had to move to my sisters apartment because my father was on such a bender
Tough times needless to say
But now 
Well none of us drink anymore
So we have a quiet but civilised Christmas 
We have learned the hard way 
That alcohol just does not suit us
I've been thinking recently 
That I really don't  miss alcohol 
I mean 
Nothing is real when you are drunk
It's like everything is fake 
And I don't like that 

This country has been battered by two storms over the last week
First
Was storm Clodagh
Followed by storm Desmond 
The west bore the brunt of it
Rivers burst their banks 
Fields were flooded
Roads too 
Trees blew down
Poor animals had an awful time 
And worst of all 
Peoples houses were flooded
I was speaking to a woman in the supermarket yesterday
And the whole ground floor of her house was completely flooded
She showed me a video on her phone of the damage 
It looked just horrendous
What sort of Christmas will she have now?
I count my lucky stars that we weren't effected by the storms 

In other news 
I found out about a writing group in my area that is starting in January
It sounds great 
They meet every second Monday 
And there is no pressure 
I'm actually really looking forward to it
Bredas words yesterday really resonated with me
She said that I am too young to sit and home and waste my life 
I need to get out and about more 
Meet people 
Socialise 
Expand a little bit 
Because at the moment 
Short of walking my dogs and blogging
I am doing very little 
I need something to take me away from myself
And out of my own head 

Also 
On Thursday 
I am going to get another piercing done
Either my septum 
Or my upper lip
I am super excited to get it done
And of course 
I wil document the whole thing for you 
My parents despair at why I am doing this
And I am secretly kind of enjoying that 
It feeds my need to be a bit of a rebel 

So that's it from me today 
As promised 
I will do a Christmas survival kit post sometime this week
As I know it can be a really tough time of year 
There are not many of us bloggers left 
Do we need to stick together 
look out for each other 
And support each other 
Christmas can really be a lonely time of year 
Maybe you're recently bereaved 
Or estranged from your family 
Maybe you're dealing with illness
Mental or physical 
Maybe you have no one to spend Christmas Day with 
Maybe you are struggling with food
Or your mood is low 
Maybe the thoughts of Christmas send your anxiety in to over drive 
Maybe you don't even want to celebrate 
Because you can't find a reason to 
I think it's so important to reach out to the vulnerable at this time of year 
Call in to an elderly neighbour
Maybe get them a little gift 
Maybe invite them over for dinner
Or help them with their shopping 
It really is the little things that make a huge difference
Saying hello to someone on the street 
Giving them a smile 
It may be the only human voice they hear all day 
And it might just brighten their day

One thing I like to do at this time of year 
Is leave an anonymous letter for someone to find 
A really positive letter to make someone feel good 
I've left them before in car parks 
On windows of cars 
In public bathrooms 
It's just spreading a little bit of love
At a time when people are so caught up in themselves and their own lives

I truly hope that you have a relaxing and peaceful Christmas this year
God knows you deserve it
I hope you get to spend time with the people you love
And tell them 
Tell them how much they mean to you
That can be the greatest gift of all
Usually at this time of year 
I use it as an excuse to over take my meds 
And generally be a bit out of it
But this year 
I am going to do my best to be present and lucid
So I can really be part of things 
And enjoy it 
I am so blessed to be able to say that my family are doing well at the moment 
Between addiction, mental health issues and resentments 
My family really has been through the wars 
But 
We have managed to get through it
And come out the other side
I am eternally grateful for that 
And as my mother often says
Given what we have been through
We are not doing to badly at all

Merry Christmas
To you and yours....

3 comments:

  1. I hear you on the piercings! When asked why, well, why not? I'm stretching my ears and the bf hates it, but those are my ears! I never had a teenage rebel period, I'm doing all that now :D

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    Replies
    1. I feel exactly the same CP
      Just going to write you a Christmas card now x

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  2. I'm officially not doing Christmas this year. We haven't even got the mini tree out! We've never done big Christmases, it's always just been the three of us, but I think this'll be the quietest to date. I'm not sure if my family are planning anything, but I'll be dropping out this year. I'll be quite happy to make myself a little piece of lamb and have a few quiet ones in front of the computer.

    Go for your upper lip! I think a Monroe would look gorgeous on you. I want to get the middle of my upper lip done one day (and my uvula), but I'm worried about dental damage as I've had an amazing run so far.

    Love you Ruby. Sorry I've been so MIA lately <3
    xxxx

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for leaving some love x