Lily's Blog

So I count out the twelve days of Christmas and look up the lyrics to make sure I’ve got today’s correct.

Today is ‘Four colly birds’.

I always (badly) sang ‘four calling birds’.

So then I go to look up what a colly bird actually is. Seems I’m okay singing ‘calling bird’, because that’s what it’s also known as. In truth what it really is, is a plain old blackbird.

Colly bird sounds better though.

I’m not sure what one would do with four blackbirds today but then none of the presents in that song were particularly useful.

‘My true love’ is much more sensible.

Anyway this post was where I was going to tumble in my Christmas reflections not debate the merits/demerits of the presents for the twelve days of Christmas.

Blogging has been scarce over the past few days owing to plenty of family (and extended), friends and food. A lot of cooking of food for the previous two. A lot done and more to do.

It really has been a great few days and there’s still more to come. Eldest and middle mice are here until Friday so Christmas festivities will certainly continue until then.

I feel Christmas is such a mixture of extremes, really good for some people but not so good for others. One never can afford an ounce of smugness if Christmas is good, because one never knows what the next year will bring. I’m thinking of a number of people I know, who have had the death of a spouse to deal with. I’m thinking of a close friend who has just had major surgery in the week leading up to Christmas. She is putting up a great fight. Her husband is keeping an online diary updated which allows us to get daily updates. I’m thinking of an online friend who got bad news on Christmas day. That family’s turkey remained uncooked in the fridge on Christmas day.

So when Christmas is good, I think one should really appreciate it … as well as enjoy it.

Our house is going twenty four hours these days. The elder lemons are keeping reasonable hours but eldest and middle mouse are still on US time. No need to lock any doors – there’s always someone up.

I’m celebrating my first blogging anniversary at this time. My first post was here.

Now a year later, I’m getting afraid of myself again. Over the last year, I’ve got interested in learning to program. In fact Patrick’s present is to teach me for a full day this week. I know me. Once I start something …

Maybe after all, four colly birds would have been a better present.