Wishing you all a merry Christmas!

Every Christmas for almost all of the time the four of us had together the girls would try and dress in matching or opposite dress up for Christmas...often home made.

We have so many photos taken (by tripod) of the four of us in our Christmas finery.

Don absolutely loved Christmas and was the centre of any shenanigans going on.

Years ago when both our mums and Don's lovely sister Judy were still alive sometimes there would be over 16 people in the house, often all sleeping where they could...of later years the numbers got fewer...

then Alison our youngest became seriously ill, something she is slowly recovering from...almost there.

We chose then just to have us four for Christmas, because she would need to rest during the day often and we structured the day around her energy levels. I still remember her resting in bed and Don going in, tipping the electric wheelchair back to a lying position and keeping her company till she was well enough to reemerge.

I was so lucky to have so much time with a man who "understood"... life the universe and a bit more.

This year for the first time since 1982 I won't be having Christmas in our home. This time it will be Melissa's turn to puck up that baton... stupidly I didn't put decorations up because i will be away over Christmas...next year I will...I didn't think it would make a difference. I even lent last years Christmas tree out (its a real one in a pot - Norfolk Island Pine). I have been so bloody miserable because there hasn't been a build up...go figure that. I loved our little Christmases...with piles of prawns from just up the coast, and salads, and lots of silly pressies...but the thing is we all realise that Don held the floor at Christmas...he would have us laughing and being as silly as cut snakes, breaking all the rules... as we said in chorus "There's no rules"

I'll be away for a week and hope to do the rounds before I leave tomorrow morning...if i don't have a happy safe Christmas and break all the rules okay; be silly as a cut snake, whatever strikes your fancy. I will be with Melissa and Alison and Melissa's new husband's family so wish me luck. But I somehow feel that where the three of us are, some part of Don will be there also.