A quick post, more to come. Our son’s birthday is on Christmas Eve. The plan was that he would come out and spend Christmas with us this year; but flights were too expensive, everything was too expensive and despite all our efforts we all agreed it wasn’t possible. Yes I was disappointed, we haven’t seen him for two year, but as you know I am also philosophical and I did not want him to start the New Year with debt because of a trip to see us.

He was disappointed because he is thirty this year, a milestone birthday. But I put a brave face on it, we planned to put some money into his account and were going to call him at my sisters house on his birthday. I ordered his birthday card from Moonpig on Friday to be delivered to my sisters house so that it would be waiting for him when he got there.

Yesterday we had a lay in, and got up at ten. We were meant to be out and about early but something stopped us, and as we sat in our wingback chairs in the window, and I chatted to my sister on the phone, I heard the gate go, and the dogs started to bark. Still in my jymbies I stood up to see who it was, and saw my son standing in my garden looking at me. (I have tears in my eyes now!) I couldn’t believe it, and found myself in denial, with my brain telling me he couldn’t have got here. (Any train or plane would have meant someone would have to collect him). All was explained when in walked his friend Chris, who we haven’t seen for five years! Every Christmas for many years he would spend Christmas evening at our house, eating and playing Monopoly (a Christmas tradition.) and he has often said how he misses us.

I cried, RD cried. What a fabulous surprise. Tom (Ethan) had been travelling for over twenty-four hours, Chris pretty much the same. For the love of us. That is what Christmas is about.

So much more to tell you, but have to go and make more memories.

Just a little tantaliser here we are stuffing our faces with bread, cheese and wine. Happy days.

Rosie