Where to start?

I have not slept a full night for months-could it be the tablets I am on? Thus I have lain in bed for some time gazing at the speckled, pixilated, creamy edge framing the curtains and trying to work out if it was a full moon lighting up the dark sky (when I went for a wee it was like sitting in daylight in the en suite!) and whether this was a blue moon- but the study calendar from Canadian N. tells me the full moon was on Friday night (28th) and 4 weeks before that would take us to the last day in November-tough......

December- in fact 2012- has sailed past so quickly and tomorrow is New Year's Eve and the man with as many noses as there are days in the year will be out and about. Let me know if you see him........
The Solstice means the sun is on its way back north to us- Hallelujah! May it dry up all the rain so Incy Wincy spider can climb the spout again.
A wet, windy month is coming to its end- like Janus I am looking both ways in this blog because I have not had time to think, let alone write, for weeks; I have planned a few things to blog but no time to type them up. So I shall look back then forward- actually though I am not a scatterbrain, I shall probably dot around all the many thoughts in my head and not put events in chronological order-bear with me.

Various health issues and the arrival of baby A. have absorbed the month till Christmas was upon us with a vengeance; the house hummed with visitors- a flurry of bedding, crackle of wrapping paper, broken baby nights -L and I tried to help out with late or early shifts-snap of crackers, flicker of candles, spices of mulled wine and lots of laughter. Smells are evocative aren't they? Nieces and their happy boys came- why didn't we get round to playing table football? Last night my nephew joined us watching Newcastle playing Arsenal then for a board games night. It took me back to all the many Christmases when we 'had' everyone in the extended family- my parents, my sisters, their husbands/partners, their children, my aunts and uncles, my parents' bestman, my parents-in-law, my sister & brother-in-law and Uncle Tom Cobbley and all!

I mentioned football! I shall not mention by name that wee Scotsman who is so full of himself as he plays mindgames with referees and linesmen then 'calls' Newcastle United- a wee Northern Club- us! has he seen or heard of our fan support? In 3 days we scored so many goals against his Man Utd and Arsenal and played such exciting football but.....

Now the holly which has decked the halls, is withered and crackly on the picture frames; the recycling bin is full of (non-metallic of course) wrapping paper and empty bottles; the chocolate boxes are discarded and the Christmas tree is devoid of chocolate ornaments.
We have eaten too much. We have walked from the Fish Quay to past the Grand Hotel while watching masses of  porpoise like surfers riding the waves. Unfortunately we had to call in for fish and chips- but it tastes better when I don't have to cook a meal myself.
The turkey carcase (or is it carcass?) is in 2 big pans downstairs ready to make broth; the jar of sauce is ready to make turkey curry; I am going to get on my bike today and splash through puddles to accompany D3 as she runs. Before the diet there is a hogroast at church and New Year buffet at the local rugby club then back to normal routine and thinner days!Then I will be able to get stuck into my books received at Christmas. I shall read everyone's letters again.

First we have friends calling in from Australia- just like that! The world gets smaller and families interconnect across the globe so easily now. A pantomime to stage. Ooh! 3 weddings coming up in 2013. The green spears of my bulbs are already pushing well up- Bring it on!
Really I need a new PC next year but money is a bit tight so this chuntering, achingly slow desktop will have to suffice.

I wish you all a happy, healthy New Year when it comes.