On being sprinkled by fairy dust

 Dear Marmite

Christmas is over and it is the season for new resolutions and plans for the year ahead. Apart from aiming to be a lot slimmer, a bit richer, more charitable etc... I plan to visit you in the Spring. That time cannot come fast enough. I am saving all my hugs up already.

Christmas celebrations, visits and New Year's Eve are now a distant blur. Sammi came down from Scotland to visit so for a while we had both Shadow and Lucky flopped on the floor - quite a hazard. We got competitive at Canasta, Scrabble... and so on... it is what we do. Each time we went out it rained. This is the really wet type of rain that doesn't fall, it hangs in the air so you really feel totally soaked. Fortunately the temperatures were around 10c so it wasn't too cold. Apart from the rain, there was the mud. The towpath was one joined up puddle so we got plastered on our treks; and the fields are still underwater! 

We even went out for a game of tennis at my club in dry but windy conditions. It is always fun to play with Sammi, if only for old times sake. To think I used to beat him and he cried because I spun the ball. Oh, how time have changed. 

My other bit of Christmas exercise was when I danced the New Year in at my local pub. This was the first big Christmas since COVID so the pub was heaving, the music was "my era" and, because it is a very small village, everyone seems to know each other. I know people from table tennis at the hall, coffee mornings, the pub and church. I know I have chosen a lovely, friendly place to be even though some people say they are newcomers because they have only been in the village for 10 years. It seems to be a village joke known to all.

Not only have I had dogs lounging around the place this past week, I have also had the pleasure of a fully weaponised Ezra-Mae. To tell you all the things she has got up to would run into pages. Suffice to say, I found her with two brussel sprout sized marbles in her mouth  - so I tipped her upside down and slapped her on the back to see if there were any in her tummy as well. Luckily not! I also told her not to touch my eggs as some of them are marble and they could break her toes if they fell on them. Then I found her sitting on the floor trying them out by hitting different ones on her feet. Oh boy, she is a full time job. 

Keeping Ezra-Mae out of trouble

Life really isn't that bad. I spend my time smiling and now I have my "Ring" doorbell up and running again, I feel I have been sprinkled with fairy dust each time I lock or unluck my front door as the bell recognises movement and tinkles on my phone. Ahhh!

So, feeling truly blessed and having another year to look forward to, I send you all my love and hugs.

Love you, as always

XXX