Christmas has been and I didn’t wish you good things, I’m so sorry! To think that I used to put up a video on the day, to send happy wishes, and now I’ve been a week since I last wrote a post.

It’s been busy and I’m tired by the evening nowadays, especially the last few days and blogging, though it still matters a lot to me, isn’t a must-do every day ‘or else’ any more, though it should be really. Weeza and co came over on Wednesday. They were very excited because they were going, on their way home, to pick up their new puppy. Yes, one is not supposed to get a dog for Christmas and it wasn’t *for* Christmas; they’ve been wanting one for a long time. It’s just worked out this way. I long to meet her but that won’t happen for a while, now we’re in tier 4 and, anyway, we’re being exceptionally careful because of Wink’s op.

On Thursday, Christmas Eve, Al and family were going to visit to hand over and receive presents and to go for a walk with me. Being scrupulously correct, I’d have joined them to be the sixth as allowed, as the Christmas latitude had been cancelled (but we were still in tier 2 then, gosh one has to keep up with the rules). However, the weather took a turn for the awful on Wednesday night. It rained so heavily that there was disastrous flooding in Yagnub and in the village. We’re fine here, the fields were flooded but the house is sufficiently above the beck for there to be no risk of the house flooding. But it has been seriously awful for many families. About 20 households had to be evacuated and others were affected. One house was at risk of collapse into the river and was shored up to save it. I spent much of the night watching facebook updates – volunteers and emergency services were wonderful and spent the night helping, while others offered accommodation and Christmas meals. More wind and rain is forecast tonight but I don’t think it will be so bad and people are prepared now, with sandbags and so on. Just dismal and dismaying and thank goodness no lives have been lost. I’ve had anxious messages from friends who’ve seen Yagnub on the national and international news, worried in case we’ve been flooded but we’ve only had the planks of a bridge washed away, nothing worse.

The recalcitrant chicken was perched on the compost heap on Thursday morning, wet and bedraggled but with no intention of coming home. I can’t catch her and cannot refuse her food. If I let all the chickens out, she’d probably return home with them but I can’t do that either as it’s now illegal. So she’s a wild bird and must take her chances. If I manage to trap her, I’ll quarantine her in a coop, little bugger.

But anyway, back to Christmas. We had a lovely day with Ronan and family, as well as Dora’s sister who, as a single mother (whose daughter was with her father for the day) is counted as part of their household. I’m so dismayed for those of you whose plans were thrown aside by the sudden lockdown. It’s easy for us who did have that day with family. Al called in the morning with presents, which we exchanged at a distance, like hostages.

Today has been quiet, as Boxing Day usually is – never know how people (in normal times) manage parties and so on, we’re generally knackered. But an industrious hour cleaned and tidied the kitchen and dining room and salad for lunch, scrambled eggs and smoked salmon for dinner and we’re feeling relaxed now.