About the holidays

I was so excited. There were a million things to do, but I only got to 4 372 of them :-) So nothing was perfect – the house was clean, but the car wasn't. The linen was washed but not the windows. The kitchen was tidy but the garden wasn't, still isn't. It's all about balance :-) At the airport I hugged my brother and closed the 2 year gap since we were last together. The next morning my younger brother and his family arrived. Lots of chatting and unpacking the car. The dogs and my nieces are equally loud. Drinks, snacks, sampling the biscuits. Lunch and supper, colouring-in books, table-tennis, swing ball, soccer, swimming, sing-a-long to golden oldies and dancing, fairy tales, magazines, strolling in the garden, patting the dogs. Breakfast, rusks, watermelon, chatty-chat, lunch. A long afternoon where we do much the same as before. Braai, salads, wine. Christmas eve, dinner - my big brother wiped away a tear, something in his eye perhaps. My other brother got a lump in his throat but swallowed it down again. So happy to have everyone together. Next morning my one brother drove off to have Christmas with his in-laws. Our day is sedate, relaxed. Next day we all meet up again at a restaurant. Goodbye said my big brother to his little brother, and the next day he said it to his sister. Then they're all gone and its so quiet at home. Just a dog barking somewhere, a cricket, the birds, a weed-eater, a plastic scooter racing across paving all day loooong. And miles south of my house my nieces are doing the same, racing round and round the house. Swimming, tanning, napping and reading. Suddenly, New Year's Eve. SMS happy. SMS new. SMS year. Happy New Year. Thanks everyone, for everything.