Odd "Inheritance"
I suppose for many with close families you will know what I mean. When Mum & Dad died I inherited thier "Christmas Card" list. In fact up until last year I exchanged cards & letters with the midwife who delivered me (the only time we had met!).
Yesterday evening I was debating what to watch on TV when my phone rang ... It was Mum & Dad (and my) next-door neighbour ... but as we left Wales when I was 5, I don't really know him! Luckily he is a bit of an odd ball and phoned me to tell me he had written, then read the letter to me ... so I only needed to listen with half an ear. He then proceeded to tell me about a lot of people who he admitted even Mum & Dad didn't know. So, slightly odd ... but Happy Christmas Paul.
I had not long put the phone down when it rang again & I did wonder if it was him with the PS but it turned out to be someone who I had actually met a few times about 10 years ago. She is the widow of Mum's sister's ex-boyfriend! Before WWII, Auntie Marion was seeing John and they were talking about engagement ... then he was called up into the Navy. Mid way through the war Uncle Fred was posted to the next village (he was in the non-commbattant corps) and was doing heavy farm labour ... he and Auntie Marion met, and the next thing Mum knew is they were engaged. Mum asked how John had taken the news and her comment was that if she wanted him to knw, then here was his address ... so Mum had the task of writing the "Dear John" letter (literally in his case). Sadly John got married soon after he was de-mobbed and the marriage only lasted a few years, then about 10 years after the divorce, he met Betty ... and the rest is history. However from that first letter he & Mum kept in touch ... and his eldest child (with wife #1) is called Sylvia (Mum) Marion ... no wonder their marriage didn't survive. Happy Christmas Betty ,,, and Sylvia, of course (Bizarrely her husband is called John, which was Dad's name)
So that was my evening .... in the end I had an early night to bed and read.
Now I have a plumber in replacing my kitchen tap, which finally died ... he is struggling with one of the pipes, so I am keeping out of the way so he can use "magic words" if he wants! Before he came I had hoovered, and got a load of washing done. Then later I am going into work ... but as I am doing extra shifts next week, I am leaving early so I can get home to see the Strictly final ... her suggestion, not mine.
But before I get sorted for lunch .
17. What do you like most about your family?
We basically stick together ... and we all "scrub up" pretty well!
18. December 18 is "Bake Cookies Day". Do you have a favourite cookie recipe? Care to share?
I love ANZAC biscuits ... but another favourite is Peanut Butter Biscuits :-
4oz butter
4oz light brown sugar
4oz caster sugar
1 egg
5oz crunchy peanut butter
1/2 tsp salt, bicarbonate of soda, vanilla essence
4 1/2 oz plain flour.
180'C 350'F Gas #4 ... 10 - 12 mins (Makes 35)
Right that's me up to date ... I am off, see you Monday x
Yesterday evening I was debating what to watch on TV when my phone rang ... It was Mum & Dad (and my) next-door neighbour ... but as we left Wales when I was 5, I don't really know him! Luckily he is a bit of an odd ball and phoned me to tell me he had written, then read the letter to me ... so I only needed to listen with half an ear. He then proceeded to tell me about a lot of people who he admitted even Mum & Dad didn't know. So, slightly odd ... but Happy Christmas Paul.
I had not long put the phone down when it rang again & I did wonder if it was him with the PS but it turned out to be someone who I had actually met a few times about 10 years ago. She is the widow of Mum's sister's ex-boyfriend! Before WWII, Auntie Marion was seeing John and they were talking about engagement ... then he was called up into the Navy. Mid way through the war Uncle Fred was posted to the next village (he was in the non-commbattant corps) and was doing heavy farm labour ... he and Auntie Marion met, and the next thing Mum knew is they were engaged. Mum asked how John had taken the news and her comment was that if she wanted him to knw, then here was his address ... so Mum had the task of writing the "Dear John" letter (literally in his case). Sadly John got married soon after he was de-mobbed and the marriage only lasted a few years, then about 10 years after the divorce, he met Betty ... and the rest is history. However from that first letter he & Mum kept in touch ... and his eldest child (with wife #1) is called Sylvia (Mum) Marion ... no wonder their marriage didn't survive. Happy Christmas Betty ,,, and Sylvia, of course (Bizarrely her husband is called John, which was Dad's name)
So that was my evening .... in the end I had an early night to bed and read.
Now I have a plumber in replacing my kitchen tap, which finally died ... he is struggling with one of the pipes, so I am keeping out of the way so he can use "magic words" if he wants! Before he came I had hoovered, and got a load of washing done. Then later I am going into work ... but as I am doing extra shifts next week, I am leaving early so I can get home to see the Strictly final ... her suggestion, not mine.
But before I get sorted for lunch .
17. What do you like most about your family?
We basically stick together ... and we all "scrub up" pretty well!
18. December 18 is "Bake Cookies Day". Do you have a favourite cookie recipe? Care to share?
I love ANZAC biscuits ... but another favourite is Peanut Butter Biscuits :-
4oz butter
4oz light brown sugar
4oz caster sugar
1 egg
5oz crunchy peanut butter
1/2 tsp salt, bicarbonate of soda, vanilla essence
4 1/2 oz plain flour.
180'C 350'F Gas #4 ... 10 - 12 mins (Makes 35)
Right that's me up to date ... I am off, see you Monday x