Cats and Snakes

This has been something of a cat Christmas.   We met Janet's cats - Bee and Tabs as they are currently being known -  for the first time, though it took a day or two before they warmed up enough to let us stroke them.  And they still tended to flee in terror anytime one of the visiting Monsters (us) moved too quickly or breathed too deeply.

We arrived in Sheffield on Wednesday last and arrived back in Littlehampton yesterday.

On Tuesday, we drove over the Snake to see Aunt Bea and family.

The Snake Pass (by me)

How beautifully

it winds and wends

the way to Bea's

and back again.

Going backwards to Monday, we went to Jen's - Captain B, Nute, Kathryn and myself - for a delicious veggie lunch - which has become something of a tradition now.  No Ken this year though...  but as long as he is safe in Jehovah's memory, he has a wonderful awakening from the dreamless sleep of death ahead of him. 

Sunday was the big family day, with the Derby mob, the Lilac Tree Farm mob (minus Penny and George - George not too well), and the Derby mob (sans Sami, who is spending the holiday with friends).  Young Harry also came and coped as calmly as usual in the sea of bossy little girls.  We had a buffet, with (what else?) cold turkey, two delicious trifles and a choc log (thank you Helen and Nadine), which worked well as people arrived in relays and ate when they came.

The Day itself was quiet, just 6 of us - which was easier for me as i try to avoid the trappings of Christmas as much as possible  - with a superb turkey dinner cooked by Nute, in spite of a severely damaged thumb.  Trimming of Xmas tree, secaturs, bloodbath, stitching at Casualty required.   And I have already forgotten what we did on the Friday.  Prepared veggies I expect, and Col and Nute went to pick up the turkey from the Real Meat Company Shop.  Plus i was able to pop in to the morning Field Service meeting, courtesy of Zoom.  Thursday was similar - sans turkey - and also I attended the congregation meeting in the evening and found I am on the School this week!  So a bit of time was spent trying to sort that one out, resulting in a Zoom practise with my partner yesterday evening.

I have managed to leave a folder full of papers including my address book behind at the bungalow so am without my contacts.  Nute says she will post it on to me.  I have also managed to bring back one of her towels. Rather a nice one actually that fits my new bathroom very well.  So I thought I had better own up to it in this blog, which she will be reading. So, Nute, if you need it posted, let me know.  Otherwise it will come back with us on our next visit, or you can pick it up on your next visit.

I can only think I am now very out of practise re packing and coming and going.  Or maybe its my age...  you can blame a lot of idiocy on that I find.

Hopefully we were very careful Covid-wise for the whole visit and we all flow-tested ourselves.  

As this will be my last blog for 2021, I must say goodbye to the year.  It has been an odd one, another Covid year, and therefore very difficult for many people.  But it was another year of life, another year of learning more about our loving Creator, Jehovah - and another year of being able to try to tell people about him.  So I am very grateful for it.

What will 2022 bring?  I hope we are all there to find out.  Our part in the Ministry school this week is about the hope that the good news of the Kingdom of God gives us.  And I guess we will need that hope more than ever as the year goes on.