While I slept, the new year began.
The last days of 2015 were special with a late Christmas visit from Elly, George & Buffy. Good food, wine, treats and shared time are what I like about these visits. Storm Frank howled about outside, but indoors, the fire sparkled and glowed as we chatted and shared stories from the past few months. It has been a busy year but Elly was here at the important times – making the days around surgery easier for me, and assuring her that I was coping well.
I gave Elly life, but not a life sentence to be tied to my apron strings for all my days. Some people find this difficult to accept, there are those who feels she neglects me… just because she does not run up the road every other weekend. I never want her visits to be a chore for her, she still has a key and knows the door will always be open for her and or George.
We may not see each other for months at a time, but we are in contact on an almost daily basis in the background. Modern technology allows her many options of checking on me. We share a calendar, so she is aware if I have medical appointments, meet friends for coffee or have lunch dates with Toyboys! She knows if I am active on social media, and if I am missing in action or awol … She will make contact to check that all is well with me. Once I am happy, she is happy!
It is not much fun for her at times being a ‘one and only‘ with no siblings to share the burden of her mother. Thankfully with George she has been welcomed into the heart of his family, and for that I will be forever grateful.
I try not to be the Motherinlawfromhell, but George assures me that I am not and that I came as part of the package with Elly when they married. He is always helpful, kind and caring to me. I am so lucky – there are many out there who are not so fortunate with family relationships or in-laws.
So, all the ‘Mum you need to try this’ or ‘Mum you need to install that’ and ‘Mum can you fix this or sew that’ moments, keep me not alone up to date, but using the grey cells and my talents.
Day and daily I give thanks for life’s greatest gift:-
A bundle of joy and wonder, effervescence and caring for all she meets – a real chip off the old block that was her father.
That is my Elly!
On this first day of the new year, my wish for her is a long, loving and interesting life with my son in law, George.
George & Elly on the first steps as a married couple.
May there be many new years ahead for them.
I join you in wishing Elly and George many new years ahead. I also send you my best wishes for the same.
Thank you Ramana. May it be a healthy one for all.
What a beautiful tribute to your lovely daughter. I love how you are counting your blessings!
The world around us is bleak enough, right now, so I plan to focus on the blessings.
Excellent plan!
🙂
Let’s see if I’m persona grata here once more. If not, please could you dig me out of your spam folder?
Kate, you made it above the cut, no way would Grannymar send you to the sin bin! Hope your problem resolves asap!
I think we’re nearly there; all the new posts that have come up in my Reader since the Gagged post have allowed me to comment. Thank you for sticking with me!
It might have been a seasonal glitch… It happened to WhatsApp on new year;s eve.
Whoops, not quite there! My comment on your latest post has gone walkabout. Could you check and see if I’ve been sent to the sin bin after all…?
I found the comment above and the one on the next post in the spam bucket. I un-spammed them and then I went to approve them, all the last page of comments had a red circle with a number one in it?? the previous page did not. moving back and refreshing the page the red circles had gone.
Love you mum!
I love you too.
We are both blessed to have loving daughters!! Happy new year to all!
We are indeed Judy. Happy New Year to you and yours.
Happy New Year!
Aloha from Hawaii.
Happy New Year to you and David.
I have a niece that lives on a different continent but thanks to the social media we keep in touch. Thank god my mom had a loving and caring son when I left for the US.
Modern social media makes the world so much smaller. I find I can send a quick message that won’t interrupt Elly’s day like a phone call would. The tone of my message lets her know if it is urgent to make contact.
Happy NOW Year, GM!
Yes Nancy, A Happy Now! That is all any of us can and should ask for. I wish you the same!
I have a feeling your wonderful attitude is what makes for the good relationship with your SIL (and your daughter as well). Happy New Year to you and your extended family!
Al, I know several families where the incoming young spouse is not respected for being themselves, but requested to conform. I do not work like that. George is very caring to Elly and to me, so I look on him as the son I never had. May this new year be a healthy and exciting one for you and Patti. I am already looking forward to June.
Beautiful words GM, our daughters grace us with their care and attention and like you & Elly, Daughter and I don’t live in each other’s pockets.
I would take issue with you attributing Elly’s kind personality to her father alone. I see so much of your generosity of spirit in her.
Happy NY missus, and you are right, focus on the small gifts in each day.
XO
WWW
WWW, we are blessed with our daughters. From the moment she was born, Elly was the spit of Jack in looks and temperament, I suppose she was fortunate to live in a home where generosity of spirit was a priority for both her parents and she learned how to respect people of all ages and abilities.
May your year ahead be bright with no hovering dark clouds to hinder your way and may we meet again soon. Happy New Year to you, Daughter and Grangirl!
Unlike you, I stayed up to see the new year in safely. I was afraid that if I wasn’t there to grab it, it might take one look at the almighty mess left by 2015 and decide to buzz off. Just imagine a lifetime of being stuck in 2015? Triple-eek.
Happy New Year, and congratulations to the couple.
2015 is not a year I would like to be stuck in, though it did have a good point for me: Successful eye surgery. I think the last time I stayed up to welcome a new year was a double celebration of a new year and a new millennium. Elly & I had travelled to County Durham to ‘her’ relations – my in-laws and we had a wonderful few days with them.
The couple, as you call them will celebrate eight years of nuptial bliss half way through this year. I went looking for a photo and this was the first one I came across.
Nothing like successful eye treatment for improving one’s outlook! 🙂
So I’m a wee bit late on the wedding thing?
It certainly helped me to see straight. 😉
The wedding may be over, but the party lingers on!
Best wishes for 2016.
We went to bed at our normal time. I had woken up early and had no desire to await and greet the new in a drowse. Better just to start the year off right – well rested. 😉
Whether sleep or awake, the new year dawns and may it be a healthy one with plenty of time for travel and adventure for you and Karen.
And a very happy 2016 to you…try to keep out of mischief 🙂
Thanks Cathy, but no mischief? that would make life very boring! I’ll do my best… but no promises. 😉