Presents

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Last evening on his return home from work my lovely husband offered me a carrier bag and wished me a Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas, given its 2 months since my birthday and 3 months until Christmas it was interesting timing!  Inside the bag was a new computer, although these days there is nothing as simple as a computer.  On the box its called a Transformer Book, a screen which separates from the keyboard to become a Tablet but a device which gives you flexibility to use it as a laptop too.  I was over whelmed by the gesture, I realised that even when I don’t think he’s listening to me, my husband does.  Over the past few months, I’ve had technical problems with our family laptop and my Kindle Fire meaning I’ve had to do lots on my Smartphone which isn’t always the easiest or effective solution.  I was coming to the conclusion that a new laptop was the only solution and was trying to work out how I could afford it, so for a perfect little model to arrive at home was fantastic. 

Whilst my family have always done presents and made a big fuss of birthdays and Christmas, my husband doesn’t show the same enthusiasm and preparation for such events.  At first I found this difficult but over the years I’ve grown accustomed to it, although this hasn’t stopped me doing celebrations for which he indulges my excitement.  I know that my husband is a very generous, kind and thoughtful man and though this isn’t always shown on birthdays, its the other 364 days of the year which count.  I would also hate him to think I was materialistic I would prefer nothing than something I didn’t need or want.  Its a compromise that we live with comfortably and which has afforded me special moments like the totally unexpected but much appreciated new computer yesterday.  Such gestures remind me how lucky I am to be married to a such a kind man, not for the gift but the thoughtfulness in recognising and addressing my need. 

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Ice Creams

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Wednesday was the children’s first day back at school and I try to make these days special and memorable, well whilst the little ones are small enough to humour me!  The day starts with the obligatory back to school photos in the morning, when we are all are clean and tidy, no uniforms on before breakfast today.  These photos are diligently emailed through to the grandparents so whilst they don’t live near us they can share in the excitement of the day too.  For Little Miss this is the third year of school and the change in her is significant in the images we have.  After the poses and pleas for genuine smiles, our other tradition is much more appealing, after school we head to the ice cream parlour for a well deserved ice cream treat.   On the walk down to town it feels gorgeous to hold their little hands after a day apart.  This year it was exceptionally hot and sunny so the beach was busy and the little ones had an audience to play cute to as they licked their ice creams and chatted about their day.  Given the school holidays are over it is a more mature tourist in town now, but they were enchanted by the children still in uniforms and carrying their little book bags and many came over to say hello or smiled at us.  Its always a tiring day as we get back to the routine of school so baths and early nights all round but a happy day and I’ve got gorgeous photos too! 

Happy New Year

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Personally, September has always signalled the start of the new year. The academic year is the one I work and live through and having done so for the past 37 years as a pupil, student or teacher, January never has the same effect.  I find New Year’s Eve one of the most depressing and forced occasions of the year, yet September is full of promise, new beginnings and challenges and most importantly lovely new stationery!  Resolutions made in September, which yes are normally about losing weight or getting fit can be focused on a Christmas goal and there’s lots to look forward to in Autumn rather than the cold, miserable months of January and February.  So happy new year, just don’t sing Auld Lang’s Syne.