Merry Christmas

On Sunday morning I trundled out on my rounds, listening to Sunday Worship on Radio 4. The service came from St David’s in Pembrokeshire. After all the bad news of recent days it was comforting to hear Welsh words spoken, memories of so many trips to Wales, and St David’s, flooding my mind’s eye. I even understood something! “Pob Bendith” – “Every blessing”. 

Lunchtime carols at the cathedral are cancelled this year, likewise the twinkling light display at the local National Trust property we like to visit. We attended a family nativity service via Zoom. Looking back at last year, and how it had felt such a mad rush of over-consumption getting to Christmas, I can’t help wonder if it’s all bad. Yet it felt really Christmassy listening to the choir in the car, the low winter sun reflecting in my wing mirrors, so I do hope the lunchtime carols will be back next year. Sometimes I wonder if it is more about being spectacularly organised for Christmas, knowing in advance the events and activities that we want to prioritise, those that will add to the sense of the season, rather than reactively agreeing to every invitation for Christmas drinks here, and ‘pop in for a mince pie’ there. 

As Sunday drew on, I drove through narrow lanes, more like streams than roads after the heavy rainfall. Patients wished me Merry Christmas from cosy kitchens where support stockings steamed over old stoves, and garden birds flocked around well-filled bird feeders. Up, out, of the city the sky was bright blue, and I thought to myself, we are nearly there, nearly at the turning of the year when I will begin to put together my seed orders, and spot the first spring bulbs popping up. On Monday morning I received an email from my manager. Wearily filling in a Clinical Incident form last thing on Sunday for a patient who had developed a pressure ulcer, I had only populated the form with my own details! She was reassured to know the skin on my bottom was indeed intact.

I hope your plans for Christmas are not too disrupted by the government’s announcements, and that you will be able to feel the festive spirit despite restrictions. As always at this time of year, my thanks goes out to all of you who follow this blog, and keep up with my news and ramblings. I am hugely honoured by your support, and patience! Have a wonderful Christmas, and peaceful New Year. I will be back in January. Pob Bendith.