Happy New Year to you!

Well, we had a good one. Feeling a little worn out now, but I really enjoyed New Year - much better than Christmas- celebrating, only without the presents; less food, more drink! Our "at home", or open house, went ok, with only a few friends, but plenty of good cheer. It went on from about 8 last night until about the same time today! (we did get a break to sleep) The children were up till 1.30, and had a great time. They were ok today, too, surprisingly. Someone brought Fugs a Cat in the Hat computer game, which kept him happy all evening. Some time after 11 I suddenly got inspired to do some candle boats, floating in a sea of wonder (a tin bath), with islands of Joy, Luck, pain and healing. Brendan disappeared into the night and reappeared just before midnight with a huge bunch of heather (for the isle of luck) and some coal (symbolic coal, that is- we dont have a fire-yet- maybe this year). So the children enjoyed floating their walnut shell dreams and watching their little lights flicker round the various islands. They also played a fishing game with paper fishes with fortune messages (these has to be made up on the spur of the moment in the end).

Today was like a chill-out version of last night, and lasted all day! The first day in ages that I didn't insist on a sit down meal, as everybody was happily grazing on cheese and oatcakes, fruit, etc, while those with a bigger appetite had veggie haggis, mashed tatties and neaps!

It was lovely to see friends - and my "nightmare" boxing day paled into insignificance compared to some other stories! It must have been a bad day for the world that day, well it was.