The past two weeks have been taken up with family visiting and visiting family. Now I am officially hibernating and trying to reset to ‘normal’. The holiday season has been full of family fun, festivities and board games but has not been without incident. First came the ritual of pre-visitor cleaning (is there any other kind?). I had identical cabinets in the two bathrooms, one now relegated to the shed as the new bathroom (finished just in time for the visitors) has built-in cupboards. I scrubbed a bit too vigorously at the top of the one in the ensuite and took the surface off (they are just cheap melamine flat pack things). I decided that this would irritate me so we swapped it with the one in the garage. Not altogether smoothly, as the feet aren’t glued on and fall off when the cupboards are moved. I discovered two years’ worth of dirt under the ensuite cupboard. Having removed said grime and replaced the cupboard contents I find that the top of the replaced cupboard is also scratched!!

Next, although it had never been used I decide I should rinse out the new shower. There’s a fixed shower head and one on a hose. I realise that I have no clue how the new shower works. There are two knobs to choose from. No handy H C label etc.. Note I am fully dressed – you can no doubt see where this is going. I manage to get water (hopefully cold) to come out of the flexi shower. My watch starts buzzing which means my phone is ringing – it tells me it is the fisherman of my acquaintance. Can I work out how to stop water coming out of the shower? Oh. I can get water to come out of the fixed rose instead, just a shame I’m standing under it. By the time I’ve twiddled the right knob in what seems to be the right direction, the phone has stopped ringing. I drip into the living room to ring back. It seems Chris’ car, that has been making an interesting noise for a while, has finally died (fortunately he is at home) fortunately too he has a ‘best’ car – unfortunately that doesn’t start either. I test my car battery as I haven’t used it for a while, yep flat as the proverbial. Three vehicles between us none of which work. If I drank I’d need a stiff gin.

Then, when visiting, I discover that I have neglected to pack any knickers. A supermarket visit should rectify this problem. It turns out that knickers have odd names to describe different styles. I rule out ‘Brazilian’, whatever that is and ‘Thong’. It seems my size is the most popular and that leaves me with very little choice. I end up with knickers that reach my armpits. Then there was somehow losing the key to the now repaired car, while we were on a caravan site. Luckily, it did turn up in a place we’d looked three times. You probably don’t want to know about me trying to mime breakdancing for a game called frozen unicorns, or us wondering if getting crackers with Kazoos in was such a good idea after all.

The decorations will soon be back in their boxes for the next eleven months and we look to the new year. The international situation certainly isn’t anything to cheer us and we can only hope that those with some influence can turn things around and what seems to be an increasing number of maniacs, both those In power and those who support them, start acting like normal, civilised, compassionate human beings. I send good wishes and hope that you can make your little corner of the planet a happy, peaceful place. For those who are struggling, I hope that the light at the end of the tunnel starts shining brightly, or if you are stuck in that tunnel, you find a way to adjust to it that allows you some sense of equilibrium. May you all find and inhabit a happy place.

A sign of spring to cheer you all – taken on 30 December in Cambridgeshire