Back to Normal ...

Well actually ....what is normal ??

Life's events come and go and we all seem somehow geared to working up to them - the planning and preparation of them ... then the "event" itself and then back to "normal" (as several of my work colleagues stated when I returned to work after the Christmas break).

Of course what they mean is the day to day stuff that is in fact pretty boring .... but vital for keeping our sanity!

I love Christmas & New Year and this one just gone was lovely - very different to the last few years but very  nice, none the less. I think mainly because we now have the babies and they are not yet old enough to actually "join in". 

It was great having everyone here at mine - 12 adults and 2 babes. I didn't even have the worry of cooking the Turkey as Mum did that part and brought it ready-cooked for Christmas dinner! 

That meal went successfully and then down to a few family games before Mum & Dad and a little later my brother & his family left and eventually so did my girls and their families. A classic Christmas with no family arguments and everyone full and happy !

I think it was New Years Eve that seemed so very different. 

Since about 2006 we have had a big NYE party here ..... initially with my 3 being teenagers and us having friends over. Then, in the last 3 or 4 years, it morphed into a teenage party with friends of the kids coming over and having a great time - drinking and dancing and generally partying - in fact a couple of times I would disappear upstairs to let them get on with it - only to come back down to join in with the traditional midnight countdown and rendition of "auld lang syne!"

Last year was a little different - my grandson was a couple of months old and Gina was pregnant so the partying style was a little more subdued. However, we did still party.

This year ..... it was less of a party and more of a "gathering". Danny had gone out to party with his mates and so the usual crew that congregate here were out with him.

It was actually really lovely - quiet ..... and in many ways much more suited to my personality than the rowdier parties! We played Scattegories and in fact had got so involved in the game we nearly missed the midnight countdown - turning the telly on as the count had reached 6 !

I think this may be the pattern for another few years now and I think I will certainly enjoy the calmer aspect of it ..... although it's not quite DAH's "thing" and I can see him trailing off to join Dan and going out to PARTY ! However, I am happy to spend the time with my grandchildren and welcome the New Year in with the next generation, even though the older you get, the more it is really ....... just another day !

So yes ..... it was different ... another transitional period in life and not our "normal" NYE ...... but then .... what is normal ?