Sue's Blog - Some assembly required.

For auld lang syne

Firstly.....a few photos of this year's house decorations.
I have been waiting for the snow, as they look more festive in snow.
But, it seems our visitors must have brought the UK weather with them and we have had mostly rain, winds and fog.
It is extremely mild for us.
The lake isn't frozen.  Nothing is frozen.
Will this last into Alanmas?   I doubt it.

So, I took these photos without snow.
It is extremely odd for us to have these mild temperatures at this time of year.
It has made Christmas not seem quite so Christmassy.


As much as I am enjoying being able to get out and about easily.........I will admit I am missing the snow.
Even Wisconsinites, who got cross every time Donna mentioned she couldn't wait for snow, are starting to complain about the rain and fog.
We never usually get much rain, but we have had loads lately.  I suppose, if it were colder, it would have been snow.
How odd.


I wonder if Alan will get to see grass this visit.
That would be very unusual.

For auld lang syne......... I had a phone call the other day.  I recognised the number.  It was my former friend....the one who threw a hissy fit at me because I didn't mind children having free school meals.  Do you remember?
She sort of lost control and was really awful.
She did try to phone a couple of times afterwards but I was too upset to answer. 
Anyway, would you believe that was over a year ago?  16 months in fact.
I have wondered about her from time to time as she is getting older and isn't in the best of health.
Anyway, it was her number.
I will admit I hesitated for a few moments, but then I thought....it is Christmas........goodwill to all ........peace etc.  so I answered it.
She had phoned to explain why she hadn't sent me a Christmas card.
I had sent her one last year, even though the friendship was dead, and she also sent one to me.
I sent her one again this year but I did think it was getting a bit late for cards so I thought she had maybe decided not to send any more.
But, she explained that she had had surgery on a heart valve and hadn't been able to send any cards.   She said she didn't want me to think she just hadn't sent me one.
We didn't mention 'the episode' and chatted quite normally.  She asked me about my family etc and I asked about hers.  I wished her better and we agreed to speak again in the New Year.
I have to say it felt good to talk to her and to heal some wounds.
Who knows what had got into her that day?  Who knows what might have happened in her life that made her explode at me over nothing?  It wasn't like her but it was very upsetting.
It must have taken a lot of courage to phone me after all this time.  I take my hat off to her for that.  So, this friendship may recover.  It may not be the same as before but life is too short to nurse grudges.
It wasn't like a facebook "I unfriend you", which seems a rather childish,  adolescent thing to do.  It had been a parting of the ways, but maybe those ways will join up again.
We shall see.

posted by Sue Banks @ 4:49 PM