If only….. by happypat

If only…..

Whenever I hear this Christmas song played on the radio I feel quite sad & slightly emotional. That’s the trouble with having family a long way off at this time of the year. I’m OK the rest of the time but Christmas is different.
I know there will be many families this Christmas missing loved ones, some sadly gone forever, at least I know all ours are well & happy & we will see them again hopefully soon.
The world seems a large place at the moment when travel is so difficult.

Three good things:
1. A Connie day, she has been as good as gold & had her warm shower in the wet room after her muddy walk.
2. A bottle of mulled wine on the doorstep!
3. I have ordered some red battery lights to put in the wood burner if it’s not fixed by Christmas Day. At least we will have a glow in there & it will look like it’s alive!
I can imagine your sadness at Christmas 🎄.. let's hope things settle soon and all families can be united again.
Love this card.. Mulled wine 🍷 sounds a nice surprise..
December 22nd, 2021  
@julzmaioro Yes it was Julz…I was only in the garden so didn’t see it delivered.
December 22nd, 2021  
Enjoy your mulled wine Pat, happier times will come.
December 22nd, 2021  
Cute card, I agree it's tough being away from family!
December 22nd, 2021  
We can only hope we will be able to see all our families in the New year. Not holding my breath though! I love that song!
December 22nd, 2021  
What a lovely card , but Christmas does bring alive all sorts of memories that pull at the strings of out hearts ! Let-s hope this horrible pandemic will settle enough to find some normality ! At least have comfort in the knowledge they are all well and healthy in spite of being out of your reach at this time !
Glad you enjoyed your day with Connie -- bless her enjoying her warm shower ! Mulled wine on the doorstep !! -- I am sure you will make good use of it ! xx
December 22nd, 2021  
Just hang in there Pat. It’s bad enough when your family are on the other side of the country, I can’t imagine what it must be like when they’re on the other side of the world. Lovely card btw.
December 22nd, 2021  
@susiemc @beryl @pamknowler @photographycrazy @countrylassie

Thank you all for your kind words!
I’m lucky I know there are far worse than me…just having a senior moment!! 😘😘😘😘😘
December 22nd, 2021  
Oh Pat - nearly made me cry when you said about missing your family so much. It is good to talk on zoom but never the same for you as seeing them in person. Connie sounds a good wee girl for showering so nicely.
December 22nd, 2021  
A lovely card.I'm lucky that Rosie is here with us.. Unfortunately my son and family won't be with us on Christmas Day, just dropping my birthday presents off on Xmas Eve, and our Xmas presents on Christmas Day,on the doorstep.My granddaughter has just been tested positive and is isolating in her bedroom, not a great Christmas for her, especially being a nineteen year old.
December 22nd, 2021  
@carolmw Oh dear Carol, very unfortunate…..nineteen you should be out having fun! Our grandson Jack has come home for Christmas early as one of his house mates tested positive yesterday. He will be isolating & testing himself every day then on Christmas day hopefully he will have missed it. Another Christmas with loved ones missing!
December 22nd, 2021  
@dide Yes I’m feeling soft sometimes….I will be ok when the day comes it’s all the music that does me! Thanks Dianne!
December 22nd, 2021  
Such a lovely song and a lovely card ...and I know how you feel!!
Feels such a wide world and our young people are so scattered that we can't even have a whole family chat without some people being up in the middle of the night!! But like you we're glad they are all well and happy where they are.
And hopefully we can fly before too much longer.
🥰🥰
December 22nd, 2021  
I feel so sorry for you that your family are so far away. Do hope you will be able to visit each other soon 😊 Our parents must have felt like this when we moved to Canada and lived there for 7 years. That first Christmas away was terrible.



December 22nd, 2021  
@sarah19 You will feel exactly like me & you haven’t even held your granddaughter yet….it’s a sad state of affairs…thise little boys must miss you, we are missing their young years! X
December 22nd, 2021  
@busylady yes & then it would be even worse as no instant contact…you would have to book a phone call at Christmas….seems weird now!
December 22nd, 2021  
Pat we are not able to be with my family this year
December 22nd, 2021  
Ah bless. It must be so hard having family far away.
December 22nd, 2021  
It must be hard for you Pat especially with travel arrangements being so uncertain again.
December 22nd, 2021  
@bkbinthecity I think all of us are feeling a little bit sad this year just because of the worry of Covid…it’s all gloom & doom.
December 22nd, 2021  
@boxplayer Yes it is specially the little ones…. Could be lots worse & we all have different problems,worries & sadness….I’m just having a moan !
December 22nd, 2021  
@thistle01 would be good if there was some end in sight Joyce…you will be sad too at Christmas time missing your husband.
December 22nd, 2021  
Don't know this song but it is rather nice; https://youtu.be/DDt3u2Ev1cI
You not only have a 'wet room' but also a shower in it?
December 22nd, 2021  
My closest family lives next door so I am lucky that way. Hope you get to Skype or something.
December 22nd, 2021  
lovely narrative and card too Pat
December 23rd, 2021  
We are a long way from family this Christmas too. Daughter in Victoria and working all over Christmas, grandchildren in Victoria, brother in law and sister in law in Queensland who were coming here for Christmas but altered their plans due to the increase in Covid cases. Cousin in the Northern Territory, nephew in Western Australia and sister in the UK. It is going to be a quiet Christmas for us, but I don't mind as long as we all stay safe.
December 23rd, 2021  
Yes, I agree, it is hard during those special times of the year
December 23rd, 2021  
Oh, you must really feel it at this time of year. We've had a lot of 'stuff' thrown at us this year end, but still I feel we've been very fortunate in so many ways. We have both kids home and our brush with Covid came just in time not to disrupt Christmas plans (yet)! I am struggling with the irony of having exchanged our January Easyjet ski flights to Geneva for flights to Northern Ireland to attend FiL's funeral. :-( We are living in interesting times, that's for sure. We need to focus on the positive, as you say, and not think too much about what we can't do/have. Not always easy. I love that someone left you a bottle of mulled wine on the doorstep! Lovely.
December 23rd, 2021  
@maggiemae Yes we call a wet room here a bathroom with a shower that has no step so that the whole bathroom is sealed for water. We have a hand basin, loo & shower in there but no actual shower cubicle. Easy access for older folk as it’s all one level!! We decided to make both of them like that as it was easier & no shower cubicle to buy.
December 23rd, 2021  
@jamibann Well I call that a very unfortunate swop Izzy, so sorry to hear your FIL died, you will all miss him.
In the scheme of things I count myself very fortunate!
Enjoy your Christmas.
December 23rd, 2021  
Oh Pat, I also feel emotional when I heard that song, especially now. Your family is a long way off and that makes it twice as hard. My darling cousin in Australia is coming back from battling cancer - younger than me - and there's no way we can get there to cheer her on. My aunt the same in France. Life is not easy for such things, is it?
Glad someone left you some mulled wine. Lovely treat! I have spices ready to go to mull some cider for Christmas Eve and some wine for over the next week. I use the Jamie Oliver technique and throw in some star anise while warming. Oh my! Delicious addition.
December 23rd, 2021  
Very emotional shot to go with your text. We are happy that my children live close to us and we meet often. I know your feelings. It was the same with me when my son, his wife and daughter lived in the UK and we couldn't see them often.
December 23rd, 2021  
We all feel the same at Christmas. We have family scattered across the country. Thankfully most are around here though. Mulled wine, nice!
December 23rd, 2021  
Leave a Comment
Sign up for a free account or Sign in to post a comment.