twas early Christmas morning .....

Good morning everyone, I hope everyone is well

( I know what some people are like after a night out on Christmas Eve - )

It is a bit odd really. Here I am , 06:30 on Christmas day morning (or at least it was when I started typing this posting), and, for the second year running, I am alone. I have woken up, as I do do on most mornings, "automatically". I suppose that my body has been conditioned to waking up at this time. I'm typing on the old computer, as Liam is a sleep on the settee in the front room - his Uncle is sharing his bedroom for the Christmas holiday's and Liam isn't used to someone snoring.

It wasn't that long ago that I'd have been awake for hours now - the kids having made a small mountain of discarded wrapping paper. Squeals of delight at what they would find under the Christmas Tree. Laura would particularly be happy to see that the Milk , Biscuits and Carrots she had left out for Father Christmas and his Reindeers had been "eaten". We had even moved present opening to last thing Christmas Eve so that some of us could get some sleep, and, also, that Cathy could see the kids open their presents if she had to work early on Christmas Day (Cathy is a Senior Nurse at the local hospital).

But today, something has certainly changed. Life here at Chez Smudger will probably not be the same again.Everything has definitely "grown up".

No doubt, within an hour or so , Laura will be up wanting to wake Liam up (to get him out of the way )so she can get to her presents. There will still be the smiles. The "OOHS" and "ARGHS". But there is a definite "change".

What is making me smile. I am listerning to the BBC News 24 service with Bill Turnbull at the moment. He has asked his viewers to let him know where the snow is. And, for the first time in a number of years, there are many places in the UK that have a covering of the "cold, white stuff" for Christmas Day. I looked out of our window.

Not a flake.

Not a sign.

NOTHING.

Well not yet anyway

Anyway, to everyone out there, I hope you enjoy the rest of the day.

MERRY CHRISTMAS