When Graham’s parents told me that, in spite of having their own family staying over Christmas, there would be space for me too, I jumped at the chance.
The train journey from Stansted was fairly fraught, with delays due to signalling issues and a diversion caused by an accident, but eventually I arrived in Harrogate.
The following evening I was invited to sing at an open mic night at the St. Robert’s club; I met Jan and Liz there, as well as a couple of guys I used to know way back in the sixties. Steve used to play in a professional band back then; I was just a child, so never heard them perform, but I do remember the Dormobile van they travelled around in, that they papered the outside of in psychedelic wallpaper! It was a lovely evening; everyone sat in a circle, each person played one song, followed by the person to their left, we went round four times. Someone had a guitar like mine, which she kindly lent me when it was my turn and at the end I received some very complimentary comments on my voice. The work I’m doing with Nadia must be doing some good (more later).
I hadn’t met the rest of Jean and Doug’s family before; their son and his wife, who live in Canada, were staying with them for two weeks, while their daughter and her family stayed in an hotel in Harrogate for a few days before heading north to visit her husband’s parents.
Jean and Doug’s house was bursting at the seams on Christmas day, with thirteen people, but it was good fun; we played lots of games and ate very well in a very convivial atmosphere.
We went for a couple of walks in the Dales and were lucky with the weather; it was cold, but dry. I managed to catch up with plenty of friends between family gatherings, spent a day in York with Immy, met Belle’s boyfriend and joined the whole family for a dinner at the Orchid restaurant.
I was dreading the train journey back to Stansted; I needed to take the first train in the morning from Harrogate to Leeds, followed by another three. If any of them were to be delayed, I’d miss my flight and on the basis of my northward journey, that seemed quite likely. But Jan was going to visit her daughter near London the same day as I was leaving, so she offered me a lift to the airport. I was so grateful!
Once home, I slept, but the next morning there was no time even to unpack; I was invited to Mart’s, my ex neighbour in Caupenne, for new year’s eve. I hurriedly emptied and repacked my small bag, shopped for my contribution to the meal and set off again. We had a great new year’s eve and the following morning I headed home in time to make lunch for Kieran, Arthur and Emily.
I think I’m going to do very little for the rest of the week, I need a holiday to recover from the last two very enjoyable, but exhausting weeks.
