December was busy, as Decembers so often are, and fairly eventful.

Jayne left her job and returned to her previous one, which I am quite happy about. I will see a lot more of her now because the hours are more sociable, with more rest days and she doesn’t have to factor in long commutes. My job remains the same, but has been getting more engaging.

Because of our particular situation, we have three Christmases each year. We spend the 25th itself at home, just the two of us, very quietly. We usually have a roast dinner, but rarely turkey. We do have sprouts of course, but that is because I like them. The kids have all moved to other towns and spend the day with their own families or their in-laws. Unless, like Frankie, they are working, so we all get together a week or two before. That is when we see all of them and the grandchildren, exchange present and so on.

During the week after Christmas we go up to Essex to see my family. It is one of the few times that I will see both of my sisters at the same time, apart from family weddings and funerals.

Another rare event these days is me going to see live music. I was going to take Jayne to see Spizzenergi in Brighton, but she was laid up with flu so I went on my own and enjoyed it a lot more than she would have done. I have literally lost count of how many times I have seen Spizz since the first time at the Chelmsford Odeon back in 1979, but it is always an entertaining show.

The month was not all fun though. Jayne’s father died on the 23rd, but she had visited the day before and realised that he did not have long. To be honest, thanks to dementia he really went a while ago and it was just his body that died this month which probably made it a bit easier.

Apart from all that, and despite the weather, I did get out on my bike a few times, including a short Xmas day ride. I even drove the car, albeit just for the mile or so back from the garage after the annual service and MOT.

I was quite restrained with buying records in December. Just a few at the last record fair of the year, and some bits and pieces from the market in Brighton while I was down there. And or course somethign from the merch stall at the Spizzenergi gig.

I read fewer books than most months. Only half a dozen, taking me to a total of 125 books for the year. It is probably not a coincidence that I watched more TV than in other months, taking in three films, a few Christmas specials (Doctor Who, Death in Paradise, Wallace & Gromit) and a few series. I watched series 3 of The Cleaner, series 3 of The Lincoln Lawyer and series 6 of Brassic.

That last one was the highlight for a couple of reasons. For a start, it is just consistently funny, well-written and with a brilliant ensemble cast. Most importantly, it is something that Jayne and I sat down to watch together. I recorded it all a few months ago, but had been saving it until that was possible and Jayne’s change of jobs gave us the chance we needed.

Having said all that, Wallace & Gromit was also absolutely brilliant, but I enjoyed that on my own.

So, another year over and another year older. For Christmas Jayne gave me several old-man-type presents (warm scarf, new slippers, cardigan) and I was genuinely pleased to have them all! Mind you, secret Santa gave me the new David Gilmour LP and a Manu Chao ‘Clandestino’ t-shirt and I was equally pleased with them.