A slight delay in my update on part one of this journey due to a nasty bout of food poisoning contracted in the Maldron Hotel Dublin Airport’s restaurant on the night before I travelled to Hong Kong, so much for me eating lightly and being careful, why oh why didn’t I just walk across the road to the big yellow arches and get a dirty burger, it could not have done anywhere near the same damage! To be fair to the Maldron they couldn’t have done more for me the following morning as at that point I wasn’t sure if it was a gastric bug or food poisoning. I now know.

Back to my Christmas week……

Cornwall is such a special place to us all and we appreciate Sarah (my daughter in law) so much for introducing it into our lives. It is so beautiful and being so close to the sea, beaches, walks and amazing restaurants and food produce, what is not to like.

The Airbnb we stayed in was perfect for us, Sarah organised everything from the accommodation to the groceries including a beautiful Turkey/Ham from the local butcher for the week & Christmas, what a girl! John arrived (under instruction lol) with a huge Christmas Tree, decorations lights etc, there really is nothing like a real tree and we all appreciated you both so much for all of it. Oh and lovely weather too!

My Grandson who just turned 3 in December means Christmas is taking on a new view again ie through the eyes of a child which is so lovely. Christina and Tim just at that busy time of life with 2 small children, Sarah & John’s journey into parenthood imminent, it is so lovely being an Nana.

Mousehole, pronounced “Mauzall”, is a lovely village in Penzance which we had stayed in for a few days before Sarah & John’s wedding is famed for it’s Christmas lights, and so, Christina had booked us into a nice restaurant for an early dinner, the food was gorgeous, before the “daily” evening big switch on of lights, which were really good, the pics don’t do them justice. Cornwall have an array of male voice choirs and there were some there singing on the harbour, what a beautiful sound.

Christmas Eve; storms forecast, they weren’t kidding! I went out for my morning walk with Seamus, it was blowing a gale and the sea was bashing against the rocks and harbour, bracing to as the least. The sea is beautiful and yet so treacherous, St Ives is so old, I think of the people that must have lived there once and how hard their lives must have been.

We had a nice chilled day, we went to a Carol Service and Nativity in the Church of England, so old and beautiful, it was 2 mins from our accommodation and was packed, nothing like a few carols to get us all in the mood.

Christmas morning – good news! Santa got the memo. Auntie Sarah nailed it with the fireman Sam outfit/gear! The camera was a big hit also, like a mini Kodak instant fab!

Christina & John were in charge of cooking. My only job was the gravy and I think the new phrase is “Stay in your own lane mother” lol in other words but out!

We had an unexpected guest on Christmas Day, Steve, whom Sarah & John had met on the beach when out walking Seamus, Steve had come down to St Ives to join his wife Linda for Christmas and she had passed away very unexpectedly 10 days previous and so it was Steve joined us, a lovely man from Hull, born in Glossop, really interesting and a most welcome addition to us, we got him socks lol not very original but something to open and hopefully useful. John met up with him again before we left and he said Christmas Day had been a positive turning point for him and he had been so grateful. I am very proud to have such open welcoming and kind offspring (that includes my in-laws), is it really that hard to be kind and generous? Small acts/deeds mean so much.

The rest of our time was spent on lovely walks, for Caleb – going on the train to Carbis Bay and Back and the Lifeboat being launched on a live shout, everyone back in safely thank goodness.

Precious memories – Thank you – Lym Mum xxx