On a Midsummer's Day.

Young and cheeky Jenny and Tina turning pruney in the pool for the millionth time.

It really really is a midsummer day, in fact today as I write this, it is the Summer Solstice, a festival celebrated by many Pagans.  It is the day when the sun is up for the longest of all, and when the night is the shortest of all.  This time of year is celebrated by many people for all sorts of reasons, but the celebrations all tend to be built around joy and energy and being together with those we love.  I don't mind what you call it, just be nice to each other and try not to have too many expectation as to how it should go, because that way lies disappointment.  Best to just relax and see what happens.  :)

Dogs, of course, must be involved, sometimes more than we'd like!

The late, great, Tam, who always felt that every empty chair at a family do was for her.

Today here it is very hot and due to be hotter tomorrow, but luckily for us it looks to be cooling down a little for Christmas Day.  As a child of Australia, I associate Christmas day with the feeling of sweltering around the table with my loved ones at a big Christmas lunch or dinner, sometimes outside to fit in better, or to keep a bit cooler than an un-airconditioned house.  Christmas means with playing in the pool or at the beach, eating salads and watermelon and drinking ice cold drinks.  Bring it on!    :)

The year I went crazy and made pinatas for every occasion, including Christmas!

We do miss Andrew's family very much at this time of year.  His mum and Granny have passed on, and his sister, nieces and nephew all live in the USA now. His mum, Jean loved Christmas and always went to town on baking, decorating and making it so special for us all.  His family were so lovely to me.  I will always remember with fondness how they took me to their collective breasts, so to speak, and made me welcome into their family as a new girlfriend.  That was almost 19 years ago!

Andrew's "Old Granny" (because Jean was now Granny) was a bit of a card.  She still had a Scottish accent and I always used to smile to hear Jean address her in that accent because that was how she heard things best.  She was already in her nineties when I met her, still spry, and driving Jean bonkers by moving things about in the garden all the time.

At one stage, there were four generations of women living in that house at the same time!  Can you imagine?!  It's a credit to their good natures that it worked so well.

Ah well, our thoughts do turn often to lovely Jean at this time of year, that's for sure.

I hope you have a lovely Summer Solstice, whatever you choose to call it.  Love your loved ones as hard as you can, and have fun!