The Second Most Hated song this Christmas…
...is apparently Maria Carey's 'All I want for Christmas', beaten only by Wham's 'Last Christmas'. Oh well, as the hubster says when nothing else will do. Oh, well... 'All I want for Christmas' is this year's cheesy song from us. Every year, two friends, hubster and myself get together, record a cheesy song and send it instead of Christmas cards. I've just got back from recording some tracks with Brian and hubster. It's mainly me singing but the guys are backing me so I don't feel naked. I hate the sound of my own voice singing solo and I suspect I'm not the only person who feels like this. Yesterday I was singing harmonies wth some mates, group work is always more fun. Apart from that there's not much going on in my life with the exception of my dear 93-year -old grandmother, who has recently been diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer. At her age and current state of health, she wouldn't survive an anaesthetic so no operations or treatments are available to her and she's been told she has days left but our family is predicting weeks; she's got a strong heart and a desire not to upset anyone over Xmas.
Nearly every single day I call her and although she can barely see, she knows to swipe the iPad on incoming calls and we chat. Usually about nothing in particular, what she has eaten, the different friends she has seen and until recently, the social groups she attended, like 'Knit and Natter'. She is only 40 years older than me and we have a beautiful friendship. Over the past 16 years, since I arrived in Australia, we have developed a different understanding of each other and I have shared my life as vividly as possible to her to stimulate her imagination of the world. She can imagine black cockatoos stripping the trees by the beach, the call of the kookaburras in the mornings and my dog who likes to crunch on sun-dried cane toads.
We were always good friends, from getting drunk together on scrumpy at a beer festival to her asking me sex advice before she went away for the weekend with a boyfriend she had after my granddad died. Oh yes, there's not much we haven't shared, although I have protected her from knowing about the nastier, more difficult sides of life I have experienced.
All over the world there are people missing grandparents, people who will be sad over Xmas. At the moment, only 13 days from Xmas, mine is still here and at 93, shes been one of the greatest blessings in my life. As much as I will miss the old girl when she does go, I can honestly say that every memory I have is a celebration of her personality and of both of our lives spent together, either through FaceTime or together in person. I doubt I will be posting again before Xmas so here's to memories of love and happiness, of adventure and of a sense of belonging. I have also shared some pics of her from when she was young. Have a safe time my friends.
Her wedding day
Newly married with my granddad