We had some glorious Christmases on the farm when we first started out on our new life in the country, but the best one ever had to be the Christmas of 2010.
It snowed, and snowed, so much so that when Alan's annual two weeks off work came to an end he couldn't go back for another full week. The fields and the one and a half mile track that enabled us to get to the village were all deep in the white stuff and this was the year we realised that we needed a 4x4 if we wanted to continue living there.
THIS was the post that I wrote before I knew our Christmas break was going to be a lot longer than usual. We actually needed us both there over the Christmas holiday that year, as that was the year that Jack our boar had got in with ALL the Large Black sows and we had a quite a few piglets born at the worst possible time of the year.
But apart from all the work, the snow made life magical, and puddles on the kitchen floor from wet wellies and thawing coats were quickly forgotten about when we were cosy indoors with such magical views from the windows.
Memories like this are magical and I am so lucky to have my old blog posts to look back on, to check facts, and to prove to Alan that some things that I talk about did actually happen. 😄
Sadly, I was pulled up short a couple of weeks ago when I found an old birthday card at Mum's bungalow and took it to her at the care home. It was one that I had made up myself with a few pages of photographs wishing her a happy 70th from all the animals, and with photos of the farm and the animals that she had looked after when her and Dad had farm-sat for us on a few occasions.
She didn't remember us having a farm, or them ever visiting, and even her favourite photo of my Dad from those times didn't jog her memory.
Life changes so much, and we just need to be in each moment, and live it and love it while we are there.
Keeping it simple and calm is what is working for me at the moment.
Sue xx 🎄
I'm publishing this on Friday 13th as this was always Mum and Dad's special lucky day.
Beautiful photos Sue, I remember that winter - minus 13 here ☃️
ReplyDeleteHeartbreaking for you when memories are being re-wired, over-written; sending love and hugs.
It really is, and they are not just being re-wired or over-written ... they are gone. All that's left is a blank space where they were.
DeleteI know how heartbreakingly sad it is, Sue.
ReplyDeleteI recently read Herman Hesse's Siddhartha, where the protagonist realises that time is an illusion and that living in the moment means being present without letting worries about the future steal the opportunity to experience what's happening in the present. A bit deep for a Friday morning, but very true.
I hope Friday 13th is kind to you. xxx
Very, very true. I never understand the people that worry constantly about what might happen, and permanently have a negative spin on everything. Live in the moment, cope with things as they occur, some things you just can't change and those that you can, you can deal with as and when they happen. Never let worries about tomorrow steal the joy of today.
DeleteLovely snowy photos.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry that your Mum has lost those memories.
It's such a shame, because she loved the farm and especially cuddling the chickens.
DeleteIt works for me too... ;)...
ReplyDeleteI'm glad. :-)
DeleteSimple and calm... it fits me very well.
ReplyDeleteGood. :-)
DeleteSimple and calm is for us too. Very much changed from when we had up to 14 people round the table on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day and I was working full time with a small child and a husband who often worked away. Catriona
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing when we look back on the things we used to just do without a second thought isn't it.
DeleteWhat wonderful photos, really magical. We must all treasure the here and now. So sad that your Mum could not remember your farm and looking after it. Regards Sue H
ReplyDeleteThey are good photos aren't they. They also appeared in Country Homes and Interiors magazine that year. :-)
DeletePerhaps having the photo will bring back some memories of times past later on to your Mum. Simple yes around here, but calm not so much.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
That's why I took the card, containing lots of photos of the farm and her and Dad on it, to her, but she didn't remember being there or the animals. I'm glad it's simple for you, perhaps you can work on the calm. :-)
DeleteI am sorry about your Mom, having gone through this with mine, before she passed away last year - it takes some getting used too. Look after yourself as you navigate this new situation x
ReplyDeleteIt's been building up gradually over the course of this year, but sadly it has ramped up significantly now.
DeleteOh Sue....it's so very sad when your mum can't remember those happy times. This post made me cry. None of us know what is around the corner do we? We do have to savour all the happy times we've had and ARE having now. At 75 yrs old Graham has forgotten an awful lot of things that I talk about and I often have to prove it in some way. Our son-in-law is heading along the same path at 57. I worry about my daughter and how she will cope in the future. She is also worrying about her daughter (our 20 yr old Granddaughter) who is due to have a tonsillectomy very soon. Her pre-op is on Sunday so it might take place before Christmas at this rate. It never rains but it pours.....
ReplyDeleteTake a day at at time, dear friend, that's all we can ever do.
Angie xx
Exactly, one day at a time, giving it our best.
DeleteAlan's memory is pretty shot too, I'm starting to feel like I am everyone's memory bank, and like you proving things and trying to link them to more memorable moments, it's pretty tiring. I hope your Granddaughters operation goes well, it's notoriously harder to get over having tonsils removed as an adult.
Thank you, Sue, I'm really worried about her....
Delete❤️ xx
DeleteThis brought a tear to my eye, for you, your mother and Alan. Age can rob us terribly. I'm glad you can still share memories here.
ReplyDeleteIt's very sad isn't it. xx
DeleteBeautiful pictures of that snowy winter. I enjoyed reading the linked blog post, too.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry your mother has forgotten those days. I still remember the day my mother looked at me and asked me who I was. I cried. These days, find myself forgetting somethings - a name, a specific word, and I worry.
I can feel your pain for that day, it's a dreadful time isn't it. xx
DeleteSimple and Calm. Yes, this. I'm in a similar situation to yourself, Sue, and it's all I can manage just now.
ReplyDeleteYour top photograph is especially beautiful. It looks like a Christmas card. Xx
The light was just so perfect wasn't it, we had a lovely couple of weeks cut off from the world and walking ours and our landlords fields with the dogs.
DeleteSome beautiful pictures of that year's snow. For some reason I don't recall it as a stand-out winter, not like 1963 where we had snow on the ground from Boxing Day 1962 until the first week of March 1963, and most of February below freezing.
ReplyDeleteWe lived in Oxfordshire then, and I think the snow stayed longer than usual as we were so isolated on the farm. If we could have gotten off the farm, down the track and into town it was a lot less deep and disappeared much quicker.
DeleteBeautiful photos 😻 It's very sad to read how your Mum has deteriorated and it will be very hard for you 😔 I had a really good memory but these days I'm beginning to be more forgetful thank I would like to be! Small, simple and quiet, how perfect🙏
ReplyDeleteIt is sad, especially as she's losing such happy memories that she shared with my Dad.
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