Best Christmas Gift

The news chilled my heart. An old estranged friend was having serious health issues. Hospitalized 3 times in the last 3 months. Worse each time. ICU, drips, test upon test. I dithered and dathered. Took stock of how the friendship ended (my choice). Remembered the good times and there were many. A shared trip to Ireland, weekend visits to her parents when her mother had Alzeimer's, connections with each other's children, followed through advice to each other. Shared broken hearts at one point in time from failed relationships. And on.

My mind was made up today when I heard she had been released from the hospital and was home. I looked at the phone. Answered emails. Looked at the phone. What the hell. Even if she hangs up on me. What have I lost?

I finally picked up the phone and she answered on the first ring. When I told her who it was she burst into tears. We talked for two hours. Yes, it is serious what has happened to her. She has an inoperable clot on the brain and her lungs are just about shot from two bouts of double pneumonia. And her driver's licence has been taken because of her condition. The very worst thing, we agreed, and laughed in unison. And we talked of old times and good times. And she remembered things I wouldn't have thought anyone would remember.

And we said a few times, gawd, it's like yesterday since we talked last. And it's like the rubbish that interfered with it all was just that. Rubbish. To be forgotten.

And we both cried at the end of the conversation with promises of more talks, more remembrances and hopefully future plans.

I can't begin to tell you how mighty and fantastic this Christmas gift has been.

I hold her in light and love. And she will get better.

And most importantly: drive again.

A Letter from my Grandmother

I was reminded of a letter I received from my grandmother when I wrote the previous post. I went through my treasure box of my mother's and father's and aunts' letters (I wish they were all there, my mother wrote to me weekly, long newsy letters before she died just over 4 years after I emigrated to Canada). I am missing hundreds of them. But around 50 are saved.

Anyway I found this lovely letter from my grandmother, sent in the early part of 1970, she left it undated. she refers to my father visiting my mother every day when she had extended hospital stays. My mother was to die just over a year after this letter was written. Granny was never the same after her death. It was a terrible time for all of us.

Granny didn't like letter writing, she always felt embarrassed by her lack of education, she was very young (around 10-11) when she left school to work in service to help support her family. I have corrected her spelling where necessary but I have left her punctuation (or lack of) and grammar stand due to the charm of it and the way I can hear her voice in her words. My mother had that gift too.
I adored my Granny and had the great good fortune to live with her and my grandda for a while in 1946.

My dear Mary

Thank you ever so much for your lovely letter and present you never forget me Mary and thank God to hear you are over your trouble and that God sent you a lovely little baby girl a sister for O*** please God time won't be long slipping Mumma told me that she is very tiny but don't you mind that Mary they run up better than the big babies

Mumma (my mother) was the same too I could only bath her evening second day she was very hardy and Mary Mumma is getting stronger every day thank God for that I suppose you heard she was down to see us and she is coming down on Sunday so I will have this letter ready for her

I was thinking Mary that you will have the summer before you now and you will never miss her getting big what a lovely name you gave her Mary you are great I suppose T** had a say in that I don't think I hope the little darling will enjoy her name what do O**** think I suppose she is great looking at her and her little smile

O must be getting very big please God we will be seeing ye all in the summer and dad and all the boys are very good tis great that G***** (brother) got the bank and that he is very happy. J*** (brother) was down after Christmas he is getting to be a lovely boy he is after getting fine and fat thank God for that

I often felt very sorry for your daddy and the way he used looked after Mumma he never missed going up and down to her he was great to cheer her up thank God for that they are both very good and we have her to go to here for our little chats she is one of the best in the whole world

I am here at 51 Main street and am very happy which is a great thing Mary the flu was very bad thank God I did not get it so far all the families are going on great.

J--- (my cousin) is doing a line with a very nice boy he gives her a very nice time and she likes him

Mary dear I will ring off now and will give this to Mumma when she will be down on Sunday

I hope you make this out.

Good bye and love to Mary, T** O*** and J******* from Grannie xxxx

(PS) Tell T** I was asking for him it won't be long slipping when I will see all the family love Grannie

Belatedly - The Books of 2025

The still-to-be reads from 2024

Intermezzo - Sally Rooney *****

Followed by the Lark - Helen Humphries ***

The Inheritance - Cauvery Madhaven ****

Still Life - Sarah Winman *****

The Postcard - Anne Berest *****

The Pages of the Sea - Anne Hawk  DNF 

The Adversary - Michael Crummy (2nd Reading) *****

Walking with Ghosts - Gabriel Byrne *****

Bewilderment - Richard Powers *****

The Overstory - Richard Powers DNF - tiny italics and my poor eyesight

The Wife Who Risked Everything - Ellie Midwood *

A Little Life - Hanya Yanagihar 0

Fresh Water for Flowers - Valerie Perrin *****

The Hypocrite - Jo Hanya *****

I'll Be Seeing You - Elizabeth Berg *****

Convenience Store Woman  - Sayaka Murata *****

How the Penguin Saved Veronica - Hazel Price ****

Dolly - Anita Bookner *****

The Killing Kind - Jane Casey *

Nun The Less - Patricia Brown Not rated, a friend.

Standing in Gaps - Seamus O'Rourke ****

American Mother - Colum McCann/Diane Foley ****

The Outside Boy - Janine Cummins **

Advice for Murders - Vera Wang *****

Cassandra at the Wedding - Dorothy Parker *****

The Precious Days - Ann Patchett *****

Signal Fires - Dan Shapiro *****

Isola - Allegra Goodman *****

King of Ashes - S.A. Cosby ****

Waiting for Gertrude - Bill Richardson DNF

Homecoming - Kate Morton **

Will and Testament - Vigolis Hjorth ****

The Secrets of Primrose Square - Claudia Carroll **

Heart Be At Peace - Donal Ryan ***

The Post Mistress - Sarah Blake *****

Question 7 - Richard Flanagan *****

A Truce That is not Peace - Miriam Toews *****

The Ruin - Dervla Mc Tiernan ***

The Narrow Road to the Truth North - Richard Flanagan *****

101 Days - Kamala Harris *****

Four Red Sweaters - Lucy Adlington *****

Nobody's Girl - Virginia Giuffre *****

We Did OK, Kid - Anthony Hopkins****

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So there you have it, the list of books read or dropped (DNF) for 2025. Rated with 5 for superb and thus downward. At my advanced age I don't have time for books not to my interest anymore. Our Annual Jolabokaflod (literally book flood) celebrated at Solstice/Christmas yields treasures for the year ahead. We put great thought into our book selections for those we love. So these gifts are treasured and endure. And it has the added bonus of taking all the angst out of the seasonal gift madness.

I also get quite a few books out of my local library  which also has access to multiple libraries across Canada and will haul in any special request for me along with holding book requests (best sellers) for me. It's always lovely getting to know your local librarian and to be greeted by name when you walk in. They also offer a delivery to my home for the mobility challenged. When I lived in the outports they had a books by mail service until I founded the library in my town back then which still flourishes.

Below is the haul of unread treasures from this past Jolabokaflod, I have read a few already.

Let me know if you have questions on the 2025 books or share your own favourite reads of the past year. I do recommend keeping a book journal. I have done this forever, it seems.