For those who have been wondering why the paucity of posts recently, there’s a very simple answer. The four have now become three with the passing of the MiL towards the end of last year, leaving just me, Wife and Cat in residence.

As regular readers will know, the MiL had become increasing frail with age and multiple infirmities, so it wasn’t an enormous surprise that she eventually succumbed. Just a small point here seeing as they so often get lambasted, a big thank-you to the Hampshire Social Services for their endeavours on her behalf. They don’t seem to get much good press these days, so credit where it’s due.

It made for a very quiet Christmas, although the presence of Yomping Buddy was most welcome, and inevitably resulted in both surf and turf being visited over the Christmas period. One of the things one does appreciate in Lymington is that there is a certain continuity as the seasons process. Christmas means that Santa sits in his boat in the Lymington River and the lights go up in town. As it was, so it shall be. It’s not boring, it’s nice. What was also nice is when walking home from seeing in the New Year every person we met wished us a happy New Year and saw several Sky Lanterns ascend into the night sky. Surprisingly moving and rather quieter than fireworks!

You may have noticed that with the New Year came quite a lot of the white stuff. No, I am referring to the snow. Around four inches in our case. OK, unlikely to create any avalanche risk, but considering we are on the balmy South Coast, a veritable inundation. It truly would have been more magical if it hadn’t been that Wife had a significant birthday early in the New Year which was in danger of being snowed off. As it transpired a quick thaw set in in the nick of time and all was well and a great time was had by all.

Since we are inclined towards creating a wildlife friendly garden, it was very nice to see the avian side taking advantage of the various types of food left out, and seeing a few new birds hitherto unknown in the garden. Whilst we expect the odd new one turning up on the feeders from time to time, what we hadn’t expected was a veritable mob of Fieldfares alighting on the crab apple tree and pretty much stripping it bare. For the uninitiated the Fieldfare is a largish Thrush which doesn’t normally turn up in town gardens. However the paucity of food available out in the Forest has meant that large flocks have been sighted around the area, including our garden. Proof if proof were needed below!

Not yer average Thrush

So apart from the ridiculous amount of paperwork required when someone passes on, we are now faced with a future which looks very different this year than last. For instance we can decide when we want to go on holiday without being limited to when the respite service have available beds for the MiL. It’s an obvious thing possibly, but after a number of years of caring for an elderly relative, it’s taking a bit of getting used to. We’ll probably manage it though. As that world renowned philosopher the Disney Corporation put it, it’s part of the Circle of Life.