Silencing the Bah Humbugs

I’ve had to bite my tongue a lot this week. And that’s difficult for me, a Scorpio who more often than not, stings first and thinks later. My gripe? Other people’s opinions on my future. From putting my house on the market (apparently not a good time to do so but my retort, when is?) to moving myself plus the woofers to France (apparently never been done before and therefore impossible for a 53 year old). Whilst I am open to advice, why do so many have to be negative about it? Or worse, see me as incapable of doing it? I doubt the same would have been voiced if I was a man by the way. It seems that being a widow and wanting to start again means you need to be advised against your own decisions by some. Thank God for my cheerleading ‘amies’ who let me vent my frustrations at the above and keep me on the path forward.

I’m not going to lie, there are times when I doubt myself and my decisions. “What the hell am I doing?” is a regular earworm but then little reminders pop up and I’m getting the rollerblades on. Last Thursday, Election Day of course, I sat in the London evening traffic for 3 hours on a less than 10 mile journey. And whilst I sat twiddling my thumbs looking at a sea of red lights, I could hear Pop complaining about the number of idling engines going nowhere. When once I would call Tony and he would make me laugh until the traffic eased, there was just Arry and I. And he was asleep. I realised that this was what staying in London was, a boring, static life with nothing but red lights ahead. Why should I settle for that?

So Callum and I plus 3 woofers (Arry, Alice and Yogi Bear) will drive down to the old homestead for the last Christmas at L’horte and I can’t wait. Ok so the drive is a long one and Callum is averse to any form of kitsch Christmas songs but the destination is worth it. And I’ve done all my Christmas shopping, made the cake, bought the pud (does anyone still make these?) and checked the dogs’ passports. A week in the place I love the best with those I love the most is how us widows plus woofers silence the bah humbugs…..

” The reason why dogs have so many friends is because they wag their tails instead of their tongues” (Anon)