FAMILY AFFAIRS UPDATE

I thought I’d do a quick Family Affairs update, for the record, before we get into the business of November (many birthdays) and December (many parties).  I officially now have VERY old children…my daughter turned TWENTY EIGHT this week – which she thinks is positively ancient! I also have one turning THIRTY ONE next month. This makes me officially a dinosaur.

The celebration of my daughter’s birthday has been one of the joyful things we’ve done this week – my youngest and I took the day off and spent the day with her which was lovely. We had a lovely meal at The Ivy – which never disappoints.  She’s suffering from several cracked ribs after falling down some stairs last weekend – which is super painful for her and sadly there’s very little that can be done for her apart from allowing time to heal them.

All three of my kids are gainfully employed which is GREAT and generally happy and busy. They were all very sad about the death of Matthew Perry at the age of 54 seeing as Friends has been their go to binge watch during a hangover ever since they can remember. I’m not sure they’ll be able to watch it in the same way ever again, now that it’s more about a chronicle of his decline and fall.

Our cat…not so much. He’s in a protective collar after several accidents in the garden where he’s come back with missing fur that he then licks to death.

The look of love:-

Other than that, we’re all inevitably concerned about raging wars, tragic loss of life, ceasefires and what the ultimate outcome is going to be. So many of my friends are struggling to even watch the news, let alone know how to help. Everyone is also getting worried about a looming global recession owing to increased defence spending, the house price situation and presumably high interest rates will soon start to bite when households have spent all their savings they made during the pandemic. Government debt in the rich world is apparently higher now, as a share of GDP than at any time since after the Napoleonic wars – which is a massive worry.

I’ve been making tomato chutney!  Unheard of…..but comforting somehow.  Will report back when I’ve done a taste test in a few weeks.  Going off to buy Caramac bars was also temporarily comforting, but certainly not the answer – I felt the need to remind myself of the taste of my childhood, before they discontinue the product at the end of the month. I’m not sure I’ve had one for 35 years and luckily, it doesn’t look or taste like it used to…so maybe I won’t be too upset at it’s demise:-

Nothing much else to report for now!