The tree is up. We had Tori for a sleepover and she and I put the decorations on the tree. I had planned it all gold and red (this years colours in the tree fashion stakes) but she went off and came back with some more decorations I had left in the bedroom and started raking though them and soon I had hung up the little drums, the old angels, the golden bells and some very old decos she found that I was about to throw out. It does all look nice and the tattered old tree ornaments remind me that it isn't what we look like that counts, the older you get the more memories there are attached.

Of course in the process a few pieces got broken. Tori says:"Ooops, sorry" without looking up. She is her father's child all over. But that is precious too, to see that the generations don't change much, the way they speak or their activities might seem a lot different but actions and attitudes take a lot of time to overcome and so there are familiar gestures or body language and just that way of holding her head to one side when she is thinking that shows her ancestry.

We invited her Mum and Dad to stay to lunch as well as it is cool and overcast and with the covered patio an ideal day to have a BBQ, not too hot. Trev was awake and amenable so he was happy to do the cooking and I kept the salads and sides very simple. Tori ran around the yard like mad thing as the rest of us talked for a while. Alex smiled and wriggled and let out the shrieks and noises that six months old babies do. Ray and he had some interaction which was good too. Ray can still do the smile, fingerwags and silly sayings that are a familiar part of talking to babies before they can talk back.

When I said "sleepover" earlier it doesn't actually refer to sleeping She was standing at the end of my bed shaking my toes and saying:"Granma get up" at 5.40am. It was light, the birds were busy doing their dawn chorus and so she was up and ready for the day. Thank goodness for that stack of children's videos we still have. Disney Singalongs, Aussie ABC programs, and "The Bear in the Big Blue House" took us to breakfast time. We girls "eat helfy" as Tori says so we had scrambled eggs following by slices of watermelon and apple juice. It was a change from the two quick slices of toast I usually have. In the meantime Trev and Pa got to sleep in. Lucky men eh?

The rest of the Christmas planning is coming on well. I have the majority of the present giving under control. We are not big present givers. I came from a poor migrant background and Ray's family managed to eke out a living of fishing and fencing so they didn't have much extra either so we never learned to spend a lot on gifts. As our children grew up we drew up lists and pinned them on a noticeboard and the kids all picked out something they could afford to give from their saved pocket money and the little extra we gave them. I still buy a toy, a book and a couple of items of clothing for each grandchild. We give them a lot through the year, just little presents here and there, so no need to "buy" their love. The adult kids each have a way of saying:"don't spend too much on us" so we don't. Just some under the tree gifts so Granma and Pa and all the uncles, aunts and whoever is there at gift giving time are not left out.

Today was a fine ending to a busy week. No major dramas, just a series of days we managed to cope with. Next Tuesday I get to take Ray to the doctor for his last quarter bloodwork. Not expecting any surprises, he seems to be okay, sleeping well, walking reasonably well, and unless it is very hot and humid and we do too much in the day, coping with summer. Let's hope it stays that way.