I was actually out shopping with Martin when he left me in a coffee shop to go and get my Christmas present. He returned with a smallish box in a carrier bag and I couldn’t begin to imagine what it could be. For some reason I thought it might be a small handbag or something. I gave it no more thought.
So when I opened said small box yesterday morning I was shocked and delighted to find he’d bought me an iPad! I’d definitely started to want one, but coldn’t bein to justify buying one. The delight in receiving such a lovely gift from my husband was tinged with a little sadness though. It brought back a poignant memory of the last time I had received some unexpectedly generous and expensive presents — my 18th birthday.
I had been diagnosed with Hodgkins’ Disease shortly before my 18th birthday and for some reason, possibly to try to ensure I was able to make the joint 18th party I’d arranged with my friend Diana for 8 days after my actual birthday, I ended up having a major operation on my actual birthday. I was allowed to have a light breakfast at about 6am and was woken by the night nurses with a huge tray with my boiled eggs and toast that wss littered with little cut-out 18s and happy birthdays and keys. The nurses had spent most of the night preparing this little treat for me.
And then at about 9am, my parents and sister arrived. A few weeks before my diagnosis mum had taken me shopping to see if there was anything I wanted for my 18th. We”d spotted a lovely necklace that literally seemed to have my name on it. It was a small Perspex cylinder with a diamond J set into it. But it cost what seemed to be a fortune. I think it was £80. But this was 1977, and that seemed like an unbelievable sum of money back then. We reluctantly turned away and carried on looking for something a little less extravagant.
So imagine my feelings when, in my hospital bed on my 18th birthday, I opened mum and dad’s present and found that necklace! My sister Lou had also bought me a beautiful leather writing case with my initials on, which, as she continues to remind me to this day, was “not a cheap item!”
Hence why, when I opened my iPad yesterday, I was transported back 34 years and why yet again, my loved ones feel they need to spoil me!
But there was no time to dwell on all of that. We had 13 guests turning up for Xmas dinner in a few hours and there was plenty to do. Martin, in his totally unflappable way, finally installed himself in the kitchen at about 9am. The 25lb turkey was shoved into the oven, and without the slightest bother, he prepped the veg and got the starters and canapés ready.
All I had to do was get myself dressed and lay the two tables!! At around noon I remarked that ours was probably the calmest household in the whole of the UK!
It all went off brilliantly. My parents and Lou and Bev arrived at 1 and the other nine were not that far behind them. We started with mulled wine, prepared loosely to a Jamie Oliver recipe, yummy, and there was plenty of conversation to accompany the canapés. The seating worked fine, with a table of 8 and another of 7, and the chef excelled himself. By pacing the serving of starters and leaving a good gap before the main courses, we were more able than usual to actualy enjoy the delicious free range turkey from a farm near Tunbridge Wells in Kent. Thanks to our friend Ross for ordering and collecting it again this year. It was worth every penny and all the effort!
After pudding we decided a walk would be in order. After much waiting for people to retrieve their coats, find their comfy shoes etc, I led a group of 12 on a short tour of Limehouse and out onto the river. Refreshed and with the cobwebs blown away we returned for some coffee, more chat and a brief flirtation with the TV.
It was only my sister’s premature hangover (she blames Bev for making her stop drinking too early!) that prompted people to start to leave at around 9.30pm. I think everyone had enjoyed themselves, I know I had.
