But does the lightbulb want to change?

I am writing this as I sit on the train and the Christmas Eve busy-ness goes on around me. I am heading to York to meet a very good friend of mine for a walk and drink before then heading back home to see friends and family. It is incredible how easily I have found it to allow everything to just flow this year. I feel ready and I have taken a few days in Kent to spend with family - my mum, sister, and grandparents. And I sent a few of those 'I-must-send-soon' emails when I arrived home but it is really ok for me this year to kick back a little. I still haven't replaced my computer, all my work is being done from my iPad, it isn't as convenient but it is ok just for now. All shopping has been done, I am ready to wholeheartedly embrace Christmas, I even survived being driver through the Christmas traffic around London. It really is ok this year.

Our trip to Kent was brief but it was certainly one of those adventures we will remember. If not for our moment in Peterborough services when it was hilarious to discover the answer to that wonderful question of 'how many men does it take to change a light bulb'... I don't know whether the lightbulb wanted to change, but it certainly needed to, and when you have a mother like my mother when a task needs doing, you can be assured that it shall be done, probably in the most hilarious and entertaining manner possible. Following a failed home attempt before leaving, it had gotten dark and we pulled up in the service station for a coffee break to then find that a green flag van had pulled into the parking space opposite us. My mum said with a giggle 'oh look, Tan - a green flag man. If you pull your bonnet up and stand there by your car he might come over to help you'..... 'Oh, mum', I replied, my feminist 'I am an independent woman, I shall not fall victim to a 'poor me, I can't fix my car' narrative'  So I headed inside the service station, head held high, laughing to myself but fiercely assured that my mother was indeed not going to succeed on this mission. I purchased my soya latte and came back to the car to find my mother stood next to my car with the lightbulb, the green flag man, and 5 additional men (bikers who were en route back to Newcastle from Belgium...) all stood by my car with their torches and tool kits ready to tackle the task of changing my front light bulb. 45 minutes later, small talk, jokes, and 'where are you from ladies?' type of conversations later.... And voila, fully functioning new light bulb fitted in my lovely blue Clio. And off on the road we went giggling far more than we had for months. Thank you to the bikers from Belgium.... 

It was a lovely few days preparation for Christmas; wine, lovely food, beautiful walks, and time spend with the people that matter.