It’s Boxing Day, all is quiet and this is a day to relax. Our two sons, daughter-in-law, grandson and brother-in-law joined us for the traditional turkey meal on Christmas Eve. As expected all attention was on the little fellow and what he would think of lights, wrapped parcels and masses of food. It was a relief to see that he’s recovering from scary pneumonia a week ago, thank goodness we have antibiotics now.Caleb is almost 1 3/4 and has, according to his Dad, sixty words in his vocabulary! 
We toasted our thanks for family gathered to celebrate, and spared a thought, as we always do, for absent friends and family. Brian’s wife was with an old friend who is very ill, and the new year will bring tough times for my older brother as he undergoes cancer treatments. We have much to look forward to in the New Year but there will be anxiety in the backs of our minds.
On Christmas Day the youngsters brunched together in Maple Ridge with the Demchuk clan, then Mike joined Steve and Jen for more uncle time and Alan and I joined the Jen’s parents, and aunts and uncles for more turkey. Two happy days. Later this week we’ll visit friends, cousins and even welcome an English nephew and his two sons here for the very first time.
January is pencilled in by Al and me as a get-work-done month – he has editing assignments and I need to fish out the earthenware and get making more new jugbirds. I am expecting a group of artists here on a ‘raid’ early in the month so must prepare some new plates for them to paint.
But I wanted to acknowledge this little break by sending you my best wishes for all you wish for in 2015, whether it’s family time, peace, creativity, relaxation or happiness. The poinsettia was photographed in Cuba recently. I hope to assemble an album of our photos from that adventure very soon. And there are lots of photos of last week’s salt firing to show you. If you click the link below you will find the annual McMillan newsletter written by Alan.
