#SeasonalSonnets: 30th Dec.

Hello my lovely readers!

Tonight's #SeasonalSonnets entry (and the penultimate one!) is in honour of - and gratitude for - my beloved maternal grandparents, who have been here visiting us for nearly two weeks and are soon on their way to the rest of our family in South Africa.

In part because of that, but also as an early celebration of Gramma's eighty-third birthday on 1st January, today we went to watch English National Ballet's production of The Nutcracker at the Coliseum. Thanks to the fact that both Grandi (a name given to him because I couldn't say 'Granddad' when I was little) were using chairs, we had a box, and it was such a joy to watch Gramma's delight at every aspect of the afternoon - the venue, the set, the costumes, and, of course, the dancing.

I shall be immensely sad to say goodbye when they fly off (as I always am), but we still have nearly five days together, and I'll treasure each of them as I have all of the others we've been blessed with over the twenty-five years of my being their grandchild. I just wanted to write about them before my little sonnets series comes to an end - so now, if you don't mind, I'll leave you with tonight's entry to spend some more time with them.

Until tomorrow (for the last time this round!)

Jx

30^th December

Tonight I write this poem for my grandparents,

with whom I’ve had the luck to spend two weeks,

and of the matinée which was a present –

just part of Gramma’s eighty-third birthday treat.

This afternoon we went to watch The Nutcracker,

put on by t’English National Ballet

and, from the box my chair gave for our bunker,

we let the score (and dance) lift us away.

I feel so grateful we can have such times

and to have been allowed so many years

to spend with them whilst they are in their prime

and to build up my store of memories.

Yet, still, on Wednesday, to SA they fly

and so I must, ‘til March, wave them goodbye. 

Photo credit Bev Chambers