Home for Christmas

The first time I've been able to say that since 2011, having arrived back at the flat around an hour ago after a fairly restrained trip to my local. Home alone, as I've already said, K being away, but home nonetheless. And, unless anything unforeseen happens, I won't be leaving the building again until sometime on Boxing Day.
I've even had a little prefatory Christmas present - a boy moment. A little boy, but none the worse for that. After vacillating for a while before leaving the pub about options for my evening meal - I had, and have, stuff in the fridge and freezer, but was lacking the motivation to do anything with it - I decided I fancied a Chinese takeaway. I didn't even know if the place down the road from the pub would actually be open, but it turned out that they were, so in I went, and ordered. The only other person in the 'public area' of the shop was a little guy of 6 or 7 I'd seen there once before, the son (or possibly grandson) of one of the staff. He looked more Mediterranean than East Asian, a pretty enough little thing, but not in a sexual way, even for me. He was bouncing what we used, as kids, to call a Powerball around, a small and very lively article, rather like the boy himself, and it wasn't long at all before I found myself involved in an impromptu game of 'catch' (or 'drop', by me as much as by him!) while I was waiting for my food to be prepared. It only lasted a few minutes, of course, but it was just one of those things that happens occasionally which can nudge me into half-believing that not everything in my life is darkness.
And, on that reasonably positive note, and given that, in this time zone at least, we're only a little over two hours away from the 'big day', I'd like to wish all my readers a very happy and peaceful festive season. Enjoy, guys!

Love & best wishes to all
Sammy B