Absent friends

 My cousin Chris Poole and his wife, who initially promoted his career as a Santa Claus, gave me permission to use any of the many photos in his gallery before she died. Not long after, he too slipped away quietly. So this photo brings mixed emotions, of sadness that they are not still with us but also happy memories. 

It is surely better to illustrate a Christmas day blog with the picture of a real person I knew, someone who enjoyed his annual impersonation, rather than with a stock photo. And it really does exude goodwill.

But once again, there are too many absent friends among the living. Once again, travel restrictions prevent me seeing either  of my daughters over the Christmas period, not to mention my brother or sister and their families. So I sympathise with those in a similar position or worse. Let us hope this pandemic will be behind us soon.

A Happy Christmas to you all.