Awake and up all night

Morning Gill

I hope you’ve enjoyed your first advent calendar treat 

Linda xxx

Morning Linda  

I certainly did! I got a pudding and my lovely fella got a tree - they brought out the joys of Christmas but I'll stick to my promise of only one door each day. It's gonna be a challenge!

How are you today my lovely? Nice and warm hopefully. I'm going grocery shopping soon but staying in after. Big Christmas hugs xxx

I’m good thanks Gill I’m about to do some baking and then a bit of grocery shopping…knitting and tv for me this afternoon 

Linda xxx

That all sounds perfect Linda, and home baking can't be beaten.  Do a Helen and watch a Christmas movie when knitting. My mam was a serial knitter and we all grew up wearing her cardis and jumpers, as did our kids. Enjoy  xxx

Hi Lynne, Im having my first meeting with consultant after the multidisciplinary meeting. Its in the Womens and apparently treatment is in Clatterbridge Liverpool. I went there for Pet/CT scan. Theyare so lovely there. Its first advent day ️. My grandchildren have already asked if our elves have arrived . Im just taking a photo to send to them all and hope they dont ask what they've done every day . I run out of ideas. I hope everyone is OK.xxx 

Good luck today Beekeeper, and fingers crossed for a positive outcome at the meeting. Sending you big hugs my lovely xxx

Hello Gill, We're back in the cold wet UK now, the trip is already like a distant memory.

My mam was also a serial knitter, she never seemed to have the knitting needles out of het hands and, like you, we grew up wearing her jumpers, scarves etc..

I think it's a local thing we called our mothers mam (not sure but always thought it was a West Riding thing?). Do you know?  I remember when I was about 12 one of my mates started calling his mother mum and I only used it once at home, my mam was not at all impressed!

Derek.

Good morning Derek and welcome back to blighty. I hope any post holiday blues have gone, but you must have loads of great memories from Tucson  

I'm unsure about 'mam' - I always thought it was a colloquial or family thing, as my granny's nine kids all called her that. I carried it on with mine but my mates thought it a bit odd as 'mum' was their term of choice. I know the Welsh often use it, but it's something to look up after the shopping.

Ah, home knit jumpers. I used to love them in winter but the woollen ones didn't half make me itch!

Have a lovely day my friend xxx

I just looked it up and found:

• Origins: 

  It is an alteration or clipping of the word "mama". The earliest known use of "mam" as a noun dates back to the late 1500s, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. 
• Geographic use: 

  While "mum" is common in southern Britain and "mom" in American English, "mam" is prevalent in Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and northern England

  Happy shopping, that's what we're doing shortly.

Interesting. I was aware of 'mam' being the standard term when visiting friends in Teeside but my relatives in Yorkshire (now mostly departed) tended to use 'mother.' At school in Germany (British Forces), we were told to address female teachers as 'ma'am' whereas all previous schools it was 'miss,' regardless of marital status.