A wren still hunts in the dry-stone wall
Where Fluffy caught and killed the nesting coal-tit.
I watched three hares in the field this morning,
Loping through the snow, and pitied them.
The Christmas tree is up, and looks well;
Some presents are beneath it, your stocking on a chair.
The Fiat’s driver’s door won’t close properly
And the roads are treacherous,
Yet your mum goes to work each day, and Susi to school;
Poor Aileen is still stuck in Dublin Airport
With her sons; we all look forward to the thaw.
Life goes on, and much remains the same,
Yet everything has changed … light is different;
The air less sustaining and sleep less restorative.
My work’s uninterrupted by songs, rugby talk, lifts;
There is less laughter, the house is quieter.
The stuff of life has lost its flavour –
When you left you took some ingredient with you.
How shall we get it back?
The road to God knows where ... Brendan O'Brien 
Will be thinking about you and the family on Christmas Day. May you remember the happiness he brought and feel it again. xx
Thanks very much, Jan … that’s very kind of you.
Good evening, Brendan … an expression of rare sweetness captured in this photo of Sean.
( He would probably have disliked that description of himself :-)) but this is what I see, all the same.
It’s a particularly difficult time for you all .. may the blessings of Christmas .. peace, hope and love help you through the great emptiness and anguish you feel.
I will be thinking of you and lighting a candle at Mass for Sean and for you.
Marya x
Hello Marya … thanks for this, and for the candle. We appreciate it. Sean was terribly sweet and affectionate, and wouldn’t have minded being described as such. 🙂
I wish you a very happy Christmas … I hope the weather won’t hamper any activities you may have planned.
Hello Brendan
The wound is yet young and it is Christmas. Just take each day as it comes. Some will be more difficult than others. My prayers are with you, your beautiful wife and your daughter. xx
It’s good to see you, Tigerbrite. Thank you so much for this.
I assume you’ll be in Spain for Christmas … I hope you have a happy one.
Hello Brendan .. I’m happy about that :-)..thank you very much for your good wishes ..
I’m working tomorrow and Boxing Day but I have relatives from OZ arriving in Cornwall on the 2nd January .. they’ve planned a ski holiday on the Franco-Swiss borders later in the month .. they might be able to practise here 🙂
At least you’ll be off on Christmas Day, Marya! Sean’s girlfriend always works on Christmas Day, which seems tough, but I suppose someone has to. 🙂 She was here yesterday with presents for us; it was nice to see her.
Having your relatives will be nice.
Yes, I’m fortunate … I’ll be spending Christmas Day with very good friends.
I’m very much looking forward to my relatives’ visit .. I’m just praying that the weather will be kind to them and these country roads will be snow and ice free.
Please pass on my best wishes to Clio .. she will be in my thoughts, too.
Marya x
Thank you, Marya … I will.
Such lovely eyes, Brendan.
It is undoubtedly the small everyday things you miss. They all add up to one rather large gap in the family.
I do hope that you will take comfort at this very difficult time from the presence of family and friends.
I will be thinking of you.
Thank you, Araminta. Knowing that people care is a big help. That includes online friends like you as well as the people we see here.
Beautiful words, Brendano. I hope that you take comfort, as Ara says, from the good wishes of family and friends.x
Thank you, Claire … indeed I do take comfort from people’s kindness.
I hope you and the family have a great Christmas.
Christmas day at Brendan’s and Pauline’s house will be……
Full of friends and relatives, getting stuck into the eggnog and whisky, a few beers, lots of food and laughter.
Seans spirit will be visiting, uplifting the mood.
You’ll have a great time, despite the rather bad end to this horribe year, no doubt you will miss Sean and his being there, but rest assure, its Christmas time.
Peace and joy to you and your family and all of the bloggers that have taken the time to reply to your posts in this difficult time.
Life goes on, and here is my secret to all of you : It will get better !
Hello Rainer … I hope you’re enjoying your well-earned break from the cabbying. Thanks for taking the trouble to write this, and for your eternal optimism. I hope you and C will have a great Christmas.
The year turns. I hope the lengthening days bring new joy to you and your family to balance the old year’s sorrows.
Thank you very much, Squid. Happy Christmas.