The Family Shrinks.

Our family, just six of us when I was a lad, has shrunk in recent years.  First of all died died from cancer, too much smoking over fifty years in 1969 when I was too young and stupid to comprehend. Then to our shock some 15 or so years ago my sister also had one of these things but of a different order and she too left us. My ageing mother complained that my sister expected to look after her and not the other way around!  Then some eight years ago mum joined them leaving us three only.  
Now my brother, who managed to get bits cut out of him last year and was still rather shaky, has gone and died rather surprisingly to us early this morning.  His son managed to get him into hospital via an ambulance early in the day yesterday and spent a while frantically calling his sister, the one with the brains, who was working in Austria.  
This morning we were told my brother died, possibly in his sleep, and now we are left wondering about arrangements and what will happen to the family there.  The problem is my niece lives in London and while her brother lives at home (both are in their 30's) their mother has begin dementia of some kind and life in the house looks to be a difficult one as the son is not the wisest.  Just imagine me without the intellect!  Hopefully soon my niece will get things organised, then we shall see what we shall see. 
Of course when I imply only two of us are left I ignore the nieces, nephews and their kids also but you realise that.  There are plenty of them at Christmas time and all very capable of looking after themselves these days.  However it does me my sister and her 82 year old husband along with myself are the oldest and she is drawing lots to see who is next!  I have not indicated to her that I am not feeling very well... 

The 'Beast from the Eats,' surely a name coined by a tabloid hack, arrived today but most of us did not notice.  It was certainly cold and while some snow fell even lying for around an hour or so it soon faded.  Snow showers fell and while leaving  for the short trip back to the museum from Tesco I walked into one and looked like a Nannook of the north for a few minutes, I got no sympathy just grinning workmates.  
The sky is now blue edged with pink as the sun goes down behind the trees, one day it will get stuck on top of them.  The weather gets chillier, minus 4 (28 F) last night and my feet are turning to ice as I type but this is nothing to get excited about, especially as I will jump into my bed soon where it is warmer!  Jack Frost was on my window a wee bit last night but most of us can cope.  The kids managed to get themselves into Victorian costume and into school today without fuss and I don't think they cared about the possible snow one bit.

I have ignored the news for a while and feel it has done me a lot of good.  No arguments on comments pages, no stress from slanted news coverage, no worries caused by fretting re the snow on the roads/rails/schools etc which lead to screaming paper headlines and mean little in reality.
My brain is stimulated instead by the Radio iPlayer and programmes found thereon.   This is much better and puts the shambles of this government in perspective.

The 'Beast from the East' has not hindered the dying sun from lighting up the trees around here wonderfully.  I will look out my boots for tomorrow just in case it arrives a day late.