Passage of time.

Grace and Baldrick. 
Different tiles on the verrandah and both dogs appearing elderly.
Actually I am feeling very wobbly and flu-like  today, with a slightly sore throat.
With a bit of luck lt will serve as an excuse to avoid an extended family gathering tomorrow. 
I will send them organic lemons, a strawberry tart plus a big bottle of our own organic olive oil and best wishes via hubby. Thus I will avoid having to smile while in the company of people that I don't know, whose interests, as far as I do know are limited to their cats, cat diseases, personal ailments and hydraulics and various ills.
In my mind I can already hear them recounting the stories from their childhoods, which may have been interesting once, had I not heard them a dozen times already.
I miss my own family and miss sharing familiar memories with them.
They will pretend to be sorry that I'm not present and I will play the game and be at home with my dogs who are speechless if not silent.