[Margaret Pilkington]

You are welcome Gerard.
Yes, the food Up there is not the best.
The grand children at 13 and 10 ARE old enough to grasp the basics of what is going on and are probably(secretly) worried and upset.
Another option for you all to perhaps consider is postponing YOUR celebration of Christmas...and perhaps doing a Christmas style meal once Yvonne is back home and things are more settled.

As for hospital entertainment at Christmas...that has to be a laugh of similar proportions to the Michelin grub joke.

Carol singers used to come round at some ungodly hour, but the only other entertainment might be some confused elderly person getting out of bed and showing a bare bum to the world.
Pay TV would be the only other bet...expensive too