I keep meaning to blog about this. Further to a "discussion" between my mum, aunt (one of mum's half sisters) and myself on New Year's Day about our family tendency (mum's side) to have "family discussions" (heated arguments) and why I find spending time with family (on that side) so hard and exhausting, I mentioned that the current "discussion" had me "that close" (finger and thumb about an eighth of an inch apart) to tears and my aunt asked, incredulous, "Why?" I had no answer at the time but I came up with a comeback/reply a number of hours later:

"Oh, I don't know, something about 'discussions' like these leading to yelling and physical violence during my childhood, including my dad knocking my mum out in the larder one Christmas Day (or was it Boxing Day? I forget)!!!"

Hindsight is always too late for me.