December already!

December already and, like me, you are probably realising that there is not a lot of time left to get organised for Christmas...

I was in Edinburgh last week and it was so good to stay with John and spend days with Moira, Colin and the four children - all thriving. Sam is 13 on the 10th, while Daniel, at 7 months, is commando crawling at speed! Catriona just loves school, swimming and dancing and is a “Strictly Come Dancing” fan (TV). Sean is 2 and has some marvellously old-fashioned turns of phrase!

Weather permitting, Yarrow and I shall head south for Christmas, but we’ll be home to take in the New Year. Train might be an option for some but not me, as I have so many bits and pieces to go, for the children especially. Moira and I shall share Christmas dinner - she’ll do the turkey or roast, I’ll take frozen soups and pudds. and “someone else” can peel the veg!

The water-damaged kitchen floor lino will be replaced in the New Year. I have chosen the new one. There was such a beautiful range but I reckon not many households have to be practical and think of dogs, cats, tortoises, people who rush in from storms and gardens and housewives who just cannot bake without making a mess! So our lino will be just about the only one on offer that tries to mitigate all of these! By the way, Cheque will not tramp over the floor till February/March as she is safely tucked away in her paper-filled box, in the old fridge! I DO check the temperature very frequently, as 6C is best.

I’m going, thank goodness, to finish an Aran sweater in time for a very good friend’s birthday (17th Dec.) It’s a fairly complex pattern and I’ve managed to add a few variations here and there - hopefully she’ll not spot them!! Jane lives close by and looks after Sponge and Cheque when I’m away - and she’s one of the few who can sense one’s frame of mind and act appropriately..... Quite often I (and many others, I am sure) just want my own company.....

I hope you too will be with family and good friends at the festive time and I wish you all a Happy Christmas and good New Year.

Ann