Saturday 22nd December - Nearly ready

Someone will have to go out into the cold this evening (unlikely) or tomorrow morning (more likely) to post the neighbour's cards through their letter boxes.

And there's still a fair bit of present wrapping to be done (I've wrapped everything that I am responsible for so I'm alright thank you!).

But the turkey and the ham are in the fridge, and the vegetables ar all in the shed.

We have cups of tea, and I've lit the candles and switched on the lights, and we are eating chocolates out of our Advent calendars - from yesterday's little drawers - we've got a bit behind - and the cats have settled and it is all quiet and peaceful.

We've been sent personalised Christmas baubles from our friends in Canada;

(this is an open blog, so I have turned them round to hide the names; mine is purple, his is dark teal). They will become a Christmas treasure, to join the others collected over the years.

The last couple of days have been full of happinesses;

we visited old friends in their new house in a pretty little town, or maybe large village? This involved a pub lunch - very good -  and exchange of news and a generally excellent day. Driving back through the remnants of heavy rain we discovered that our little Panda loves swimming and paddling through the puddles in a way that our old car would have strongly resented.

we visited my godmother, now about 90. Another lunch! Twice in succession - I could get used to this! She is slowly but determinedly clearing out everything that she no longer uses. We took her a Christmas present, and collected from her the birthday present jigsaw puzzle we gave her a few months ago ('you have it now - I only ever do them once you know'). Last time we went, I came away with a bag full of Christmas and other hand-embroidered tablecloths and napkins.

It was a bit of a puzzle to know what to do... one friend has taken a tea-table sized cloth embroidered with Spring flowers, but didn't have a use for the napkins. So I sewed them together in pairs to make gift bags;

Hooray - I have given them all away! As for other the tablecloths and Christmas tables runners and place-mats and so on; I have made Japanese 'bento bags' and gift bags, and wrapped the presents in tissue and tied them up in a cloth bag. That's another four table cloths and three napkins 'gone'.

   
I have to say there was a fair amount of 'deep sighing' and 'murderous muttering' going on as I made the bags. Not sure how much of a great idea it was.

Anyway, it is beginning to look a bit like Christmas...