Saturday 23rd December - last 'normal' day before Christmas

 Sort of.

The morning was one thing after another

I came down in pj's, slippers and fleecy jacket to get my breakfast. If I am too late, ie after the delivery, which arrives between 7 and 8 am, then I have to delay until it is all stowed away. That's what Himself refers to as a 'non-trivial' exercise.

The grocery delivery arrived. If it's not on the van (gluten free crackers for a friend, fresh cream, proper panetonne) then we'll go without.

Although having said that, Himself has just slung on a coat - it's 7pm now - to walk round to the corner shop to buy milk and cream... maybe....

I pottered around downstairs in a state of deshabillé doing... not very much. My lovely gardener came, and we exchanged cards and she set to work. 

My brother and one of his sons1 came to exchange presents and collect our father to take him to stay for Christmas. I'd managed to change pj bottoms for trousers by then...

The postman came to collect a parcel - yes, you read that right! It's a great system, you weigh and measure your parcel at home, pay for postage on line and then they collect and post it for you.

Then I finished getting dressed, just in time for lunch.

One run out in the car to deliver presents and we were done, apart from the exhausting business of stringing up the Christmas cards (Himself's job)

 and decorating the mantelpiece (my job). 

Tomorrow I'll do the hearth, and we'll clear the dining room, and we'll meet up with the son to exchange presents (daughter still recovering from nasty dose of covid at the beginning of the month).

Like I said, normal for just before Christmas. 

Two more sleeps until Christmas Day...