Tuesday 31st January - Still Busy busy busy! February Newsletter is out

It can't last - not two days of whizzing through the To Do list... but today I think I cleared it. 

It helped that I woke up and go started fairly early, thanks to the arrival of the window cleaners. Luckily it didn't matter that I was still in bed - they don't use ladders these days. No, now they have a complicated looking bush on the end of a long pole, which gently pours water while they go over every pane, the windowsills and the bit above as well.

Still, that was the signal for me for me rise from my breakfast-in-bed and get to work. First up was changing the sheets etc. That necessitated sorting out all the pillow cases, which were just jammed i the airing cupboard. They are all neatly folded either as singles or as pairs. (the rest of the stuff in the cupboard can wait for another time!)

Onwards; the bathrooms; Monday is the day for going over the bathroom (ok, I'm late, but at least it it got done). The laundry basket is now overflowing with towels and bedding.

I have finished creating the grid pattern for the next sewing project which replaces The Postcard Project; I think Ang and I are agreed on the name 'Cross Country Collaboration'. So I have sent off Ang's finished Postcard and booklet, and also the pattern for the new one. Here's my piece of fabric, and I'm already thinking about what my first picture will be. 

Here's the design traced from my 11-count Aida cloth onto tracing paper which Ang sent me, so that she can replicate it.

 

Our 'official' start date will be Candlemas Day.

While looking through my old notebooks for the pictures I wanted as source material for my design, I found my diary for September 2019 - August 2020. I was pleased to see it did have some of the pictures I was looking for (but I can't put them here because that would give the game away).

One of the last items on my 'to do' list was to finish writing the February 'Print an Post' newsletter. It is there on the pages part of the blog; the idea being it is something to share with people who might like to be part of the blog community but don't use computers or the internet. I print it and send it to one of my friends by clicking on the page and then pressing CRTL-A to select everything. Next I put the cursor on a bit of selected text, right-click and choose print. The printout is just four A4 pages long.  

Right. Just duolingo to go and I the to-do list is DONE!

Monday 30th January - Busy busy busy...

 I've done this before - I start the week all full of vim and vigour and do masses of stuff on the Monday, and then - that's it for the week. We shall see...

Today -  

I refilled the bird feeders. The poor birds have been checking out the sad remnants in the seed holders and flying away disappointed for several days now. They are staying away at the moment; it always takes them a day or so to return.

Still on the garden theme, I had a go at using my Christmas present to make paper seedling pots;

 You wrap  strip of paper around the form, leaving the lower edge overhanging so it can be folded in to make the base. Then you push the former into the base so compress all the folds to stop it form coming apart. Finally you check the base to make sure you haven't torn the paper round the edge, discover that you have done exactly that, remove it and scrumple it up. If at first you don't succeed... As you can see I am winning - 9 completed pots and only 6 scrumpled sheets. I think I've got the knack now.  

I have started a tray of microgreens; a shallow dish of earth, thickly sown with seeds and kept on the windowsill. According to Huw Edwards (Veg in one bed) I should have delicious shoots to harvest and add to a salad in 1-3 weeks. 'The perfect way to use up last year's seeds,' he says, so I have used all the leftover kale seeds. Kale was a complete disappointment last year - unattractive in appearance and unexciting to eat. No more kale in the garden, and hopefully microgreen kale might be more delicious.

I made soup - investigating the fridge I found a selection of elderly vegetables. Some dodgy carrots, floppy celery and leeks well past their best. I put some butter and oil in the slow cooker on HIGH to melt while I chopped up the vegetables. Then I stirred them into the pot, added bouillion, salt and pepper and left it alone for several hours. I had some at supper time with croutons made in the Air Fryer and the rest is in the fridge for another day. This was inspired by an entry for January in 'The Kitchen Diaries' by Nigel Slater; he did something similar with some 'woody old carrots'.

I am enjoying dipping into the book. I bought it cheaply, second hand. It is interesting to see that it opens freely in January and February, and several pages show signs of have been cooked from, if you see what I mean, but its previous owner seems to have lost interest, or maybe lot the book, after about March. I haven't started 'Vaxxers' yet - that was another Christmas Present from my wishlist. 

I spent a long time on the 'Print and Post' February newsletter. It is one thing to think about what I might write, but another thing to get it all written down and the accompanying photographs added. I still have to add the 'BOOKS' section, and then it should be done. Just as well, as February is only a day or so away.

Finally, just before I started teaching, I finished marking out the fabric for the next stitching project. I'm in the process of transferring the pattern to tracing paper, which I will post to Ang tomorrow so she can get it onto her piece. Then we will be ready for the Off!

 

 

Sunday 29th January - is it magic?

The pots of daffodils are more or less finished. Each bulb produced a forest of tall thin leaves and a flower stem, but there are only a few flowers left, and then I will plant them outside.

It is the turn of the amaryllis now

According to the label it will have huge red flowers, and there are two buds.

The taller larger bud is beginning to unfurl, and I can't wait to see the petals.

The thing is, all this luxuriant growth appears to come from nowhere. The bulbs don't seem to have shrunk, and the level of the earth in the pots looks about the same, and all that I have added is some water every so often.

Magic?

Friday 27th January - hello Friday!

For some reason this has been a cheerful day. I haven't done anything much that I should have been doing

• Writing up 2 sets of lesson notes
• Writing an email for the church homegroup I am in, which meets on zoom on Thursdays
• Writing a letter of condolence
• Working on the Cross Country grid for the next sewing swap project 

But I have been doing other things instead;

• Made a smoothie 
• Walked around the garden noticing the bulbs coming up, healthy wallflowers growing in a sunny spot, and a valiant hellebore doing its best
• Re-reading 'Whispers Underground', the third in the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch
• Playing Freecell

It's all very well having resolutions to get things done and stay on top of the admin, but sometimes it's good to declare a holiday from trying. Today has been one of those holidays!

Thursday 26th January - 5-a-day

 And another day missed! I'll tell you what happened; when I had finished teaching the last lesson of the day I zombied out in front of Antiques Road Trip (yes, really) and played Freecell all evening.

I know that fruit and vegetables is really be what 5-a-day is all about; and my Christmas Smoothie-maker is helping along that road. Along with an attempt to have some fruit and a bit of salad stuff every day.  

I don't suppose you need a designated smoothie maker, but this one is very convenient. I had loaded the goblet with approx 80g frozen 'smoothie fruit mix' from a the freezer, half a small tub of plain yogurt, a small teaspoon of honey and some hot water from the kettle, to take the chill off the frozen fruit. Whizz! and pour! and there's one of my five-a-day!

This isn't the five-a-day I meant in the title though. On Wednesdays I have 5 zoom meeting; 11 am, 3 pm, 4 pm, 5pm, a break for Richard Osman's House of Games and a light tea or supper, and then the final zoom at 6.30 pm. Four piano lessons and one family zoom with my father and my brother.

After that I feel whizzed up and poured out. Back in the old days I used to sit and play 'Angry Birds' for at least half an hour after I finished teaching, to unwind and 'get it all out of my system'.

Now that I am an ex-school class music teacher I can confess to such shocking behaviour. 

I had thought I might try being Freecell, Sudoku, and twitter-free through January... the answer is that this is fine when things go well and I finish the day still unruffled and in control.

However there are some days when it is .... bring on the Angry Birds! (Sadly deleted from my tech now as the ad's became toooo irritating)  

  

Tuesday 24th January - what happened yesterday?

 Well, when we had reached the end of the scheduled events for Monday at around 7pm, we sat down and did nothing. Until the book club meeting at 7.30. 

A couple of us joined by zoom, and the book under discussion was The Twyford  Chronicle, by Janice Hallett. It is a thriller (with quite a bit crime), and so many twists in the narrative and plot that I almost gave up. I finished it this morning over breakfast and I think I've vaguely worked out what happened...

We are now reading 'Unsettled Ground' by Clare Fuller. 

It's going to be my turn to choose; we have moved to a system where we take turns to suggest three or books before the next meeting and people suggest, comment, and choose which they prefer. Scary... some of the group like more 'challenging' books  whereas I make a point of avoiding anything with the words 'searing', 'tragic', 'heart-rending' 'terrifying' or similar in the blurb.

(Blurbs for 'Unsettled Ground' use words like 'powerful,searing...' oh me oh my)

Which reminds me, 'blurb' was a solution to Wordle the other day. Is 'blurb' a proper word these days?

Here's a really terrifying sight;

Look at the size of this! The stitching area will be 19.5 inches by 9.5 inches. Ang bought the fabric, 11-count Aida, and I am working out the overall design;

Measure twice, sew once? Once it has been divided into smaller spaces it might look less daunting.

Sunday 22nd January - Knitting socks 'in' church

 The sock is increasing. But very slowly.

15th January

21st January (not much happened for a couple of days when other things and also tiredness intervened)

Today

There advantages to not being able to attend church in person, due to being cautious about joining large indoor gatherings. (They do livestream the services, so the ten or so members of church who can't go are still being included). 

Firstly, I can stay at home in the warm, especially as the church boiler is properly broken and sourcing a replacement is not going to be a quick job.

Secondly, we can enjoy a second breakfast and coffee...

Thirdly, I can knit while listening to the songs, sermon, prayers etc.

It is going to feel very strange not having a mug of coffee and my knitting close to hand once I am able to go to church again.

Saturday 21st January - Right Way, Wrong Way

 There are two ends to every skein of embroidery thread. In my experience they both take some searching out. The obvious end, near the outside of the skein, is actually the wrong end and you get an almighty tangle if you pull it.

Like this.

 The right end is buried further into the depths of threads, and everything works smoothly when you pull that one. Now I know, and so do you.

I expect there's a metaphor for life in there somewhere.

Friday 20th January - small events...small things...small pleasures

 The smallest event of today, or the biggest? was the appearance of a wren in our garden. I just saw a flicker of brown in a dark corner among the dead leaves lying around beside and between the pots near the patio door.

Was it, could it be? I am certain it was. Small rounded body, short pert tail, and busy busy hopping around.

Troglodytes Troglodytes. Fantastic name.

I don't really remember farthings, which were discontinued in 1960. I do admit to having had threepenny bits, ha'pennies and sixpence in my pocket money, florin, half crowns and even a 10-bob note on occasion.

All the small mugs, I mean the really small mugs for morning coffees and after lunch coffees were in the dishwasher. I surveyed what was left in the cupboard; serving an espresso coffee in a standard mug was not to be borne.

There really isn't much liquid in a single espresso; about an eggcup-ful, if you like it black;

However, if you like it with hot milk then an eggcup is not quite large enough for easy consumption. 

I gave given in to myself and bought a mini iron. 'Do I know the name of the manufacturer ' asked the resident technical expert as he eyed it up.

'I doubt it,'. It is called Quilty Bear. Definitely dinky, but does the job. I can use it on my tiny workspace and store it on the bookshelves nearby.

The desktop has a shelf immediately below. I found things tended to disappear if I used it to store things, so bought a couple of wooden trays to make I easier to retrieve books, pencils, pads etc.

Here you can see my desk being a postcard project sewing station. But here's my clever contraption; I  made a tiny paper origami tray, which lives in wooden tray so I can pull it forward, sweep the snips of thread into it and push the whole tray back. I spent most of today sewing as we are into the final days.... Good job we are well under way with plans for the next one.

Thursday 19th January - Do It Now

I have been muttering this to myself off and on since the beginning of the week. I find that my capacity for getting things done evaporates at an astonishing speed when there are too many loose ends, so finishing things off is an instant energy boost. 

For example - 

Putting a small pile of laundry away only took 5 mins

Doing the daily balletbasedmovement exercises, again just 5 mins

Filing a couple of pieces of paper which had been travelling from table to desk to piano stool to table etc

The amount of brain space these few odd jobs, and a few more like them, was occupying was ridiculous, all out of proportion to the time taken to just get them done. 

I think I  will carry on muttering 'do it now' to myself for a few more days.

When sock knitting seems too fiddly, like now I do a bit of a mitred squared patchwork blanket.

This is a sort of free form comfort knitting project I have embarked upon. I shall do a 'knitty-gritty' post on it soon. It's a low concentration knit, good for after longer harder days.

I've done a bit more on the Postcard Project- if you've missed what this is about, search for  postcard on this blog and also over at Tracing Rainbows. It is in the final stages now, so close to the finish that I am completely confused as to what the finish will be. Easily sorted with emails and WhatsApp messages. 

Someone has been murdered (at last) in Murder before Evensong, the whodunit by Richard Coles. Given the title of the book that's hardly a spoiler. Now to find out who did it. There is no butler in the cast of characters....

Wednesday 18th January - Wicked Pleasures

 I downloaded this

I think it might have been on offer. I was sceptical about the Richard Osman whodunits, but hugely enjoyed them. When Richard Coles, the media celeb vicar produced a whodunit I was equally doubtful.  Jumping on bandwagon, I thought, but gave in.

I have been following Richard Coles on twitter for several years. He has a neat turn of phrase and wrote amusing tweets about parish life, and his mother's take on village and world events. 

WELL! I MUST SAY! I imagine all his parishioners, and his mother must have read the book with intense concentration to see if they could spot themselves in the cast... I'm only part way through and have no idea who is going to be murdered when or where, but I don't care. Anyone who can describe a caricature of sour-natured wonan, the leader of the flower guild, as 'looking like an embittered cardoon' has got my attention! 

I'm carrying on with 'The Twyford Code' for the book club as well. I still don't know how it's going to turn out....

Tuesday 17th January - one of those days...

You know, when you look at your diary in the morning while enjoying the first coffee of the day, and list what needs to be done, and think 'well, that looks ok'

and a few items get added and one event is cancelled but the list is still very reasonable, and, as you drink your mid-morning coffee and feel very pleased with how the day is shaping up....

The to-do list: morning, afternoon and evening 

But by mid afternoon things are not looking so relaxed and there's a shedload of stuff that's appeared from nowhere 

It's 7pm and I have put my phone on silent and powered down the computer. I am pecking at the screen of my tablet to put this post up one letter at a time and I’m on a countdown to opening the chocolate o'clock box.

Toodle-oo.

Monday 16th January - January Book Challenge - update

 Well, I finished 'Nightingale Wood' by Stella Gibbons, which I think definitely counts in the category 'books to make you feel good' in the challenge from our local library.

I've at last managed to get into 'The Twyford Code'. It looks like this may be the first Book Club choice I finish for several months. It's an odd construction, consisting of transcripts of conversations. Some of the interest (and difficulty!) comes from working out the real meaning of the transcription. I don't think I am giving anything away by saying 'missiles' means 'Miss Isles', and 'young guns' means 'younguns'. Some are harder to work out. I wonder if this would work in an audiobook format? Somebody reading out loud the written transcriptions of verbal recordings? I'm 36% of the way through and am still pretty baffled as to where it is all going.

So, what next for an 'easy' read'. I think it is time I had a look at the various books I downloaded when they were on offer for 99p.  

Sunday 15th January - Daffodils. Sock. Sewing.

I bought some pots of tete-a-tete narcussus last week. These days they just seem to wedge the bulbs into the tops of the pots, rather than burying them. I wonder if the start them off in poly tunnels or greenhouses? They arrived cleverly packaged and with just a few inches of leaf showing. 

Last night there were three buds, and today

 Well! Just look at them! Nine flowers open and at least nine more to come. I was so impressed when they arrived that I sent for an amaryllis, which has several leaves and a large bud making its upward journey.

The sock continues. I have never knitted at such a fine gauge before. 

If I didn't have yesterday's photograph to look at, I would think that it hadn't grown at all,

Today

Yesterday 

I've done some more Postcard Project sewing as well.

Saturday 14th January - The rain it raineth every day

There has been so much rain that I was regretting that we hadn't installed a water butt. Though that's probably just as well as it would have been filled ten times over this past week. We have a problem in that the only down pipe for our house is at the side, in the extremely narrow driveway. Now that we have given up all idea of parking a car alongside the house, on account of the difficulty of exiting the vehicle through the doors, we might look into getting a 'space saving'  water button. I'm sure I've seen a thinner alternative to the traditional barrel shaped ones.

Ang mentioned how much she enjoys Nigel Slater's cook books, so I have sent off for a second hand copy of one;

I like the way I can look inside a book on Amazon, or even download a sample before I decide to buy. I've chosen this more or less at random but January's recipes looked very promising.

Postcard Project; I've finished my embroidered picture but we've agreed to add some words - start and finish dates, and sign our names. Barring spelling mistakes (only one so far) and sewing mistakes (needed to pause for deep breaths before reaching for the scissors when I discovered I had sewn a corner of the fabric into the embroidery) I feel as though the end is within reach.

After spending a Whole Year knitting a pair of socks, I have bought a set of teeny 2.5mm flexible double pointed needles and cast on for the next pair. This time I am starting at the toe!

The needles are not quite what I was expecting; they have longer straight pieces - but then it clearly says LONG on the packet - and a curiously flattened knobbly texture - ah yes, now I look at the packet the picture is clear as well... my fault for not looking properly!

Friday 13th January - end of week 1

Week 1 of piano teaching, that is. The last pupil was soo, soo tired that she was monosyllabic and drooped over the piano keys like a rag doll, swathed in a huge pink fleecy hoodie.  

First week back at school is tough. Especially for a young tired teenager. I managed about 15 minutes of teaching until both of us had had enough, and switched to listening to possible pieces to choose from. Less exhausting for both of us; I played youtube clips and she said 'maybe' or 'no'.

I shall give it a couple of weeks and then have another go at finding a different time if she is wiped out every Friday. When I was teaching more or less full-time, I was beyond speech or listening or doing by Friday, so I'm not surprised if conscientious school children are too.

Instead of an email, I wrote (typed!) a letter to my father today, in word, and sent it as an attachment. A stamp-less letter! Mostly about books, and reminiscing,  chit chat. Could this be a new thing? I much prefer writing letters to emails; letters feel more real, perhaps? He can print it and read it from paper if he likes. 

Thursday 12th January - The socks are done

 

It has taken me pretty much a whole year, but I have completed my first 'real' pair of hand knit socks using proper fine sock yarn and thin needles.

They won't bear close inspection but I'm not going to picky. After all, both socks have been ripped out and reknitted, either partially or completely several times. They contain the knitting effort of three pairs of socks.

Am I going to knit any more? Yes, but not this pattern. I started these ones at the cuff; 'cuff down'. Now to try a 'toe-up' pattern and see if I can get them right first time!

Worth the effort? On balance, I think so.

Wednesday 11th January - the day after the day before

 Oh bliss...

A day of normality.

No-one came to the door, there were no deliveries, just one phone call, a couple of emails...

I didn't do much, except for teaching three most enjoyable piano lessons:

1. Starting someone off on a new piece, and they managed all the intricacies almost effortlessly. At least is was effortless as far as I could tell; in the zoom call she could hear me and my piano, but I could only hear her voice. The piano came across as random tones and notes, so I was going by the smiles on her face as much as anything.

2. Helping another student find a way to play the Chopin nocturne no1 in Bflat minor with rubato and expression. If you watch Lang Lang play (I can't, I can only listen to him!) you can SEE all the expression in his face and body.  The trick is to covey all that depth of feeling without actually swooning over the keys... we were getting there...

Lang Lang playing Liszt Liebestraum

3. Finally, this student has been making slow progress for ages, but today she said

'I've practised the pieces for half an hour every day this week.' 

Wowsers! That IS a first, thinks I, while congratulating her on managing this feat.

'Actually, I'm rather cross with myself for not having done this before', she added.

I could have hugged her. It's something we all have to learn, especially when we get beyond the age of 'my mum makes me practice every day.' Her progress in just the one week was exhilarating and I hope she can carry on like this.

Tuesday 10th January - Topsy-turvified

I had a lung clinic appointment this morning over zoom. How lovely not to be driving to London through the early hours of the morning, and plodding through the cold, grey, rainy streets, and then doing the whole ring in reverse. Instead, we sat in the warm at the dining table  I was also lucky enough to see one of the consultants that I feel most comfortable with.

It seems I'm am still reasonably stable, so as long as I stay clear of respiratory illnesses I should be able to carry on much as I am. That's good news.

I wasn't expecting anything different, but I still get tense beforehand and then feel a bit washed out afterwards.

We also had a boiler service "our engineer will be with you between 12 noon and 6". What do we do about lunch? We have our main meal at lunchtime, and only a light meal at around 6pm. Otherwise I get reflux - another consequence of this auto-immune condition. 

Lunch was lamb rumpsteaks... and the engineer was bound to turn up at just the wrong moment. In the end I produced cheese and biscuits and some salad bits at 12, and the engineer came at about 3, and we had 'lunch' at 5.30pm.

So what with one thing and another I'm taking it easy now!

Monday 9th January - Purple Day

 My garden clogs have arrived. I wanted something easy to put on my feet for going out into the garden for just a few minutes at a time. Like 'outdoor slippers'.

When I saw them I immediately thought of Violet Beauregarde from Charlie and the Chocolate factory (the first one with Gene Wilder)  

The other day I had a mad moment in the kitchen with the food processor and sliced a whole white cabbage and a whole white cabbage. Madness indeed. I made slow cooker white cabbage, and I reckon bubble and squeak will be appearing on the menu soon. Today I filled the crock pot brim full with red cabbage, onion, and apple, added vegetable stock from the white cabbage crock pottering, with vinegar, cloves, butter, salt and pepper, brown sugar and red currant jelly. It is coming along nicely.

After an hour and a half on high it tastes almost right, but still a bit crunchy. I love red cabbage cooked this way, both hot or cold.

Sunday 8th January - More Postcard Project, and Charlie Macksey

The connection between the two subjects is tenuous, but does exist...

Here are both of the Postcard Projects;

I will be keeping the top one, the bottom one is Ang's.

We are both busy sewing the final pictures for January withe the aim of completing them on 28th January,  a year after we started. 

I can recommend the whole adventure. It has been a joy, a journey, and the making of a friendship, all starting from Ang's description of her visit to a textile exhibition in Norwich on 28th January 2022.

And here's the connection:

Today Ang posted a link to a Charlie Macksey talk, only 4 minutes long.

He has a great list of entries on YouTube. A lot are about church, like the lovely anecdote on Ang's blog. Others are more about him and his art. Worth a browse, either way.

Saturday 7th January - Reading Lists and Challenges

 Our local library is running a reading challenge for 2023.

Here's their suggested list; but I don't think the links will work as this just a screenshot.

So, this month... a book to make you feel good... I suppose this could be a self-help, self-care book, or an exercise book, or a how-to-declutter or a diet book. None of these would be my choice.

I'd prefer a good story, with a happy ending, and some laughs along the way. I'm currently reading 'Nightingale Wood' by Stella Gibbons, and 'The Twyford Code' by Janice Hallett and 'The Gentle Art of Domesticity' by Jane Brockham.

Of these, I think the first best fits January's category.  'The Twyford Code' is the current Book Club choice and I haven't really got stuck in yet. 'The Gentle Art of Domesticity' is a luscious celebration of colour and home crafts (except housework!). I dip in and out; it's rich fare. The photographs and ideas become a bit overwhelming in large doses.

Any suggestions for more January books?

Friday 6th January - Light at the end of the tunnel

This morning I had four ENORMOUS tasks that were overdue. This evening I have just one left.

(A round of applause at this point is appreciated, but not vital)

Task Number 1 was sorting out a delivery of supplies before I ran out in three weeks time. I had logged onto the website at the beginning of the week and had a chat with the chatbot... but heard nothing back. I rummaged through the email folders until I found an email address. The company emails seem to be headed CS which is not entirely helpful. 

(When I was working in about twelve different schools very week, emails from the various school offices all had just plain 'office' in the email address header - I don't know what its proper name is - and quite frequently were informing me of some change to the schedule, and signed 'Mary', so it was a bit of a gamble when it came to working out which school wanted me to cancel/rearrange/supply information. But I digress).

I had an automated reply from the website to let me know that they would deal with it in three working days. Whoah! That meant it might not get looked at until Tuesday next week! I reached for the phone and spoke to someone who sorted everything out, so I can sleep soundly again.

Task Number 2; Ang's postcard project landed on the front doormat yesterday. Which meant I really, REALLY needed to complete mine and post it, especially as we plan to finish on the 28th January, a year after we first started discussing it.

This will mine to keep. I need to design and stitch a project in the next three weeks. I can do that! I just have to choose quickly and stay focused. For some reason mine seems to have fewer pictures, but I think that is my fault for taking two months to do the address and the stamp, when Ang managed the address (under the notebook) and the stamp in the same month. 

What shall I do this time? Hmm. I have an idea slowly taking form.

I've done a photograph like this of Ang's piece, but won't post until tomorrow when she might have received hers. I hope it doesn't get delayed and give her problems meeting the 28th January due date.  

Task Number 3 was the January 'Print and Post' Newsletter. It is accomplished and up on the pages section. Christmas, can I blame it on Christmas? No, not really. But I did have problems clarifying some ideas, and sourcing pictures. It is very hard to find pictures of 'things in flower in January' when you are writing in December. In then end I did my own.

Which means that I have also done some stuff in my sketch book today. Now, if I mange to do a duolingo lesson, 1000 steps on the spot to hit my daily step target of 2023, the 5 minutes 'stretch and mobilise' balletbasedmovement session for Friday, the '5 mins deep breathing' for the Zoe app habit tracker, knit a few rounds of my sock, and also play the piano for a bit, all before bedtime (it is only a quarter past 5, after all) I will have hit every target today and only have one outstanding task for tomorrow, which is to write detailed notes on a student's Scarlatti piano sonata recording that she sent me before Christmas.

Did you keep a count? That's 6 possible things to do before bedtime.

 

          

Thursday 5th January - which day is 12th night?

 No, don't answer that. There are two many choices. When are you celebrating Christmas? When do you start counting from?

I KNOW that Epiphany is tomorrow; and lookee lookee - here are the Three Wise Men stitched impossibly tiny on 16-count Aida. Just typing those words makes my eyes water.

  

You can see my sensible-count-Aida nearby. This is Ang's December contribution to the postcard project. I just have about half an hour's stitching before I need to iron the material to remove the frixion pen, and then I can post it.

The Three Wise Men stitchery is barely one and a half inches each way. There's a bit of gold thread involved in the star. Ang said she had a bit of a frazzling time sewing the picture to the cloth, but to my mind it makes the stable look really rustic.

I'm so pleased with the picture. The images of 'Star' and 'Light' are what I will be considering this year so the picture is Just Perfect. 

Our Christmas decorations are all taken down and carried upstairs except a string of lights that will stay in the window until Candlemas (2nd February) and a few decorations that we discovered after everything else had been packed. Isn't that always the way?

What is unbelievable is that this is the sum total of all our decorations now;

The tree in its box at the front, a sainsbury shopping bag of tinsel with the tree skirt dropped on top, and all the other decorations and lights boxed and bagged and zipped into those two green bags. After forty years of random unsorted bits and pieces, we did a clear out (including three Christmas trees, remember?). Now that we have a small tree we didn't need anything like the number of decorations, so we have given them away, some with the trees, some to charity shops.

What a relief, and it only took an afternoon to reach this point.

(Word to the Wise; store Advent decorations and calendars, and spare Christmas Cards somewhere more accessible than the deep dark recesses of the loft.)