Counting the Days

With less than two weeks to go before Christmas, our Advent calendar is starting
to look a bit sparse. Nearly half of the envelopes have been opened, the treats inside
long gone. It is exciting to be getting closer to the big day but also a little bit alarming
that the days, especially this Advent, seem to just whizz by. Maybe it will all slow down
a bit when school breaks up and the holidays start. We don't have much planned for
next week and I'm really looking forward to having quiet, easy days at home with the
girls.There might even be a chance of a lie-in in the mornings - I am counting the days!

We are getting our tree this Saturday. Putting it up and getting out all the decorations
will be a whole afternoon affair. I'll make sure I have a g&t ready at the end of it.
For now, though, the only festive decorations we have are these red dala horses and our
Advent calendar. I'm not sure if dala horses are Christmas things but their colours are
festive so I'm counting them in. They were gifts from my mother-in-law and the girls
and I really, really love the small ones with the wooden dolls. I might make tiny
Christmassy garlands for them. They are so sweet.

It was grey and rainy throughout the weekend then at around four o'clock
on Sunday we had these spectacular colours in the sky. We see lots of brilliant
sunsets but this was something else. Fireballs at sundown. Amazing.

Then it was back to grey and wet from the start of the week plus thick,

heavy fog in hilly areas around the city. This was the park near school on Monday

morning. A short walk down the path is a duck pond and a line of trees but we couldn't

see anything. It was quite spooky, really. It made me think of gothic novels and the

ghastly 10 Rillington Place. I'm sure glad I wasn't walking on my own that morning.

I wasn't going to make any presents this Christmas but last week I decided

I'll make a blanket for a friend's baby. With barely a couple of weeks to go,

it's not a very clever idea but it's only a small blanket, something for the car seat

or buggy. I should get it finished on time, hopefully. I've got fingers, toes

and everything crossed.

We made mince pies for the first time last weekend. We used large mince pie

cases, much bigger than regular-sized mince pies that Lulu laughed and called them

'giant star pies'. She refused to try any but the rest of us rather liked them so I'm going

to make some more but smaller this time. She might give them a tasting chance if

they're a little bit more dainty. And find them less funny.

Thanks for the lovely things you said about our Christmas cards. I hope you're
all keeping well. I'll be back next time with Lulu's finished scarf.

Have a lovely, restful and healthy week!