do you mind if i knit

The blur of the last 11 days.

I'm not sure how I'm going to convey the essence of the past eleven days to you, without boring you rigid with lists of activities.................... I think I can say this without offending anyone............ I would have liked to have been a guest in my own house........ Don't think our guests were a burden, that was not the case at all. Graham and Ruth are great fun, and make very entertaining and interesting guests. And my parents are the easiest guests in the world, and lovely to have around. And I'm not exaggerating these sentiments at all.............. No, the problem......... is.............. ME!!!!!!!!!!! I just find socialising exhausting. Hugo and I live a quiet life, and I love it that way. I may spend a lot of time on my own, but it is always packed with activities I find fascinating. When I socialise, it's a little like going on stage. It's a performance I enjoy once I've been pushed on to the stage, (mainly by Hugo!), I get into it and love the dialogue. But once I come off the stage, I feel shattered. And it's not as if I'm doing any cooking, because Hugo does all that. And my Mum worked for hours creating the table decorations, above, for the Christmas meal. When we received this very grand invitation to some friend's New Years celebrations, I knew we would be participating in a significant production. Miles and Bob, (full name Barbara), give dinner parties which you come away from feeling you have had a memorable experience. They create atmosphere and excitement by using invention and imagination, all without spending crazy sums of money. They gather people together, and subtly orchestrate us. This gathering required that we dress as Bishops or glamorous actresses. Miles' Bishop's outfit was, of course, great. But it was the detail of his comb-over that I loved. It stood out from his head beautifully, and I thought it was a brilliant and witty detail. Bob's lipstick was beautifully smeared, and a smattering of glorious beauty spots painted on her face, made us feel we had stepped into an exotic period play. The guests had all entered whole-heartedly into their various roles...... right down to this gentleman's perfect red nails. My Mum stole the show......... And now, with Christmas and New Year celebrations behind us ...............the sparkle, the walks, the giving of gifts, dressing up, rich food, cosy fires, hilarity and hard work becoming a distant memory......... it's back to reality and rest. Two things I'm very fond of..............

It's Christmas time ............

For a couple of weekends now, we've been going to local Christmas Fairs ......... it marks the beginning of the Christmas season for us. Apparently there's been a shortage of berries this year. I don't know why that is the case. So with that in mind, it was a joy to see a huge pile of Holly laden with berries for sale. For us, the Christmas season would not be complete without rich and warming foods. These long, dark, and cold nights make the sight of glowing windows and twinkly lights very comforting. And the more old-fashioned it all looks, the more comforted I feel. This time of year 'the French market' comes to a village near us, called Coldstream. The vendors set up their stalls in the church hall, and we go and marvel at the extortionate prices and abundance of foods we can't buy around here. The prunes are the main attraction for us. To be honest, it's the reason we go to the French Market! Something as simple as garlic, beautifully tied with wire, takes on an exotic air, (so much more interesting and pretty, than a plastic crate full of net bags of garlic, from the supermarket). They were laid out on a table, each bunch a precious item. Our town's Christmas fair turned out to be a huge success. It had the stalls with things for sale, but for me, the high-light of the whole event was ........... .........the two gentlemen with a stall selling soup and bread, to raise money for a good cause. This to me, is the Christmas spirit summed up. They were so jolly and kind hearted, and they were serving something simple and delicious, to warm us all. People were flocking round them. There is nothing like a freezing cold day, to make you feel that a cup of hot soup is the best thing you have ever tasted. So...........Christmas day is fast approaching, guests are beginning to arrive....... it's a flurry of food, drink and merriment, but I must remember one thing in all the excitement............ I must take a moment to give my husband a kiss under the Mistletoe!