Yuletide Village Prep

The Prof has taken the car to Snowdonia for his department Christmas soiree this evening. He won't be back until tomorrow night ( This btw was the cause of Sunday's ROW ( row as in spat and not in rowing a bloody boat) as we had originally arranged to have dinner with the affable despots)
So today, in bloody awful weather, I sorted all of the village Christmas jobs out.
50 cards were hand delivered ( With a bouncy and increasingly well behaved Mary in tow) and gifts were passed on to Auntie Glad, Animal  helper Pat, our neighbours down the lane ( Sailor John, The Barkers and Trendy Carol) and to Trellis ( the artist formally known as Mrs Trellis)
I tried to  keep socializing to a minimum as everyone is busy at this time, but I was buttonholed by policeman Ian, who told me a rather harrowing story about his new dog Lily going missing for five hours the other day and caught by Pippa B, who launched into a vociferous debate about badger culling.
Subsequently I got soaked in the winter rain.
I collected holly from Pat ( animal helper's ) garden and she kindly gave us a beautifully wrapped cake and when I got home Bernard the German , popped in with a gift of some homemade jams and sweets.

Gifts from Animal helper Pat and Bernard the German

It's these little gestures that make you feel just that little bit more Christmasy .
This afternoon, there was a brief sunny period in the grotty weather, so I made ham sandwiches from leftovers and the dogs and I shared a late lunch sat on a bench in the new churchyard.
Now I am not a grave visitor, so I was surprised to see a steady stream of people arrive with Christmas wreaths in hand . I counted over 80 wreaths in total ,all placed with care on a large selection of graves,
It's a nice tradition.
Back home, I decorated the mantle ( which just lends itself to Christmas) hung the cards and cleaned up the poo which william had thoughtfully deposited ten inches up on The Prof's office door ( why does he do that?)
Tonight in lieu of dinner at the despots' , I shall have a mulled wine with Victoria Coren Mitchell and " Only Connect"
I'm rather looking forward to it.