Scotch Egg On A Train

I'm on the way to London to see Nu.
I'm all set for the journey, newpaper, internet, Christmas cards and an emergency scotch egg are all laid out ready.
There was a somewhat offensive druggie wandering around Prestatyn station in a father Christmas jumper when I was waiting for the train, who started to be rather confrontational to a young Asian couple standing nearby.  So I ate my first egg in rather a defiant manner at him after walking up to them and blocking his view.
" Don't you want to talk to me" he slurred at me eventually.
" NO! " I said talking a bite of scotch egg..... Druggies are like nasty drunks, the less you give them the better.
Anyhow that little drama over with, I am comfortably sat with my jobs all in hand. I 'm meeting Nu at Angel then we are off to the ballet. Tomorrow will be lunch out then some shopping for me before coming back on the early evening train.
Christmas has officially started.

Still

Sometimes it's the simplest thing that can move a person.

Something which on the surface can seem mundane,

But when you see experience it, 

It's all rather special.

It was getting dark when the cottage eventually went quiet today.

And silence often means destruction when a puppy is at home. 

I checked the kitchen and living room where the other dogs were sleeping
 and she was no where to be seen, 

so I climbed the stairs and checked the bedroom.

Mary was sitting quietly on the bed looking out of the window. 

She was still and alert and in typical Welsh terrier fashion, she was unmoving for the 

longest time

Just gazing out over the fields at dusk

Trellis

Apparently Christmas shopping has been made easier by the internet.
I agree.
Mind you, most companies now demand a signature when your on line goodies are delivered and the " window" of when the courier actually arrives can be vague.
Today that window for delivery ranges from 08.00 am to 18.00 pm, so I effectively marooned at home.
Thats fine....for I have been cottage cleaning with a vengeance.
Around 2pm I heard a card plop through the letter box. It was from Mrs Trellis and it was accompanied by two of her poems, one for me and one for the Prof

It tickled me that like so many interesting characters

Such as

Banksey, Madonna, Cher, Bono, Adele,

Twiggy

Mrs Trellis is now signing herself as just plain

" Trellis" 

Ding Dong

Gaynor , the mad organist

Around 50 of the village die hards braved the weather to come to the Church carol concert 

The service was taken by members of the congregation

which I thought was a nice touch.

(For your information the vicar is still recuperating from having a new set of plastic hips) 

Animal helper Pat, old Trevor, Mrs Trellis, old Flower Show jam winner Barbara Parry, Trendy Carol,

Daphne and Frank, only Aunie Glad was absent, she's on holiday in Llandudno.

A mince pie and a polystyrene cup of mulled wine was very welcome afterwards

Fending For Oneself

Lunch

Supper

Postscript

The cottage living room is at it's best in low lighting 

The fire is lit, as are the candles.

The Archers is on the radio.

Winnie is asleep and snoring on the hearth rug.

William and George are on the couch.

Peaceful?

Hell no......

Mary and Albert are wrestling under our bed and by the yapping levels

Albert is winning

Time for a gin and tonic

Getting in The Mood

I wasn't feeling rather festive yesterday.
Today I've pulled myself up by the bra straps and have got into the mood. I drove to the Welsh Food Shop at Bodnant and used some almost out of date vouchers to purchase some goodies for Christmas day. Bodnant Food Shop , like most bespoke country outlets can be reassuringly expensive and I was amused to see two middle aged ladies ( who probably always shopped at Asda) picking at the shelves with shocked looks on the faces....
When they were perusing the preserve section, even the check out lady stifled a laugh when around the hushed tones of the shop one of  the women sang out to her friend " BLOODY HELL ANGELA , LOOK AT THIS !!! FIVE POUNDS FOR A SODDIN' JAR OF RASPBERRY JAM !"

When I got home, I popped into the church and dropped off mad Gaynor's Christmas hat and Card ( inside her Organ) then went to the post office to get a load of stamps. I was even Christmasy enough not to get too angry at a spoilt child at the till, who was playing up behind her grandmother's back.....but I did allow myself a very theatrical " BEHAVE YOURSELF AND SHUT UP"  comment when I passed them........
That made me chuckle at myself all the way down high street!

The Prof is away in Kent .....this afternoon I will be digging out the Christmas decs after I have wrapped my offering to work's " secret Santa" offering.....
The nurse , I am buying for loves a nice proscecco and has a new puppy......

The bottle is hidden away behind these little fellas

Being Scared

.

We are all frightened by something.
Heights, spiders, things that go bump in the night.
My phobias are all pretty mundane.
But after listening to a sobering radio programme about the cost of social care, I think I want to add one more thing to the list, and that is the thought of becoming chronically ill enough to need nursing home care.
Of course, I'm a long way off such a sad time but the present day number crunching is terribly unfair...presently in the UK if you have something like 22 grand or below in the bank, your local authority will pay around 400 £ a week towards your nursing home care.
If you have assets more than 22 thousand then you will have to pay the fees yourself....and those fees are generally at least 400 £ a month more  than the original £1600 ....
The privately paying patients therefore supplement the council funded places.
Its a crazy system ..absolutely unfair and crazy......and with an ageing and physically more needy population....I can only see the system getting more battered and fragmented

I've said it before and I'll say it again .....come the time Shady Pines beckons, I'm off on the ice flows in a skimpy T shirt

To combat this depressing post , I shall leave you with this facebook photo posted by one of the ladies of the village......her puppy Podrick meeting Mary in the lane.
Note Mary has her Jamie Lee Curtis pink body stocking harness on