Christmas E Card

thanks to Francine who sent me an e Christmas card from Ohio
It's my most decorative one to date

In The Mood

It feels rather Christmasy this morning.

Bright and sunny with the sun low in the sky.

I dropped a natty Prof off at a local conferenc centre

He looked mighty fine in his best suit.

I was wearing my pyjama bottoms under my trousers.

On the way home, I stopped at the drive through to buy an egg muffin and coffee

The girl on the intercom was being playful

" what's your Christmas wish?" She asked

" World peace " I told her

It got me in the Christmas mood
Driving back I sang

" These three kings of orient are
Selling knickers a pound a pair
How fantastic!
No elastic!
Selling a pound a pair!"

That hug

Just watched it again! 

Sigh

Ochr Y Gop

This morning I've hand delivered most of the village Christmas cards.
By the time I reached Ochr y Gop farm which overlooks Trelawnyd on the side of Gop Hill, I was wheezing a bit, my chest infection still hasnt quite cleared it would seem.

Ochr y Gop 

After that deliveries literally went down hill.
I stopped briefly outside Mrs Trellis' house. The windows were open and I could hear her singing as she practiced the piano.

Ps and a big thank you to The Weaver Of Grass The bobble hat is lovely! Xxxxx

Hearts Still Beating : The Walking Dead

Daryl's hugging everyone now! 

The Walking Dead now has a break until February, and after a much discussed ( and criticized) seventh season half where five storylines have all been explored separately, the fans have finally  been rewarded with what they wanted, namely Spencer getting fish gutted and " Team Rick" finally getting together after what seemed like an age apart.
One of the strengths of The Walking Dead is that the writers have developed a strong ensemble core of characters, that you care about. This is a hard one given the multiple layers of antisocial and apocalyptic  behaviours we have seen over the last five years ...so it was with genuine happiness when we witnessed Rick et al meet up with Maggie, and then Daryl ( with big girly hugs no less!) as the family reunited after the murders of Abraham, Glen and the unfortunate Olivia

The stage is now set for the " tribes" to band together against Negan and his band of cut throats. I hope Carol is returned to some normality to join in with the battle, which is set to rival anything seen in The Game Of Thrones .
I'll miss it.....roll on February 

Share One Memory

A rather jaunty Winnie this morning

What's your most vivid Christmas memory?

It may be sad........hopefully it isn't
It may be happy ( I hope it is!)
It may be just powerful, arbitrary, goofy, bizarre or just plain banal.
Whatever it is, I'd be interested in hearing it..........today, all warm in my shit Christmas jumper, I shall be shopping ( on line), Christmas card writing, gift wrapping and , if I have time sorting out miniature hampers for Greta and sister Janet who will be baby sitting Winnie and George respectively over the Yuletide.....after another early night, I am beginning to feel a tiny bit more human.

In bed this morning, when I was dragging myself out of that paralyzing moment between waking and actual movement I mused about a whole collection of Christmas memories

- a dreadful, lonely Christmas day in Sheffield when my car broke down leaving me home with a pork pie for lunch!
- a wonderfully funny post Christmas dinner family variety show, with everyone performing an act
- unintentionally getting a group of psychiatric patients rather drunk after plying them with Sherry that I was told was non alcoholic ( and getting bollocked by a stern nursing officer in the process)

My final choice was a fleeting moment of just a few seconds, experienced on a Christmas morning many moons ago.
The Prof ( who had hair then) and I ( who had a waist) had swapped gifts in front of the fire. In that post gift frenzy we retired onto the couch under the dining room window and had a hug where we were immediately joined by our first Welsh terrier Finlay, Scottie Maddie and an old cat called Joan.
It was a strange moment, for without anything needed to be said, it suddenly felt like " home"
- an all encompassing  feeling of being " home"
A pile of dogs, homos and cat on a couch!

That is my Christmas memory!
What's  yours?

Little Black Dress

Well, I've taken your advice and have rung in sick tonight.
I slept through the Carol service at the Church ( I was on the sofa and not in a pew) but at least I retrieved the Christmas Tree from the Church basement for Gaynor the mad organist this morning as requested.
I missed out of watching Liv and Eve ( The Affable despot kids) at their extravaganzas at the village hall yesterday too!
This was a disappointment as when I walked the dogs in the afternoon, I spied the schoolchildren in crocodile formation walking back to school after their dress rehearsal.
I don't quite know the " level" of their production but I was intrigued to notice that one of the older boys was  tottering back to school in a beehive wig, little black dress and high heel shoes!
I await Jason and Claire to enlighten me!
Heyho

Behind

I'm trying to get myself  going.
Another 10 hour sleep, and I still have not shaken this cold.
I'm still in bed looking at my old Christmas cactus.
It's thirty years old and is still hanging onto life despite a total lack of care.
It's my longest living companion......oh followed by the bathroom aspidistra that is, who, is, I believe, 26 years old.

I've just read Rachel's tirade on " Christmas nibbles"  ( ive not had the energy to catch up with blogs for a day or so) - it's reminded me that I am late sending packets full of shite xmas decorations to various friends I dont get to see over the festive period.
" packages of shite!" That's a nice festive tradition.......but at least it raises a smile when opened...

I'm working tonight , so I shall lift myself up by my bra straps tomorrow and get the packets sent and the cards posted.
I'm not like Rachel , as I enjoy this fussy part of the Christmas Preparation, I'm just slightly annoyed that I can't catch up with myself