The Things You Notice

Mince pies in the window

Tomorrow the kitchen floor goes down and the kitchen will finally be finished..I'll post photos of it then for you all to ooohhh and arrrhhhh at ! ....today I've spent my time baking at the kitchen window.
For years this window was screened by an antique French lace banner but since the new window went in, I have left the frame uncovered and have subsequently enjoyed the view when cooking.
Today and yesterday I noticed that the human traffic through the churchyard seemed particularly heavy.
Wrapped up in winter coats, groups of people in ones and twos have been crossing the graveyard all carrying Christmas wreaths and on a break from dusting mince pies George, Winnie and I ambled over to see what was going on.
Over eighty Christmas Wreaths had been placed on the " newer " graves in the tiny cemetery. Most were made of holly and ivy but cheerful poinsettia blooms, tinsel and small flowers added to the tributes, indeed , as we ambled along the paths another couple arrived to lay their own Christmas wreath on a grave next to that of the Red Faced Welsh Farmer.
For many people Christmas can be such a bittersweet time.
The steady stream of visitors to the Church perhaps was a testament to that fact
The things you notice when you stand baking at the kitchen window.

Ps the caption winner was Terrill

Caption

Best caption gets a gift

Bored?

"Don't you ever get bored?" 
The Prof asks me this quite regularly
He asks me because he gets bored very easily.
I don't.

I washed the cottage windows clean of the snow dirt this morning. It was bright and cold and damp and the bachelors were on tip toe, creeping across the wet pasture to the old hen house against the church wall. On cold dank days they sit on the top of it with their faces turned towards the weak sun.
Sun bathing animals are rather moving to watch I've always thought.

I moved the Church Christmas Tree from the boiler house to the vestry for Gaynor the mad organist to erect and cleared some shelves in old Trevor's garage. He's in full pottering mode.

William has stationed himself by the letterbox as the sunshine has brought out the Christmas card deliverers. He delights in trying to nip the fingers of an over zealous postie.

I've cleared away the garden rubbish, walked the dogs, and have delivered Christmas cards myself . The ones I put aside for the villagers who live down the lane to the south of Trelawnyd .
The lane never seems to catch the sun and Mary and I were chilled when we returned.

The light outside is already fading as I open my new " baking cupboard" I'm making mince pies which will have to be hidden around the house out of prying Prof's eyes.

I'm listening to Anne Marie Minhall's programme on Classic Fm and as the Prof is working late tonight and The Walking Dead  doesn't restart until February, I shall content myself with watching the first episode of the Bette Davis / Joan Crawford tv drama Feud. 

Bored? Nawwww

Kitchen Art

Coincidence !
Yesterday we went Christmas shopping and as we passed a local art gallery in Llandudno I suggested we go in and look at the exhibits
After a while The Prof pointed out an original picture that he liked and I was gobsmacked as I remembered falling in love with it when seeing the same print in Theatre Clwyd earlier in the year.
The tiny Church reminded me of our village church and the style of the piece gave me a nostalgic 1930 sort of feeling!
He bought it on the spot
It's going in our new kitchen ........

Christmas Tree

We have a big one this year
Ohh err missus.....

Drummed Out Of Gay Club

Christmas dos can be dire affairs.
Mediocre food, boring company, a disappointing secret Santa ( don't go there John)
I've done them all.
Last night I drove for over an hour into England to go to the Christmas do of the Prof's Western Campus staff .
Now  we're sat at a table which included two much younger gay married couples and so after a few bottles of Prosecco you can imagine that there were much shaking of 30 inch hips.
I've told you before that the Prof is a talented dancer and so in these kind of situations he would shake his booty with the best of them but without the safety net of a gin and tonic and not knowing anyone I managed to hide away with the other wall flowers and chatted about holidays.
At one point the husband of one of the academics bounced over during a particularly energetic rendition of the Weather Girls it's raining men in a kind effort to drag me up onto the dance floor
He looked shocked when I informed him that I couldn't dance with an overly surprised expression that said
But ALL GAY MEN CAN DANCE!!!!!!!
Sadly , not this one baby!
Having said this, they were all such a nice bunch that I thought next year we would go on the arranged bus rather than drive. After a couple of gin and bitter lemons, and as long as they had a bit Abba playing. I'd be up with the best of them!
And boy would that do the Prof's credibility any good at all?  Hey ho!

Bits

Waiting for another workman who promised to arrive at 9.30.
It's 10.30
Then it's Xmas shopping with prof
Then it's his works dinner
Nose to nipple with  academics
Hey ho

Rising From The Ashes

The bachelors remain diminutive local celebrities of sorts......indeed only a few days ago, they provided much hilarity to a neighbour by chasing a woman hiker down the lane after she had made the mistake of waving her ski stick at them.
The Ukrainian Village has looked rather forlorn of late  so I have decided that after our New Year Kent jaunt I will spruce up the main two hen houses and will move in a small robust group of buff Orpingtons . The bachelors deserve some female company, and large fat hens will be able to cope with eager little penises with a calm alacrity .
I have missed my own free range eggs....my new kitchen needs them me thinks
"Bosoms " ( which is the collective name of my fenced allotments ) will be  resurrected and the pasture land cleared again for Irene and a new friend ( s) to enjoy. The spring is the ideal time to get tame orphan lambs or even another soay.
In the summer I think a village fete may be in order......
Oh and for those that are missing auntie glad news, this photo was posted on the Male Voice Choir's social media page this morning

"Some choir members visited Sandford Care Home in Prestatyn this morning to spend some time with Aunty Gladys. It was wonderful to see her looking so well and we hope that she and the other residents enjoyed the selection of carols we sang for them though she did question our posture and intonation at times."