Blogmas, day 21

Hello, all.  We are so close now, aren't we?  After a lovely frosty morning yesterday, today isn't so wintry but it's not raining.  That's a bonus.

I wanted to start with this lovely thing.

I saw it on Catriona's Facebook page and I think it is gorgeous.  So simple in concept and materials but - well - just beautiful.
Thanks, Catriona.  So clever.

I looked up the fourth Advent Candle.  It is called The Angel's Candle, it represents love and it reflects the good news from the Angel Gabriel of God's love through the birth of Jesus.  That's what Google told me anyway.  Nice.

I'm trying to remember what I did yesterday.  All the days are sort of smurging into each other at the moment!

I worked in the blanket.  I'm going to try a spike stitch as party of the border, which is a new one to me but looks very pretty.

I started a leaven for Lindsey's loaves.  I'm making two so she can freeze one for Twixtmas week.  It was lovely and bubbly by evening so I started the dough and left it in the fridge for an overnight ferment.  It is now out, looking nice and healthy, and is warming up before I do the next bit.

Oh, yes - I decided to brave Morrisons late afternoon and do The Shop.  I had planned to do it Monday early but I seem to be sleeping later at the moment (I hope saying that is not tempting fate) and I felt OK to do it.  There were plenty of people there but it wasn't rammed and I didn't have to wait for a checkout any more than usual.  The only thing is that they didn't have the cheap parsnips - no fresh parsnips at all, in fact.  I found some roasted in honey frozen ones and I think I'll try some this evening and maybe walk round tomorrow during the day to get some, if the frozen ones aren't great.

Apart from that, I think I got everything and, because I'm not 'doing' Christmas Day this year (Beth is), I didn't get that sense of absolute panic about have-I-got-enough.  Nice!

When I got home, there was a box on the doorstep, a Christmas gift of cake, mince pies, cheesy biscuits, crackers and cheese.  How very lovely!

And, of course, it was Strictly.  I enjoyed it so much and it was too close to call really.  I split my votes and was happy with who won.  And wasn't that a lovely tribute to Tess and Claudia from Queen Camilla.  I know she loved dance of all kinds and is a Silver Swan.  And Sophie talking about the inclusion of Ellie in this years line-up was lovely too.

What will I do on Saturday evenings now, not to mention week day evenings not watching It Takes Two?

I'm rambling, sorry.  Moving on . . .

Today's Advent stuff is . . .

Candle in a tin, bath bomb, body lotion, some chutney, a tea bag . . .

The tea bags are all strange names now.  Today's is Seasonal Siesta.

I'm working through the second puzzle now.  I do a bit every day and you definitely get into the style of it.

I've neglected the cross stitch - maybe I will do a bit today.

I've already mentioned the blanket.

And today's Advent of Change window is for Project Harar.  I've never heard of this so looked it up.  I'm sure we have all seen those pretty harrowing appeals to help children with cleft lip/palate.  It's a simple procedure, I gather, if you have the right skills but expensive.  Anyway, it says:

Today you have helped change the life of a child in Ethiopia by funding access to cleft lip and palate treatment.

https://www.projectharar.org/

I'm starting the day off slowly but have a few simple things to do.

A bit of tidying up - isn't there always!

I will make Lindsey's loaves and Beth's loaf (meant to do it before but didn't)
Alex is round at half past eleven and we will do the potatoes  and make the stuffing balls - well, he will, I will watch!
Then Beth will pick him up and take with her as much of the Christmas stuff as she can manage plus a little table she borrowing.

And then I am popping round to Dave and Anna's with their Christmas goodies.  I probably won't stay but we will see.

After all that, I reckon I will just want to sit down, crochet and watch the final of Game of Wool and the final episode of The War Between The Land And The Sea.  I have a few ideas as to what will happen but we will see but I'm looking forward to it.

So I had betted get started, it is nearly nine o'clock!  Have a lovely last Sunday in Advent.

Today's Advent music is the beautiful 'Gabriel's Message', sung by the Beatus Choir.  I often sang this with the choir at school and always loved it.