Monday

Good morning!  It's very early again but never mind.  Apart from one thing, the day's my own today so if I need to snooze, I can.
I suspected an early rising because I slept on and off through Miracle on 34th Street yesterday evening before disappearing up to bed.

Yesterday was great though.  Beth and Al turned up just in time for lunch and, after eating, we set to and sorted out the decorations.  Now the house looks merry and festive (as well as a bit messy again - that's a job for today) with a wreath on the door, the candles up and around and the Christmas tree in its rightful place with the Guardians of the Tree sitting beside it, keeping an eye on everything (that's just a silly tradition of ours).

After that we watched The Snowman and Father Christmas before I set up the buffet.  It was very pleasant.

So Beth and Al are still asleep upstairs.  When they have gone I will scuttle around and sort out the beds for Mum, Dad and John next weekend and then all I need to do is keep upstairs tidy which is not too difficult, even for a messy individual like me.

Parts of downstairs are still messy but it is just a matter of putting stuff away really.

I always treat myself to an extra clean just before Christmas (the house, not me) at I got an email yesterday to tell me when they would be coming.  It's a perfect time and fits in with this week's timetable beautifully so I am very pleased.

So, today is tidying, sorting, everything away and by this evening I expect the place will look great - fingers crossed.  The last wise man is nearly finished and then I have the task of sewing and stuffing it all.  So in between tidying, I shall be knitting and ten sewing.  Nice and relaxing so I hope there's decent stuff on the telly.

Today's music is Balulalow from Benjamin Britten's Ceremony of Carols.  I sang this in the 'Ladies Choir' at school (so Girls' Choir really) and, although Britten isn't a favourite composer, I did love parts of the Ceremony of Carols and Balulalow is one of the bits I loved.  Beautiful harmonies, sung by the St Paul's Cathedral Choir.

Edited:  You can tell I'm dopey - I posted this into my recipe blog by mistake.  Doh!  I've cut and pasted and am hoping that the link still works.