Monday

Good morning!  No frost this morning but no rain and we have definitely had no snow.  Fine by me, it makes going out and about so much easier.  We're supposed to have a bit of rain much later but it'll be pretty much dark by then.  Nice for rush hour!!!

Yesterday turned out to be a lovely day.  I pottered around in the morning, making another batch of biscotti as it's proving to be a perfect match for the drinking chocolate as a really nice little gift.  I also decanted off the damson liqueur and now I have a pile of alcoholic damsons which I will boil up, de-stone and see if it will jam when I add some sugar.  Well, I can but try and all I will lose is a bit of sugar if it doesn't work.  Plums are good setters.

I also did a bit more wrapping and more 'little' gifts are done and dusted and are sitting temporarily under the tree before being handed out.

Then it was in with the potatoes and I was ready for the family.  The dinner went down well - jacket potatoes with toppings of bean and veg chilli, tuna mayo and grated cheese plus a simple salad.  There wasn't an awful lot left and what there was Beth polished off later for supper.
I shall have to make that chilli again; it was very nice.

Well, the tree is done and now it looks like an explosion in a bad taste factory (see the photo) but it is oh, so Christmassy.  I have 'special' ornaments - ones I have bought for a special reason or have been given or have really jumped up and shouted 'buy me, buy me'.  I try to get something when I go on holiday (if possible) so on the tree are reminders of Southwold, Derbyshire, Bury St Edmunds, France, etc.  Then I fill the spaces with red and gold baubles, etc.
It hasn't photographed all that well, it's darker green really, as the banner above, but here you go.

I started making that Father Christmouse for a little friend, using some sparkly, tinselly yarn for the white fur.  However, after I had done the body, I discovered it was well nigh impossible to pick up stitched from the bottom (where the tinsel yarn was) to knit the base and making a separate base just didn't work so, in the end, instead of doing the base last, I started with the centre of the base and knitted/increased out and it seems to have worked well.  The tinsel yarn certainly works well.
In fact, if I am completely happy with it, I may very well write it out and attach it to the pattern, using it each time I make a mouse, whatever the yarn.
(the above probably sounds like gobbledygook but if you've made one, you'll know what I mean)

Beth has stayed here overnight so she's still asleep upstairs.  Apart from that, there's nothing in the diary until the afternoon when I'm into school to help out in Foundation Stage (and to take my little gifts in) and, after that, to go to the dentist for my 'implant consultation'.  After that, I should know more about time-scale, cost, etc.

So this morning I will change the sheets so the guest room is ready for Dad next week and then I MUST do some ironing - the basket is full and overflowing.  The Christmassy thing is getting on with the Christmouse.  I'd like to get all the bits knitted today so I can start stitching it all up and stuffing it which takes pretty much the same time again.

Today's Christmas music is another one you learn at school that remains with you.   Also a favourite at the King's carol service.
Peter Cornelius' 'Three Kings From Persian Lands Afar'.  Gorgeous.