Thursday: Advent day nine

 Good morning.
First of all, I really need to say a great big huge, enormous THANK YOU for all the kind, understanding and supportive comments and suggestions after yesterday's post.  I think I must have the loveliest, kindest followers in the world and I really appreciate each one of you.  Thank you so much.

Personal Training was, as always, really good. Lindsey was on her last day of isolation and can join the Real World again today, something for which she is extremely thankful.   Apart from a slightly runny nose, she has had absolutely no symptoms and has remained thoroughly fit and healthy all the way through.  However, as we both agreed, isolation is not about feeling ill or not, it's about not infecting others and helping to spread this horrible thing.

I donned my Santa hat and delivered all the various gifts to J and Beth.  Also, I had an online chat with J where we tried various 'platforms' for having our girls' chat on Friday and decided that the simplest and the easiest was via Messenger.  So that's pretty much all sorted and all we have to do is look forward to it.  It's been a long time.

The decoration thing yesterday was cushions and candles while the day before was bunting.  A few photos . . .

Beth made both the bunting and the cushions.
The more I look around, the more I realise how much family love is on show in my home at the moment.  A precious time.

Here's the candles.  I dearly love a candle (just in case you hadn't noticed!).
It really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the Clark household now.

The other extra thing I did was set up a little tree in my bedroom.  It's just a small tree that I used to use in school.  We had a decoration making competition each year and the children hung their creations on the tree and the head used to come to choose the best ones - a very tricky job indeed! (they all got a little reward - I'm not totally mean)
After retirement, while Beth was doing craft shows, she used it to hang items on that were for sale.
Now, having come down in the world considerably, it sits in my bedroom!  Poor little tree!

Today's Christmas thing is to get out the throws and the Christmas aprons (Yup - I have Christmas themed aprons, sorry).
Also, not specifically Christmas related, the new Pinch of Nom book should be delivered.  I am very much looking forward to this.

I was planning to start the day with an early morning shop and then go over to Chris' for our festive coffee and chat.  Chris is providing mince pies while I am bringing a couple of crackers.  However, I can't be bothered to get going so quickly this morning so I will do the shop after coffee and chat.  It will be a bit busier but, frankly, it feels safer now that everyone has to wear masks again.  I hope that's not fools' paradise feelings.

The rest of the day is pretty much unscheduled but I did get several loads of washing done yesterday and that needs dealing with plus getting things ready for the cleaners on Friday.
It's going to be a good day.

For today's musical treat, I have chosen another acapella piece with apologies to those who are not so keen on that kind of music.

I came across Glad one Spring Harvest when they had a slot in the Big Top one evening and came back the next morning to do an ad hoc concert after a standing ovation and no time to do any more encores that evening.
So here's 'In the first light', another of my all time favourites.

In the first light of a new day
No one knew He had arrived
Things continued as they had been
While a new born softly cried.
But the heavens wrapped in wonder
Knew the meaning of His birth
In the weakness of a baby
They knew God had come to earth.
As His mother held him closely,
It was hard to understand
That this baby not yet speaking
Was the Word of God to man.
He would tell them of His kingdom,
But their hearts would not believe
They would hate Him and in anger
They would nail Him to a tree.
But the sadness would be broken
As the song of life arose
And the First born of creation
Would ascend and take his throne.
He had left it to redeem us,
But before His life began
He knew He'd come back not as a baby
But as The Lord of ev'ry man.
Hear the angels as they're singing
On the morning of His birth
But how much greater will our song be
When He comes again to earth
When He comes again
Hear the angels as they're singing
On the morning of His birth
But how much greater will our song be
When He comes again to Earth
When He comes to rule the Earth!
When He comes back, When He comes back
To rule the Earth!