Wednesday: Advent day twenty two

 Morning!!  What a cold night!!  For round here, anyway.  Of course, it would be the day I decided to do a very early morning 'last shop' that it decided a heavy frost would be a good idea.  Scraping the car just before six o'clock is not to be recommended.  It was c-c-cold.  It's still cold, of course, and everything, to be fair, looks really beautiful as the sun rises.  It is supposed to be staying cold all day but tomorrow and the few days after that will be significantly warmer (says the Beeb).

Yesterday felt a bit 'restless.  It was weird not to have anything to go out for although I was quite pleased about that.
Sharon came over and now I feel human again.
Then Lewis came over to discuss pressure cleaning the outside and various other tasks that could do with being done asap.
Once that was done, I sat down but kept jumping up to do little things such as find out 'how to make hollandaise sauce in Thermione' and so on.  In a way, despite feeling restless, it was strangely satisfying too as I did loads of little, niggly things as they occurred to me.

The 'last' shopping is now done and dusted and, looking at the piles of stuff, I doubt I will need to buy much more for weeks!  I'm glad I went really early, despite the heavy frost.  There were enough people there to mke it sociable and all the shop staff still looked alert and ready to help.  I doubt they'll be feeling that way by the end of the day.
Did I stick to my list?  Did I heck!!!  But I have everything now and anything I don't have isn't needed or wanted.  I even remembered to get some custard powder, having checked my cupboard yesterday (one of those niggly things).
Now I have to put everything away < sigh >

Over lunch time, I am off to Lindsey's for personal training and while I'm there the cleaners will be working their usual magic in my home.  I've changed the routine a bit and they are just doing the bathroom upstairs and spending the rest of their time downstairs.  I've left their Christmas cards (and tips) on the table for them to take, just in case I am not home in time.

On the Advent diary for today it says 'shopping' (tick) and 'sharpen knives'.  The poor things have been much neglected recently so need to be done before I attack any Christmas meat, etc.  It also says 'ham out' because I want to cook it tomorrow.  None of that is going to take much time or effort, is it?

Finally, I'm expecting Dave and Anna round at half past six for a takeaway Chinese, wine and Scrabble.  I'll make the order sort of mid afternoon.  Nice and easy, no work, not too much washing up and great company.

(wishful thinking)

The Advent music for day twenty two is 'The Shepherds' Farewell from Berlioz' 'L'Enfance du Christ'.  I've never sung this one but I love it, all the same.