Blogmas, day 12 - a long one! :-)

Morning, everyone!  It's nearly eight o'clock, very late for me to be starting this but, for once, I slept in later than around five.  It's just as well I don't have a 9:15 fitness class, isn't it?  Also . . . no, I'm getting ahead of myself.  Back to yesterday first.

We had decided to do a bit of shopping and shop trawling - I did have a Little List, mostly small gifts - as I've pretty much got all the bigger, family presents.  First of all, I headed to Riverside to look round Home Bargains, Homesense and Matalan.

Yes, I found pretty much everything on my list plus a few things for me.
Have you ever come across wooly tumblers?  They look rather like tennis balls but made of 100% pure New Zealand wool (it says on the box) and you just add them to the tumble dryer with whatever you are drying.  They're supposed to act as a natural conditioner and help items to dry faster. 

Now, I rarely use my dryer but I do dry my towels in it and, when the weather is damp and my drying rack is full, I will sort out items that I am happy to dry that way.  They really weren't very expensive and I thought 'give it a go'.

The other thing, totally unnecessary but seriously beautiful, was some really nice olive wood salad servers.  I love olive wood and was looking at little 'chopping' boards in Homesense.  Sadly, the one I really liked had a splash of glue on the top which wouldn't scrape off with my nail (the pads underneath were stuck on and I'm guessing that's how it happened) so I walked away and this pair of servers jumped up and into my basket.  

Yes, they did!

The only thing I got in Matalan was some tights.  They had lovely festive cushions but I already have festive cushions on every chair in the living room and they were way too expensive for the garden room!!

I then meant to drive on to B&M but got into the wrong lane so decided to go to Hobbycraft first and then backtrack.  I'm glad I did because Hobbycraft had what I was looking for - some little gift bags - that were much nicer than anything I would find in B&M, made from sturdy brown paper with stars on and an absolutely perfect size. 

I also picked up some yarn (you knew I would, didn't you); I have a patterns for a nice moss stitch cardigan that a friend in our SW group gave me.  It takes aran yarn but it isn't actually traditional aran as such and I saw that the WI brand had some aran weight in a nice, dusty blue and - this was the decider - 400g balls and three for two.  The patterns said I needed 900g but I want to make it a bit longer so I needed three balls but only had to pay for two.  And I will have some left for a smaller project - a wooly hat, perhaps, or a cowl (or both!)

I've put them away for now - it's going to be my New Year knitting project to go alongside the Persian Tiles crochet project.

That feels really nice.

When I got home, I unpacked, wrapped, labelled and under the tree it all went, as you can see above.  Really nice and relaxing!

In the afternoon, I pootled off to Lindsey's for personal training and then it was the governors' meeting.

Such a good meeting - lots of laughter but some very serious stuff too.  I've taken something on (nothing too time consuming) too but will tell you about that another time.
I had a really nice chat with Jenny (head) and Liz (chair of governors) after the meeting and, as I am not able to go to any of the Infant Show performances, Jenny asked if I would like to see the dress rehearsal on Monday.  Lindsey is happy for me to go to Wednesday circuits rather than Monday's so that has made me very happy.  Almost, I would rather see it that way.  For years, I was in charge of the Infants' show so I know just how much hard work goes into it from everyone involved.  They will have a very understanding and sympathetic governor watching, for sure.  :-)

This post isn't half going on - sorry!

Today's Advent of Change is supporting the Well Child charity which aims to give seriously ill children the best chance to thrive at home.

Behind the door, it ways:

Today you have enabled a child to enjoy a fun arts and crafts session with their family when they are too unwell to leave the house.
Isn't that fantastic?

https://www.wellchild.org.uk/

The M&S one gives me a nail and cuticle serum with instructions so tiny that I dug out my magnifying glass to read them!

I needn't have bothered; you just rub it in - twice a day!  No chance, but I am sure the occasional times I remember won't hurt!

I don't have troublesome cuticles anyway, they are very well behaved!!

And here's the puzzle for yesterday and today.  It's half done now and I'm really enjoying it.

I have another one that I made up last year and I think I will get that out and do two a day during the Twelve Days.

Now that the Governor stuff is done and dusted, although I still have quite a busy diary, it's all fun stuff rather than responsible stuff.  Meals out, friends round, etc.  Lovely stuff.

Today, as there is no SET class and no chat with Chris, I am being very lazy.  There's a bit of ironing to do and there's always housework, of course, but nothing very much.

There's no chat because Chris and I are out for lunch together.  Mostly we do coffee and chat but occasionally - birthdays and Christmas, etc, we go out for lunch and today's the day.  I'm really looking forward to that.

So that's today.  How about you?

On to the musical Advent calendar and today's music is an absolutely beautiful selection from the great John Rutter, who writes such wonderful Christmas music.  Enjoy!

Star Carol

Nativity Carol

Angel's Carol

and Christmas Night