Wednesday

 Good morning, everyone.  It's a very chilly, frosty morning with clear skies so we're expected to have a fair bit of sunshine today.  Lovely!

Yesterday was an interesting day.

Groove was, as always, super-good.  Chris couldn't come which was a shame but we're meeting up again, as usual, tomorrow for a good old gossip and laugh over coffee.

The glasses arrived and they are lovely.  Not particularly 'poshly' boxed but I got them out because of checking them over and rewrapped them in nice, festive tartan tissue paper instead of white before re-boxing them and wrapping the box in the same paper (which, by the way, was really cheap from Temu and well worth it).
Another gift ticked off my list.

You may remember that a while ago I mentioned a friend coming round who couldn't make it because she had to pick up her poorly son from school?
Anyway, she is a Slimming World friend and recently she messaged me to say did I know of anyone who was interested in having housework, ironing or gardening done as she has started her own little business?
You know me - housework is not my favourite thing; I do it but would much rather be doing more interesting stuff.  So she came round and we had a chat about it - what she did, cost, timings, etc, and yesterday morning she came round to do an hour and a half which is less than I used to have but, to be honest, the previous cleaners didn't need to spend two hours here, not really.
She did downstairs, the stairs and the landing and made a grand job of it so we have arranged that she will come once a fortnight (for now).  Not ironing though - I know I am odd but I rather enjoy ironing.

And then, in the afternoon, she came back with her husband, and now I have a winter ready garden.  I enjoy my spring and summer gardening, as you know, but am very much less enthusiastic about the autumn haircut - which is why I kept putting it off!
And they did a good job, front and back and I am so relieved.  This will be an occasional thing, I don't need garden help on a regular basis.
To be fair, nor do I need housework help but I can pretend that I'm getting old occasionally, can't I?  And, as always, I don't take this for granted and am super-grateful that I have a decent pension income and can do this.  I'm also glad I can support a friend and a local business, something I always like to do if I can.

So I had plenty of crafting time yesterday and am still messing about with maple leaf patterns.  I think this is how I want it - in different colours, of course.  This is the browny shades; others will be based on red, blue, pink, lilac, and, perhaps, green, although the background is green so I will need to think about that.

I also think a monochrome blanket would be very effective - black, shades of grey (maybe not fifty though!) and white - another time though, not in the near future.  Anita's book is quite inspiring and I have ideas buzzing around my head.

I have subscribed to Naked Wines for a number of years now but have decided to discontinue this now so yesterday I went onto their web site and used up what was in my account getting Christmas wines before closing it.  That's another thing ticked off the presents and food/drink lists.

Today there is nothing in the diary until personal training so . . .

I am making another sourdough loaf, trying the same recipe and the last ones but cutting the water a bit.  It seems to have made a much easier dough to work with and I need to do the first stretch and folds so hang on . . . 
. . . yes, very much easier! 
I am making some batons for Friday.

I need to finish my shopping list as I need extra things in for Friday and want to do my shop tomorrow.  Friday, you see, is Christmas Tree Day.  Beth and Alex are round for the day and Alex is staying overnight.  We put up and decorate the tree, we watch Christmas films starting with The Snowman, and we have a festive buffet!

I want to get the Christmas china in from the garden room.  I won't need everything as Beth is doing Christmas day, but I will need some starting from Friday.
Amazingly, I have a spare shelf for it all!

And, if I can be bothered, I want to bring in the Christmas boxes and the tree (I have an artificial one), ready for Friday.

Rather more boringly, I have three loads of washing to do so fingers crossed that at least one load can dry in the sunshine.  The first load is already in.

It looks like a lot but it isn't really; it won't take that much time and some of it feels exciting!  What a babe I am sometimes - do you get that flutter of excitement as you start the Christmas stuff too?

Right, I seem to have gone on and on and on - sorry.  Have a lovely day, everyone, and stay good and warm.  See you tomorrow.  xx