Saturday 21 December 2013

Only four days to go...

...and I have not even got the decorations out of the boxroom yet.   My cleaner comes on Monday mornings so I am waiting until she has gone and then the farmer and I will hit it hard.  We have cut a branch in the hopes that we can emulate Cro's lovely branch tree for our utility room.   Time will tell.

Most Christmas jobs are done however.   The food cupboard is full and the freezer is full.   The fridge is bursting with food and all the menus are written.   It is just the last minute vegetables to get on Christmas eve and we are away.

I do love Christmas cards.   For anyone who has decided not to send them any more (and I do appreciate that they are both expensive to buy and to post) I do urge you to think carefully.   When you have moved around the country a lot, as I have, it is the one time in the year when we swap up to date news and greetings.  Finding a pile of cards on the mat when the postman has been gives me pleasure every morning.

The farmer is shooting today and friend W and I have been into town, done a little shopping and spent an hour putting the world to rights in the coffee shop.   Now the wood burner is lit and I am making myself a coffee and settling down to read one of the Grantchester mystery short stories over it.   Not, in my opinion, brilliant writing, but readable all the same.

Did you see in today's obituaries that Paul Torbay, author of 'Salmon fishing in the Yemen' has died?  Now that is a great loss to present day literature. 

15 comments:

MorningAJ said...

I'm just taking five minutes off for a cup of tea in between prepping everything for dinner and actually starting to cook. (It's Yule today....)

In between peeling and chopping and stirring and slicing I just made some crab tartlets with leftovers from last night. It means the crab won't go to waste because the tarts will keep for a day or so now it's been cooked.

K's a happy boy. I've just let him have two of them as a 'to be going on with' because it'll be a couple of hours before we sit down to dinner.

I hope all goes well for your Christmas plans. There's a lot to be said for doing it all close to the actual day!

Merry Christmas to you and the Farmer.
A&K

Willow said...

I'm with you it is lovely to get holiday mail in the post !
May you Christmas be Merry !
Willow

Twiglet said...

Yes - I love sending and receiving cards too - I have kept in touch with friends from all over the country that way and from way back in my childhood too. I hope you have a perfect Christmas and a happy New Year. x Jo

Dartford Warbler said...

Most of the charity shops in our nearby market town had sold out of Christmas cards, so the tradition must still be alive and well.

Like you, I enjoy hearing news from friends made as we travelled the country.

Elizabeth said...

This afternoon is tree decorating time. My Jewish friend Elly LOVES Christmas trees.
Excellent plan - she decorates; I chat.

Twiggy said...

I love Christmas cards too. Enjoy your Christmas decorating. I love it just before the festive period when your food is bought, menus planned and list of things to do diminishing :)
Twiggy

Heather said...

We have put our tree up and I found a lovely branch complete with lichen which looks very pretty festooned with little white lights. I just need a few sprigs of holly and ivy to make a couple of arrangements and then we are done. Enjoy your decorating tomorrow and your cards. I love getting them too, especially from far-away friends.

Cloudia said...

So much companionable pleasure you share! Thank you for having us in, P.

A very merry Christmas to you and yours!

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

We enjoy, and send christmas cards - fewer each year - but still a good way to recapture those times past.

Our food is nearly made - just fresh things for christmas eve - and begin thawing the big turkey slowly. It is a lovely time of the year.

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

We enjoy, and send christmas cards - fewer each year - but still a good way to recapture those times past.

Our food is nearly made - just fresh things for christmas eve - and begin thawing the big turkey slowly. It is a lovely time of the year.

Edwina said...

Just to wish you all the best for Christmas and the new year. May your Christmas be all you want and wish for, and next year a healthy and happy one for you and yours.
As we don't celebrate Christmas as such, I have no shopping to do other than a few fresh veggies on Monday - have no intention of going anywhere near a shop on the 24th, therein lies madness.
And whilst I understand your feelings about cards, if all people do is just write their name in them and send it once a year, what is the point? I have stopped sending to people like that, if they can't be bothered, neither can I frankly. As a result, I sent and hand delivered less than 20 cards this year, and next year it will be less!

Crafty Green Poet said...

I love getting Christmas cards too and make most of mine which saves costs as well as being a nice creative, upcycling kind of thing to do.

Mac n' Janet said...

How sad, Fly Fishing was a favorite book of my husband, we hated the movie.

Robin Mac said...

I too love sending and receiving cards, and catching up on the news of the past year.
I have done all the shopping now (Monday night). other than collecting the ham from the butcher tomorrow morning. The presents are all wrapped and under the tree so there is only the last minute cooking to do tomorrow, ready for hot baked ham tomorrow night, then a cold spread on Christmas Day. Enjoy your Christmas, I hope you were successful with decorating your branch!

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Wishing you the happiest of Christmases!!
Love to Tess, too!
xo