Welcome to my perfumed garden

Just taking a quick break with a mug of Earl grey and a KitKat...

We're home in Withnell for a couple of days. Yesterday we had (gasp!) a day off; had an appointment in Chorley at 11 so we drove over from Yorkshire early (hideous drive over the M62. Wall to wall HGVs, driving rain, impenetrable spray, thick fog) then went shopping. It's been months since we did that - I'm not a happy shopper as a rule but it was really nice to wander through the market with all the Christmas gubbins everywhere, despite the rain (the weather really was hideous yesterday). I got some Christmas toffee (with a hammer) for Dad and a mint copy of Mad Dogs and Englishmen by Paul Magrs for 99p so I was well chuffed.

I went to my favourite cheese stall and got into a lengthy conversation about Lincolnshire Poacher (which Mark adores and is always trying to source). Jane (who runs the stall) said she'd been pondering getting some to see how it sold. We had to describe Poacher's flavour in detail and she made us (made us - snort!) try numerous cheeses to se how they compared. Anyway, we ended up with a truly amazing true (made in Cheddar) cheddar, a chunk of Cornish blue, some smoked brie, a mature Lancashire and quince jelly. Yum.

Went to Chorley Health Foods for my favourite teas (they blend them themselves; I was going to say 'what I'll do when we move I don't know'  but I see they have a website and online store; it's a tiny, tiny little store! Man, I love teh internets!)  and finished up at Booths the best supermarket in all the known universes for numerous goodies, then went home, lit the stove and the fire and curled up with said goodies, my book and the Mighty Boosh and had a thoroughly spanking day.

Work goes on on our house; today we're clearing out the spare and bedroom. So far I've filled five boxes with files full of printed fanfic and I'm still coming across odd stories here and there - down the side of the bed, fallen behind the linen chest, tucked inside an old phone book - man! And I stopped printing fic back in 2004 when I bought my first Palm. I can't bring myself to get rid of any of it so it's all boxed and ready for a temporary home in Dad's garage.

And I just got my first Christmas Card, from the Mapins in Norfolk. They came a visiting one year, out of the blue - Marion's father was born in this house; he'd died when she was a child and she was in search of his life. They were sweet people and we still exchange cards every year.

It's so nice to be home (as Mark and I keep telling each other). I shall be sad to leave this little house.

In other news, I am about 5,000 words shy of finishing the Chasing Rainbows sequel, with just 2 more (albeit complicated) chapters to finish. I'd hoped to do some yesterday but after three hours of shopping in the rain, lighting stoves, cooking soups et al, once I'd got my feet up by the fire, eating cheese, drinking wine... It was never going to happen. Unless something major happens, though, it should be finished by the end of the coming weekend. I'll need to read it all through first, make sure it's coherent but if anyone feels like betaing this unwieldy beast, I'd really like to get it to Debbie (who won it for Moonridge 2006 ::blushes::) before Christmas.

Anyway, this was supposed to be a short break; best press on...

ETA: It's 17.00 and all is done. Yup, you heard me - the bedroom is devoid of piles of boxes/clothes/eiderdowns/general junk for the first time since Mark's Dad died 30 months ago. I've cleaned up, made the bed and lit the fairy lights (ah! pretty!) and it looks like an actual bedroom for the first time in (literally) years. man...! ::stands back in wonder and amazement to admire...:: (o:

Dinner's in the Aga, I have olives; I is drinking wine and feelin' fine. Happy Weekend, everybody. God bless us, every one.