Welcome to my perfumed garden

Snow stops play.

( We shall not be driving home today )

I mean, I love my family dearly but omg! I am so ready to go home now!

It's impossibly beautiful today. Clear, clean crisp and so, so cold. The snow is powdery, glittering, the sun right on the horizon (gone altogether now, of course) slanting down, the lightest flakes of snow floating down from a cold blue sky. It's pure Angel Dust out there; it's my favourite weather, it's perfect.

I took pictures, course I did, might post them later, too. 

...No one's mentioned David Tennant's astonishing performance as Russell Brand, the Ghost of Christmas Present on the Catherine Tate show last night but there you go. Anyone listen to them on Radio 2 this morning then with the Most Holy Lord Bernard of Cribbins...?

Doctor Who was pure hilarious crack, I have rarely laughed so long or hard - which was good. Our home now has a new line, 'he ate it like The Master' - only used on the dog so far but we eagerly await the chances to broaden that scope.

So, good Christmas, everyone? We still have snow. Dad is going to 'dine' (the way The Skeletor Master 'dines') with his brothers today, he's been in the bathroom a mere 2 and a half hours but still hoping to have him at at least the underpants layer before my cousin comes to get him at 3.00.

Other than that, it's been relatively calm and unfraught. I now own an ipod and a goodly pile of DVD-based comedy and a bottie of delicious hard stuff. I'm now off to make sosmix rolls, please wish me well in my culinary endeavours and have a lovely Boxing Day all!

XXX

Said clear skies, danger of ice.

( Met Office, you are made of fail! )

Walked 2 miles to the vets in this for the dogs meds, they're closed till 2pm. ::shakes fist at the sky::

I've just called the sister. It appears an Asda van has been sighted in the lane this morning, this augers well for gritted hills and shifted-drifts and we've decided to go. Gotta go soon, too, if we want to be there before it goes dark so - a quick tidy and hoover of the old homestead, chivvy Basement Cat  from his perch by the Aga and send him on his way home (his own home, where he actually lives some of the time), make flasks of hot tea and be on our way.

So, all of you, do please -

Have a marvellous Christmas all and a simply super New Year.

I mean, if I'm spared, I'll doubtless be around, from this evening on aamof so I don;t know why I'm sending out the greetings now, tbh but there you go.

::a figure, shrouded in hats, scarves and coats waves wildly midst the snow:: See you on the other side. XXX

It's snowing! There is snow!

We are home! 

The sun is shining, but it's October so it's on the nippy side and we've lit the stove which means oven baked potatoes for supper! I have a mug of hot Ribena, skies are blue, the woods are looking gorgeous, life is good.

Mark has been streaming Radio Rebelde in the car, live from Cuba via the iphone which was - squeeful and exciting for about fifteen minutes; live news on parade-preps from Santiago and Santa Clara did lose novelty value rather quickly. With Cuban Radio in general (and Rebelde in particular) enough really is quite as good as a feast, rather more than enough to be entirely honest, but a happy Che-Day to you all, should you be celebrating today. *g*

Hamish update: wee doggie is still not himself but very much on the mend, though blood tests have shown a slightly reduced liver capacity. The new diet is on hold and he's condemned to eat chicken and (Tilda organic Basmati) rice for the next several days by order of the vet, poor lamb. Thanks so much for all your good wishes which I'll endeavour to answer asap.

Such a year for sloes! I picked a pound in no time at all yesterday, got scratched to pieces but there will be sloe gin again this Christmas, oh yes indeedy! It's been 3 years since we had a decent sloe harvest and I've missed my gin, deed I have.

Yesterday was my sister's birthday. Amongst other things we gave her the Help! DVD, fine wines and even finer chocs and was pleased to see her so delighted. She's a bugger of a time of it lately, she doesn't deserve it. I hope Dad gives her some peace this weekend so she can enjoy her various delights.

Also happy birthday John Lennon. You would have been 69 today, bless your heart.

And Barak Obama, WTF?!

Our dog Hamish was ill yesterday; very, very ill indeed. He started off being just depressed, quiet, off his food, generally unwell all through the day and we had to keep a constant eye on him. He has underlying digestive and thyroid conditions anyway and we wondered if the change in diet was upsetting him but then - I can't bring myself to go into details because living though it once was bad enough but we really thought he was dying and, at one point (when he crept off and we found him lying in the lane in the pitch dark-sheeting rain), dead.

The vet thinks he's eaten something, possibly carion, that's poisoned him - £75 worth of injections later, he definitely seems on the mend (though still quiet and very sorry for himself).

Anyway, that took most of yesterday and into the night, then Dad was up all night with the TV on full blast, some drunk attempted to call us from a mobile at 4am and...

Tired today, very - but relieved.

It's a gorgeous day. I should go for a walk, really. ::continues to stare out of window, mouth open, slight drool::

The new Who logo is a bit pants. I wish I hadn't looked, I feel mildly depressed now, but I suppose I'll always have my Troughton DVDs for comfort.

:o)

In the meantime, porridge + golden syrup is a fine and goodly thing on an Autumn morning. I am about to book a Matlock cabin weekend for myself and the friends who did not shun me. It rains, but it's warm inside. I find ideas are flooding in for a new novel. Life ticks on with its many pains and pleasures.There is absolutely no reason for this post and I feel I must apologise.

( And goes up a tree )

This does not happen often.