Welcome to my perfumed garden

It's snowing up a storm out there now. Last night tipped -14, the roads are all ice and now it's snowing hard, if it continues we're facing the real prospect of not getting to Dad's for Christmas because the shower of bastards who run Chorley council, despite the great chunks of cash they lift from our wallets like the common footpads they are, will not grit the roads.

See pictorial evidence.

 

Hey ho, I am philosophical. In many ways, a Christmas at home would be pleasant and peaceful, no pressies (they're all at Dad's) but we have all other reqs here for dinner, including copious nutty, chocolatey, marzipanny delights, wine and sloe gin, all we lack is a pudding - which I could walk into Brinscall for, if it came to that. I'm assuming it won't, snow's not wont to stick around these days, but if it does, well ::shrug:: We has logs for the fire and the trusty Aga, we'll live.

It'll be harder on the Dad and the sister - especially the sister as she'll have Christmas dinner to do for just the 2 of them all on her own. Like I say, not expecting it to come to that but (looks out of window). meep! It's dark as twilight - it never really got light, I'm sitting under all the fairy lights, it's like Santa's grotto here, I'm a firm believer that you can never go overboard with the fairly lights. I tried to do a picture but I can only get the camera to work with the flash and it spoils the effect rather. I shall read the manual and try again later.

Anyway, I'm off to write some words before Alistair Sim comes over all Scrooge on the electrical tele-viewing machine. Stay warm, my babies, God bless us, everyone. XXX

Yea Gods, is LJ still slow as drugged sloths and buggering about for everyone else? Plz tell me it's not just me.

I went out to post the last Christmas cards and took a few pictures, there's not much snow here but it's frosting and freezing hard now and they're threatening heavy falls at the weekend, no doubt more pix will follow.  Click to make them bigger.

      

Only a dusting, no more than an inch of it but it's sunny and frosty-bright with a blue-pink sky, sugared trees and all rather gorgeous. We just got back from what should be the last shop (and there was much rejoicing!) - a few veggies, parsnips and Ted spuds for the roasties, sosmix for the sausage rolls, more cards, more port (since we drank what we bought last week) and the cheese! From my favourite Chorley cheesemonger



In other news - it's Christmas! Well, nearly. I've been trying to do pictures of my mantelpiece, they don't really do justice to its many Christmassy virtues but here goes anyway.Back now, warming up, crumpets and tea, the cat's arrived. I shall be venturing out again later to post the last cards, if the sun's still up I might do pictures.

Merry Fireplace says Merry Christmas!



Basement Cat is indifferent to your Christmas.





 I've tried it every which way but can't get anything to go under a cut, sorry about that. If the pictures are fannying with your LJ, let me know and I'll take em down. 

I was just about to head off to the PO to post a shiny set of new subs to agencies when I see our pale cream curtains are COVERED (and I do not exaggerate) in oily black stripes - seems Mark filled the coal bucket this morning then decided to draw the curtains without bothering to wash his hands.

Took them down, in fairly evil mood it has to be said, stropped off to wash them, opened the washing machine and gallons of smelly black water cascaded out like bleedin' Niagara Falls.

Got rid of Basement the neighbour's cat anyway, resting his bones by the Aga, he was, when the water descended. Gosh he can move when he needs to. ::smiles sweetly::

We've just been mopping up, that took a while. :o) Rassillon knows what's happened or whether it's damaged the bloody machine - there's always been a problem with the drains here, so now we have the plumbers to deal with on top of the coalman and I can't wash the curtains and my day has descended into its accustomed chaos and it's all a bit of a mess, really.

So, how's your day been so far my darling, delicious love-kittens? ::flutter of eyelashes, saintly expression::

It's been dark since eleven am but I am OK because I have my favourite slow-braised spicy veg and noodles which are incredibly yum. God bless you Aga, you may be the most expensive slo-cooker in the world, but you braise a beautiful vegetable. Your roast parsnips are pretty good too.

I feel there should be food porn but I'm too hungry.

Oh, and I have wine too. Best mention the wine. ::nods::

Stay warm and dry my babies, for the weather Gods be angry still.

...and not noticed? First a lengthy power cut in Thurlstone a few days ago and now we're in the midst of one in Withnell.

Did something happen and no one told me?

So, we're sitting here by candlelight, eating baked potatoes, sipping fine wines*, at least I have t'internet till my battery or the UPS dies, listening to Loose Ends and there was nowt on TV to miss. At least we have an Aga, we can has tea. It could be worse.

*Aldi's 'Australian Red', from a box.

Waiting for Peep Show, I flipped over to ITV3 and 'Life' where there's a character called Jimmy Ellison. Alas, he's nothing like our Jimmy Ellison.

A man looking much more like our Jimmy is currently stripping off his clothes and pretending to shave over on Fiver, should UK people be in the mood for that sort of thing (and not waiting for Peep Show).

Mark's in the bath, Basement Cat is here, warming his paws on the Aga.

Quiet in here, isn't it?

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?!

Is our neighbour's cat. His name is Drew. He spends a considerable amount of time in our house, sunning himself in our window, drinking our milk - warm, we warm it for him - eating cat food, which we buy for him, stealing our toast, attacking us, drawing blood.

He's not a very nice cat so why do we feed and water him, put up with is violent mood swings and afford him every home comfort at no small inconvenience to ourselves? I have no idea. We're not even cat people yet he seems to exert some strange hold on us, a feline Derren Brown, perhaps?

We've been hearing tales about this cat, how he'll 'eat you out of house and home' (we already knew), how he broke in through an open window and stole a roast chicken from another neighbour's kitchen. How his own family have had to put a child lock on their fridge because gets inside and eats everything in there.

( If you see this cat... )
Run. Fast as you can for he is the spawn of Satan.