My garland is done but not hanging, it is to long for me to put up without help, so will have to wait until Sunday.

 

Part 1

 

Part 2

 

 

That is the length of my sofa and there is a lot more to stretch out, 5 of the little owls are on there along with 9 smaller birds, a stack of flowers and pompoms all fastened to the chain with tiny little flowers.

 



 

The owls all look a bit startled, I expect that it was the flash, they are nocturnal after all. I did not find my small beads but discovered a long forgotten jewellery making kit and used some of that for the eyes.

 

It was a dreadfully dismal day yesterday, Ben and I went out 3 times and got soaked each time. Ben had pie for his dinner, made specially for him, beef and vegetables in a wholemeal pastry crust, and I made a fridge bottom veg chilli, peppers, onion, squash, celery, tomatoes, chillies, cumin, turmeric, garlic and root ginger, along with a tin of kidney beans and some stock. It was very tasty, I made rather a lot so did not cook any rice.

 

I based it on a recipe in Veg Everyday, from the River Cottage stable, a book very dear to my heart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today has been much better, bright sun, blue skies but a chill wind whistling about the nether regions.

 

We popped in to see Maggie on the way back from our lunch time walk. Both Maggie and I were hoping that Ben and her cats would be accommodating, not so. Her dominant cat, Squid, has become quite fond of me and took great exception to Ben, lots of hissing and spitting ensued and Ben turned into a quivering wreck on my lap. I had to take him home. It was a shame as her smallest cat, Sophie the tortoiseshell, was intrigued by him and was happy to lie along the sofa back and just look at him. The other 2, Octavia and Marcus simply ignored him.

Oh well, at least we tried.

 

I made a lazy dinner tonight, scrambled eggs on toast. I was too tired to cook and did not really care what I ate, I am yawning as I type, not like me, I do hope that I am not about to come down with the Lurgey.

 

I am hoping to wallow on the sofa and watch the tele tonight, if there is anything on worth looking at. If not it will be a book and an early night in either case. I did try to watch last night but all I could find was 5000 ways to cook a roast dinner and another 5000 "alternative" Christmas dinners. It's enough to drive me to "lighter Life" slop in a pot stuff.

 

We finally settled on Pork for the 25th, we have had Beef for the last 3 years and Lamb the 3 before that. I will have company for the New Year weekend and will glaze and roast a ham for that, once I have cooked it in ginger beer.

I have cooked ham in cola and like that but ginger beer gives it an edge and then I use the syrup and ginger from a jar in the glaze. oh Yum.

 

On that note, I am off to make a brew before Ben goes for his last walk.

 

              TTFN                                                            Pam