Christmas Tree

We went for a bracing (for that read blinking chilly!) walk yesterday in Perry Wood. We were well fuelled with huge breakfast - bubble and squeak, yummy ham, poached eggs, mushrooms and tomatoes! Raff took his new pop gun rifle and wore his flat hat and looked every bit the country lad!

At the end of the walk we came across this tree which had been decorated with food for the the birds, beautiful!

Hot Wheels

And here is an equally favourite present.

Stan just keeps saying "I'm SO happy, it's JUST what I wanted. I'm SO happy, it's just ............"

I quite like playing with it too - you may notice my hand rather alot!

Clone Troopers

Two of the happiest boys in the world as they got their one true wish at Christmas "Voice Change Clone Trooper helmets" of course - not world peace! Stan was slightly disgruntled that Father Christmas hadn't managed to put one in his stocking but luckily Grandpa Chris-mas sorted it out instead.

Winter Solstice

What a fabulous day, I feel like it's New Year's Day; I felt such a strong sense of new beginnings or of turning a new page.

Bright blue sky when we woke up, impromptu big breakfast with Polly and Simon when they came to collect their boys who had stayed over, which was lovely. Then I finally got on with some garden stuff - most importantly cleaning out the chickens - they were chicken-knee deep in pretty sordid muck, no wonder there are never any eggs, I think they are on strike.

After that I went for a "quick blast " with Mouse, which turned into the full 3 mile loop out to the sea and back along the creek. Well, the sun was beaming down and it felt rude not to celebrate it's solstice by soaking up the rays and I took loads of pictures - they will be paintings one day... From the sea wall looking back inland you can see nearly all of my favourite spots, Perry Wood, Blean, the marshes and Seasalter. I met friend who was walking from Whitstable back to Fav having been dropped there by his wife - I don't think in anger...? we should try it sometime.

The Konik ponies were looking a a little cold, Mouse was very excited to see them; it really is astonishing to walk 20 minutes from the house and be right amongst them. Close by in the field behind them was a vast flock of swans, who overwinter here, I must have counted 50, but the young are pretty well hidden so there were probably another 10 at least.

On the last leg I noticed the shadows that Mouse and I were making looked like Giacometti scupltures, so I snapped them for amusement.

And I just loved the colours of the mud - if you painted it the same purple no-one would believe that was how it looked.

Rounded off the day by gong to Dan And Annies Christmas drinks, with Dan's spectacular mince pies - they are made with a super tasty spiced meat filling, with pine nuts and apricots; I definately had my fair share! Someone there mentioned that it was 9 lessons and carols at 6.30, so we found ourselves easily persuaded - or was that the sherry and Prosecco talking? - to go along and have a good old sing! So I am thoroughly in the mood now for a jolly festive time - just a shame I have to go to work tomorrow before thoroughly embracing the season of eating and drinking to excess!

Brown paper packages....

tied up with string..

Made a new recipe Christmas cake last night which involved a great deal of lining the tin and even wrapping it in brown paper and string. It smells pretty outrageously good, here's hoping it tastes good, if it does I 'll share the recip'

Christmas is coming

Kids have finally finished school for the hols (hooray!) and even though I still have to go back to work on Monday, it will be a breeze! At least we won't have any more missives from school asking for "a Roman soldier's outfit, King's costume, cakes for two school fairs and money for the school panto trip, plus contributions for the Tombola and confirmed numbers for the Christmas meal", all in one day!!! I kid you not, just over a week ago we laid out the bits of paper received in one day from the two schools and that is pretty much what was being asked for THAT day!!

But the magic of Christmas is not quite buried under all those demands. We got our tree last weekend - succumbing to an absurdly expensive one as I insisted on a 'nice' one. It's not yet fully decorated which is a bit tragic but nearly all of the lights from the last few years had finally had it and it took a while to find anywhere with any left in stock. Then G was performing at a concert in London and so the boys and I only dared put a few things on the tree when she was out - we still got a full on sulk on her return for daring to do that, and since then there just hasn't been time. So I have promised a full on decorating session in the morning, which probably means I will come down and find that she has done it tomorrow before anyone else is awake!