December 2007

1	We went out so that Crow could do a recce as part of the preparation for next year's Cloverleaf rally.  He met a rallying buddy to do this and I spent a very enjoyable one and a half hours at West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village.  It's a fascinating village reconstruction using different techniques to try to discover how the Anglo-Saxons really lived.  A very informative stroll around the museum followed, then some retail therapy in the gift shop.  A sumptuous lunch at a pub in Duxford rounded off the trip.
2	Were there really this many leaves last year?  Our patio was ankle deep, so some leaf collection was on the menu, cramming them into my already very full leaf bin.
3	Etienne's baby jumper is complete and very cute.
4	Patience was required as I had a go at making some hama tree decorations and a hen coaster.  We were due another visit from the plumber to fit taps etc in the shower room, but he let us down.
5	I haven't done any crochet for quite a while so I started a crochet capelet.
6	Deck the halls - well, the living room.  I put up and decorated my six foot fibre optic Xmas tree and retrieved my singing snowman, flashing rafia tree and Xmas stockings. In the process of retrieving the tree from the loft I found two dead mice in my trip-traps and all of the poison completely consumed.  Ah, country life...... Harvest:  chard & spinach.
7	Hurrah - the plumber turned up today and did a very nice job fitting basin taps in the shower room, with a matching loo handle and new basin waste & plug.  As an added bonus, he had to remove the basin from the wall ( rather than just the pedestal, as expected), so the grotty sealant is all fresh and new too.  Sounds good?  Well, something had to carry on our "unlucky with plumbing" trend.  One of the new taps had a broken lever handle, so I've had to request a replacement.
8	Finished the capelet last night - pretty isn't it?  Obviously, it would look nicer over an evening top or elegant dress. Crow's doing a night rally tonight, but I'm not involved.
9	9th place on the Preston rally!  A brilliant result, especially given that it's a tough event and his driver only has a 998cc Toyota Yaris, which is a little underpowered for such a trial. Thought for the day - isn't clearing leaves in the rain a thankless task? However, my work was rewarded by a trip to Blake House for lunch with Rebecca, who is recovering from a knee operation which she had on Friday.
10	My next knitting project, started today is a short sleeved jumper in a black/grey/white mix of Patons Splash.  On the menu tonight, a very delicious Carrot & Jerusalem Artichoke soup.
11	I've decided to make some Xmas cards featuring our hens, so I've had fun with photos and captions today.
12	Out and about, early at the gym, then on to take mum-in-law out for lunch.
13	One of Crow's rallying set came visiting and joined us for dinner.
14	More Xmas cards and I'm stitching up the Splash jumper.
15	I cooked a meal to take around to a friend, recovering from a broken hip.  We had a feast of courgette & tomato soup with homemade bread, tuna & vegetable quiche and apple & amoretti biscuit pudding.
16	I pruned my three rose bushes today without any reference to the right/wrong time of year, type of rose or having any real knowledge on how to do it properly.  The were spindly and untidy and now they're not.  Of course, I may have inadvertently damaged them.....  With Crow's help, we also tidied up around the pond and collected yet more leaves from the lawn. Tonight saw me finishing the Patons Splash jumper and at last, I completed my final Christmas cards!
17	Not sure of my next knitting project, so I made a quick scarf this evening to keep my hands busy.
19	We've been having part of our garden fencing replaced and it was finished today, despite interference from Salt & Pepper!
20	Most of today's daylight hours were consumed with final Xmas shopping, including all of the groceries.  There's still five days to go but you'd think the shops were giving it away - and they say tomorrow is the busiest shopping day!
21	Started a waistcoat in super chunky Wendy Pampas.  Searched for over an hour for our inflatable mattress in the loft, where a super mouse has eaten all of the mouse corn, broken out of one trip trap then finally got caught in another.
22	Well, for the first time since I was about 10 years old, we went to a panto this evening.  A rock'n'roll version of Beauty & the Beast.  A multi-talented cast, singing, dancing, each of them playing several different instruments put on an excellent show, allowing us to be kids again.
23	A frantic day, full of final Xmas preparation, culminating in the collection of my mum from the airport.  Just the food and mummy entertaining (Crow's mum arrives tomorrow) to concentrate on now...... Harvest:  leeks, celeriac, turnip, beetroot.
24	I had an early trip to the gym and just got back in time to greet mum-in-law.  Then, the two mums and I had a brief shopping trip to the local factory shop before settling in at home. I completed the latest waistcoat......
25	A lovely family morning with Crow, our two mums and his two daughters with one boyfriend.  As usual we were very spoilt by the girls in terms of presents.  Then, a very non-traditional Xmas lunch here of chicken curry with rice and naan bread, followed by red wine pears and ice cream.
26	A lovely sunny day, so we enjoyed a walk before the traditional cold meats lunch, followed by a fruit & banana cheescake.
27	Just a quiet day with my mam.
28	Return trip to the airport and a sad goodbye to mam - always the worst part of a visit.
29	Friends for dinner this evening and my menu was:  pork & cranberry pate with olive & tomato tapenade, followed by road duck breast with roasted vegetables, followed by pfeffernusse & cointreau syllabub and the cheese board.  Everyone seemed to enjoy it as I had clean plates all round and there's no better sign for the cook than that.
30	My latest knitting project was completed this evening - a slipover in a green boucle wool. New task is a very lacy crochet cardigan which I am making in a dusky pink Sirdar Silky Look yarn.
31	Ouch!!  A massive 52.8% rise in the price of heating oil in the last 10 months.  See my research by clicking here. Then a massive session updating the household accounts for the year - soon be finished, although I always find it a bit scary seeing where all the money goes.