22 December 2010

They say the British speak about nothing but the weather but it would be remiss of me not to mention that the sub-temperature freeze continues and that many people’s Christmas’ may end up quite different to what was planned. I received an e-mail from a cousin of ours in Toronto, who is a regular blog reader, who was rather amused to point out that they were having one of the milder winters, with only about an inch of snow, and the problem was not ‘planes taking off from there, so much as not being able to land here.

For obvious reasons our Christmas will be different this year than any other but nevertheless I am looking forward to it. Smiler and Kimberly will be joining us on Christmas Eve and Chloe and family come down for the day after Boxing Day when we’re hoping that Michael, from Australia, will the with us, for a couple of days, en route to Sweden.

‘My lovely’ has done her very best to create a festive atmosphere with a limited amount of laurel and tinsel. We also have a very dear little Christmas tree in the breakfast room.

We are still going to be able to use our drawing room, and enjoy our log fire, despite one end being occupied by my bed. Of course, normal Christmas shopping has been severely limited by the unusually inclement weather, so I think Alice has done wonders under the circumstances and we will have just as good at Christmas is over. (We still have to collect our turkey!)