Christmas Eve 2009
Sadly, a thaw has set in and much of the snow is disappearing fast from the garden. I had hoped it would remain long enough for the children to revel in it and perhaps make a snowman. The paddock still has a fair covering and snow is forecast for tonight, so who knows we might be in for a white Christmas yet – the first, I believe, us any of the grandchildren will have seen. The Mouse, the donkey, remains firmly in her stable refusing to submit herself to the winter weather.
The family are on their way and should be here shortly in time for tea. In past years we have always held a small party for our village friends but with so many of them now visiting their own children or their other in-laws we decided against it this year.
The Christmas tree lights are on, the log fire is blazing and all it needs now is for the family to arrive.
Regretfully I can no longer wrap  presents so ‘my lovely‘ has to wrap her own and indeed write the cards that go with them but using my own words. Although I can no longer write legibly and therefore can no longer jot down notes during the night, as I have done for more years than I care to remember, I found an excellent substitute in a dictaphone on which I have had glued some pimple material to enable me to operate the switch.