Oh No!

I went for an early walk this morning as I knew I'd be sitting for most of the day. It was a calm, soft Irish morning when I set out, but there was a light drizzle in the air that quickly turned my hair into an unkempt ball of mohair wool. Never mind, I had the stretch I needed and then it was off to Snape where I was ushering for a lunchtime pantomime - Oh no you weren't! Oh yes I was! It was my second time in two days, and the kids from the Co-op Juniors who do this every year are just brilliant. Some of them are as young as four, tiny pipe cleaner legs tapping and hopping for all they're worth, while the older girls' routine of the Tiller Girls couldn't be faulted. Those legs! I crept off as soon as it ended because I was meeting Ruth for a live screening of A Winter's Tale at 3pm, but I got there in plenty of time. There were so many people I knew in the audience that my brain couldn't keep up with where I know them from - bridge clubs, Snape, CAB? Nick was there as usual, and so was Richard who cornered me down a dark alleyway on my way to the car to give me a Christmas kiss. I turned my head just in time. Bless.

I don't know when this rain is going to stop. The other morning I dashed out into the garden between downpours to photograph the flowers that are still blooming in the middle of December, but what do you know? The battery gave a gasp and died. But there are pink and cream roses, yellow hypericum, bright blue vinca, purple violets and pinky-white viburnum. I'll try and capture them tomorrow if the rain stays off.

I took the wrappings off the Christmas cake ready to apply the royal icing, but when the marzipan was put on last weekend I completely forgot that it needed to dry off before the next stage. When I peeled back the protective covers there was a sticky, soggy mess underneath. It soon recovered, though I had to patch the bare bits with one of the hares made from the leftovers, and when I licked my fingers they tasted so good that I cut the rear quarters off the other hare to eat. I've got a full week next week so I'll take advantage of a free Monday to go to Woodbridge to finish my Christmas shopping. Then it'll be all downhill until the big day. So much to be done. So little time. It's great!