Ticking Over

I've been busy, busy, busy, busy, hence no blogs for a while. And there's more of the same to come, so I thought I'd better bring myself up to date while I can. Having people to stay as I did last weekend is always a good incentive to catch up with some housework. Suddenly I spotted swathes of cobwebs around light fittings and in the corners of rooms; there was even a complicated one draped over a kitchen cupboard which suddenly came into view. I got the house ship-shape and clean, and swore as I always do that I'd never leave it so long again. I'm up to date with the ironing too, and have bought a new duvet and appropriate bedding for the garden room sofa bed for this weekend's guests. It's lovely to have comfortable spaces for everyone who comes to stay. And the house will be full again for Christmas.

I haven't had a walk for ages, but the weather is too wet anyway. Driving through Suffolk I'm impressed at how many trees still have their leaves intact. There have been fierce winds and the weather has been freezing, so I wonder why they still hang on into December. The effect is very pretty though, and not as stark as it soon will be. I'd like to get out into the garden and do a bit more tidying up, but the dampness is unpleasant and the grass too wet to walk on. So I content myself with the short trek to the woodshed a few times each week and return with the wheelbarrow full of winter fuel. It's such a treat to light the woodburner and bask in the warmth every evening. Central heating is all very fine and functional, but you can't beat proper flames.