Simple Woman's Daybook: 6th December

Outside My Window ... another deep frost this morning after a thaw over the weekend. Trees and bushes looking ethereally beautiful in the early morning fog. 

I am thinking ... about how to overcome my inability to get anywhere early. I am not really a late person, more a skin-of-my-teeth one. I usually get places either bang on time or a couple of minutes late, but only after a last minute rush. 

From the learning rooms ... Cherub is practicing for her school Christmas concert, which they have to perform four times, three to accommodate all the parents, and once for elderly folk from the local community. The Reception class are doing a version of the nativity. Cherub is one of a group of stars singing a song about the three kings. 

I am thankful ... for Advent, which always feels like a new beginning to me. I do so much better with Advent than Lent.

From the kitchen ... 

Today: Beef stew and dumplings (cold weather comfort food)

Tomorrow: Chicken and chips

Wednesday: Baked potatoes and chilli

Thursday: Pasta with tomato pesto and creme fraiche

Friday: Lazy chicken and potatoes

Saturday: Vegetable soup

Sunday: Roast beef or lamb

 

I am wearing ... black jeans; black long sleeved t-shirt; baggy black, grey and cream striped loose-knit sweater bought from Tesco a couple of weeks ago - not the best looking item of clothing, but incredibly comfy and cosy in cold weather; black and white handknitted socks that are wearing thin at the heels and need darning.

I am creating ... these prairie boot slippers for Star (absolutely love this pattern, well worth the cost of downloading it); skew socks for a friend; blue socks for Mum; long chunky cardigan for myself. Finished the super chunky wrist warmers and Angel's scarf.

I am going ... to try to be five minutes early for everything this week (one of my Day Zero project goals). It may be impossible. I already failed at the first hurdle - how is it possible to start 15 minutes earlier and still end up exactly the usual amount late? Will pick myself up and start again.

I am reading ... Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell (stalled since last week); Good Housekeeping on the iPad (I wanted to see what the experience of reading a magazine on it was like). 

I am hoping ... to get at least most of the Christmas presents wrapped this week. Virtually all the shopping is done - just a few oddments left. I tend to buy the girls quite a lot of low value presents as we all love the fun of unwrapping. Apparently the average amount that will be spent on children aged between 11 and 18 in the UK this Christmas is £201. We will be spending considerably less than that. (And I know exactly how much I have spent on gifts as it is all on a spreadsheet. Geek moment.)

I am hearing ... Cherub crunching an apple.

Around the house ... the toilet flush disaster has intensified. Something detached itself inside and yes, you guessed it, flushed away. It now only works by pushing and pulling bits within the works. I trip to the plumbing store to replace the various flushed-away bits is becoming urgent. If (when?) that fails, it will be time for a plumber. We already need an electrician to replace the kitchen light, which has worked loose and is now taped to the ceiling with black duck tape. Very elegant addition to the decor, that! As we hate that light with a passion - the bulbs keep blowing and are an utter pain to replace - it is time for it to go.

One of my favorite things ... central heating. Having grown up in a house with only coal fires and small electric heaters I don't take it for granted.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week ... usual archive visits; trip to the Apple store to get the software updated on my MacBook (think my DVD drive may be faulty and and I can't get it to install from a disk) and band practice on Wednesday; carol playing on Saturday and Sunday; Christmas lunch for Cherub on Wednesday and school concerts on Thursday and Friday; dance show dress rehearsal for all the girls on Sunday.

A Picture Thought I Am Sharing ... actually from last year, but could have been taken last week

 

 

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