HUNKERING DOWN

Today has been one of the sort I really dislike,dim and dismal! The amount of light has remained constant since about this six thirty this morning when,on looking out of my bedroom window I observed that the hills were totally enveloped in low cloud.

This is usually a sign of rain ,and so it proved to be.

I had planned to undertake a few outside chores today,nothing strenuous ,of course, just filling the lamps with paraffin so as to be ready for any winter power outs. For disabled folks the carrying of candle from room to room is absolutely out, hurricane lamps are safer and old glass oil lamps give a much better light. Since even getting to the green house where the paraffin is kept would have given me a soaking I shelved the project...until further notice.

Instead I decided to cook some spiced chicken to serve with a tabbouleh, wraps and salad. Pottering about the kitchen on a foul weather day has always been my preferred employment. I had intended to make our Christmas cake this morning but was unable to do so as Sainsbury's neglected to deliver the mixed peel, very tiresome of them but typical these days.

We drew the curtains early this evening and built up the fire,our little cat Moth adores the log burner and spends hours asleep on the hearth rug or stretched out to warm her tummy fur at which time she purrs like anything.

My son spent the day in his study writing his eighth novel this year,another in the “Battle Cruiser Alamo”series,his work punctuated by cups of coffee and spells of exercise on his rowing machine.

Pa spend hours on the telephone sorting out the awful muddle of Hospital appointments,a difficult task but still easier than attempting to be in two places at once!

Five p.m saw the welcome return of our mobility scooter, my one consolation in the face of the shocking weather has been the fact that without my buggy I could not have gone out anyhow.

Later, after dinner and the better for a glass of good whiskey I listened to the rain lashing down on threw roof of the conservatory,it only added to the cosiness and I thought with pleasure of the days to come. Days of baking cakes and making cookies,days of writing out Christmas cards and decorating our new home for the holiday season.

Let it rain and let the wind blow all it likes, life is still sweet in Avie Country.