Baby, it's Cold Outside

The temperatures dropped quite suddenly and it's been a challenging week here as our boiler chose to start giving up on us last Tuesday. This has meant no central heating or hot water for six days! Of course, if it was going to happen, it was just our luck for it to coincide with the coldest week of the year. I was initially quite upbeat about our predicament, we were going back to being 'old style' - brushed cotton sheets and lots of blankets on the beds, Lily getting washed and dressed in front of the fire, boiling the kettle for water to wash the pots etc. but as the days dragged on I found my resilience begin to wane.

Thankfully, as of this afternoon we are up and running again and I'm hoping my festive spirit will slowly return along with the feeling in my fingers and toes.

Last Sunday we went walking (possibly in an attempt to keep warm). Just a gentle pootle down by the pond and through the woods. We haven't had any snow on the lower ground here but everything looked lovely following a heavy frost. I've also discovered Lily likes frozen puddles just as much as wet ones, and as a bonus they don't end up with her (or me) splattered with muddy water.

Most of our Christmas decorations are out now and, as promised, here are a few photographs. I'm mindful to use child and cat friendly decorations as much as possible, although so far everything has been left untouched save for some re-arranging of the baubles on the tree (Lily!). The chocolate filled advent stockings are hung safely out of reach above the fireplace.

I'm loving having a real tree once again this year and I made use of some of the straggly lower branches to create a simple wreath for the front door. I carefully added some sprigs of holly from the garden along with some frosted decorations for a bit of colour.

J. X