Cold and Frosty Morning

 

Thank you all for your kind and understanding words on my last two posts. I am relieved to say that after another good night's sleep, Lily has finally turned a corner and appears to be back to her usual self once more. You can probably imagine what a relief this is. 

With this in mind, I thought it was about time we got out for some gentle exercise and fresh air, with a short stroll around Grasmere. The fields were white and frosty and it felt bitterly cold. Thankfully, we were wrapped up well, it was definitely a day for big coats! You can't tell from these images but there was still snow up on the higher fells. 

We enjoyed a short walk up to Allan Bank, the local National Trust property, where they had some musicians playing Christmas Carol's, and some paper Christmas crafts available for children - we came home with two tree decorations. 

We then went for a wander through the woods before retracing our steps back towards the village.

The little Gingerbread shop was busy, and I'm not surprised. As we arrived, Lily was the first to smell the delicious aroma of freshly baked gingerbread from the opposite side of the river. And I might just have bought myself a pack :) 

In the window there was a delightful gingerbread house on display. I was a little disappointed to discover it wasn't made from actual gingerbread, but it still looked lovely and festive. 

On the way back to the car, my hands became rather chilly. I meant to put them in my pockets to keep warm, but I had already filled them with pine cones for my Christmas wreath :)

J. X

Feeling Better

Although it was a restless night for me, Lily, at least, slept soundly throughout. And this morning, I am very relieved to say, she appeared a little more like her usual self. Another quick check of her temperature and I felt myself relax, realising that my worst fears were unfounded. She is still looking red in the  face but has, at least, eaten today, and she has been drinking plenty of water. 

Overnight, we got a covering of snow. Usually, Lily would be so excited to go outside as soon as she could, but this morning she simply enjoyed looking at it through the window. She has spent the day resting, and I'm sure she will feel the benefit of another good night's sleep. 

Today, I started writing my Christmas cards, and at Lily's request we have decorated the tree. I almost tied myself in knots trying to untangle the lights, but it is all looking quite lovely now. 

J. X

Watching

It had been a regular Friday morning. We were looking forward to the end of a busy school week, then driving out to see some Christmas lights in the evening. But by lunchtime, Lily was looking worryingly pale and complaining of feeling cold, both of which are most unlike her. And instead she was actually feeling rather hot. 

There have been many cases of illness in school recently, several requiring hospital treatment, so I knew to keep a very close eye on her. 

I brought her home and she spent the afternoon lying on the sofa, often struggling to keep her eyes open. She even fell asleep on a couple of occasions, with Boo by her side. But I thought it that she should stay there rather than going to bed, as it would be much easier to keep a close eye on her. I was grateful that despite her now flushed face and feeling hot, her temperature was only slightly above normal. That said, I was half preparing myself for a visit to the hospital later in the night.

It is early morning now, and she seems to have slept okay. I will check her temperature again shortly, and take things from there.

It will also be very telling when she wakes up and sees what has arrived during the night. ❄️

J. X

Little Star

 

This one has been a conplete star today. Early this morning, I dropped him off at the vets, then late afternoon I picked him up again. There was slightly less of him this by this time, but he appeared to be none the worse for his experience. In fact, for a while, he seemed even more lively than usual. He was treated to a well deserved meal of fresh turkey this evening, and I think he might just sleep well tonight. He was very well behaved throughout and I believe he enjoyed lots of cuddles from the staff at the surgery. 

It has been another incredibly chilly day. It was -5° this morning, so I replenished the bird feeder and then I broke the ice on the container pond. Fortunately the pavements were mostly clear but the rooftops were all white with frost and there were icicles hanging from the corner of a house in the village!

While Boo was being well looked after, this afternoon I was helping at the Warm Space event again. This week I took along some Mincemeat Shortbread, which disappeared rather quickly. It is a favourite of mine, and so much quicker than baking individual mince pies. The recipe can be accessed via the side bar, although I will put up a link later on, when I can get on my laptop. There were a few more people attending this time. Hopefully, there will be even more next week, if word gets around.

J. X