With the passing of the last sensible posting date and the annual Christmas party (when a few by-hands can be made) there comes, a brief period of seasonal zen. What could be done has been done and what could not be done can always be added to the list of interesting projects for next year. The final push to get the family stockings filled and gifts wrapped has yet to commence and the turkey has not even been collected. In this blissful hiatus, free of canapé production (btw many recipes uploaded for anyone not so well placed), card writing and the devising of interesting labels for home produce, the horizon widens and there seems scope for all manner of things.
Lyra and I have managed a few long walks, though, strangely, they seem to have been on the wettest, muddiest days. This has suited Lyra greatly. The combination of path and drinkable stream strikes her as an excellent combo. Me, perhaps not so much. Mum has come along, wisely, on shorter, drier, walks around the Hirsel to scavenge for extra large cones and holly with berries and to admire the tiny horns now sported by this year’s calves. The stump of one of the trees felled after the last storm has been turned into a tiny toadstool house complete with a red post box and fairy lights. I rather covet this….
The air of devil may care sloth extends to the home front. We have started to make inroads on the first Christmas cake, the first cured salmon and the foothills of the mince pie mountain. I even found a spare game pie, made in a surfeit of enthusiasm last year, in the freezer…There is no need to bake for a while and this has left a tiny nugget of time for frivolous projects of my own. Lyra’s stocking is looking forward to a monogrammed crate blanket and a holly berry collar (I can’t see the latter surviving longer than 5 minutes but if I am quick I might garner a shot for next year’s cards) and we are now an edible wreath and ten Christmas themed napkin rings to the good. I have even managed to fill a few candles….. The epic Christmas themed table runner, though, has once again been rolled forward. It is good to have something in reserve, I feel, to stave off any desire to recommence paid employment. Thankfully, whilst yomping round the muddy head rig today I had all manner of good ideas for next year so indolence is secured for at least 12 months.
Wrapping, I confess, has barely been commenced but I shall get to it eventually and there is always the option of lobbing everything in a giant gift bag. The thing about wrapping is that, like tax return completion, it needs a bit of time constrained tension to really gain traction. The last of the “required for Christmas” jumpers has made it to about 2/3 complete. This is causing me rather little, but Keith rather more, stress. He fears a late night Christmas Eve finale (though as he is not required to participate I’m not sure why on earth he is fussing about it). Fear not. He heads off with Lachlan on the turkey collection quest on Thursday and, with them both out of my hair and a decent audiobook, I will doubtless catch up with myself (and if I don’t I still have no plans to panic).
