No pipers piping – the icing was all done yesterday!

Day 11 and I am somewhat pooped.

• Mince pies baked- 24.
• Mince pies consumed – 1 (it got broken on the way out so I had to put it out of its misery)
• party Tiramisu produced – two huge ones. Keith is aghast at the quantity of booze in them
• Leftover egg whites – 12 – was forced to make amaretti biscuits
• Christmas jumpers knitted – stop nagging…
• cards – still in the drawer. We have discussed this and decided officially to put them off until tomorrow.
• presents – smithereens items still missing. Ball of wool arrived which seems bitterly ironic given jumper progress
• personal glamour and grooming – The haircut tomorrow can not come soon enough. Another sleepless night – Dr Keith has observed that I look “done in” and prescribed a stiff brandy. who am I to gainsay medical opinion
• bulbs planted – big fat zero

Last night was the second of a typical three day insomnia fest. Nights aren’t half long when you remain conscious and rumbling about with what can only be described as random spam running through your brain. Thankfully, a spin around the coo circular in close to freezing temperatures proved an effective sharpener upper after my very lovely but distinctly stinky morning kipper. No sign of Matthew the cygnet today, but the interloper goose was there again, hanging out with the swans. They seem to have accepted it into the flock, which is rather heartening. Lyra continues to swank about with her freshly groomed coat attracting much admiration from passing collies. I, by contrast, am rather thankful for the tousled mop cover up provided by my woolly hat. Still, it’s always good to afford the hairdresser a challenge…

The afternoon was spent in the kitchen. My contribution to the Christmas booze up this year was declared to be enough tiramisu for “between 22 and 28”. (My amateur dough making skills have been rejected in favour of professional supplies and I am barred from producing canapés as “people eat too many and then don’t eat enough pizza”). I decided to go authentic and make a zabaglione base, which was rather fun if a bit messy. It did, however, leave a great many spare egg whites so there was nothing for it but to make amaretti biscuits. Nom. I had also offered to make mince pies whilst Keith did a Sainsbo run so we could eat them later whilst writing cards. The pies were duly delivered but by that time we were both Kerry Packered so its mañana on the cards yet again.

Q11. What is the world’s biggest freshwater fish?

Answer to Q10

10. Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes was a novel about which mythical character

Medusa