We've had no snow to speak of - Just a few short flurries which didn't do any damage - Do you remember, we've been snowed in for the past three years until cabin fever set in and I threatened to eat the chair legs!
We've been mainly ferrying a somnambulent and nocturnal teen (he turns 20 in February *gasp*), as he segued from one social appointment to another, returning every other day to refuel and snore the rafters loose (or was that me?!)... It was like having to take a toddler off to playdates again! This meant we could go nowhere special...
We spent part of some evenings in the pub, catching up with gossip - Who's put whose windows in, driven their car into a ditch, run off with whose wife, that kind of thing - Toasting our tootsies by the fire - Drinking our spoils from the Annual Leek Club Bottle Draw - (I won back the ghastly bottle of white wine I had in fact donated!) - while trying to avoid the fall-out from the septuagenarian landlord and landlady, who are my sort-of substitute parent figures, but who are also at each other's throats over her plans to semi-retire, finally and long-deservedly... This situation will be resolved in one way or another, I'd guess. I hope it's happily.
A lost earring of mine - Silver, with a tiny heart that dangles - resurfaced. My friend had only recently gifted them to me for my birthday. Phew! I am hopeless with earrings, but I do still love them.
Meanwhile, I watched some of the films I had been longing to retreat into, and became a part of my sofa. I even squeezed in Hitchcock's Rear Window, with my favourite, Jimmy Stewart!
We stoked the stove, burning coal on it for the very first time and occasionally feeding it fragrant logs.
We tickled the rats and, at the same time, learned something about neuroscience from scientists LINK.
Sadly, Grizz broke up with his lovely girlfriend (owner of said rats). We think that means we've got custody... We don't know why they broke up and can't find out... I know it's not our business, but we are sad about it...
In other news, with my 'gin-goggles' on on New Year's Eve, I bought a beautiful handbag in local designer, Karina Hesketh's, sale. I've lusted after it for months at full price, and then I take it as an omen that if no-one else has bought it in her sale, it and I are meant to be... Karina's going to be designing some more soon. Oh dear. Mind you, I do only buy one-ish of her uniquely designed and beautifully hand-made bags a year, so I can't be described as anything like obsessed. No...
This is a metallic pink leather brogue bag with a cross-body strap, integrated with a vintage (Fifties'?) scarf depicting the Dolomites in Italy. This is a bag that called my name, like a Siren ensconced beside the River Coquet!
And, we learned on New Year's Day (but not from Bono) that my eighty-plus year old father-in-law had run himself over with his own car... Three weeks ago. And my helpful sister-in-law only saw fit to inform us on New Year's Day...
I rail against my socially apathetic in-laws, out-laws, I do!
I don't know what I can do about them? Obviously nothing... 'You can't teach old dogs', etc!
Meanwhile, I build bridges, forge friendships, make amends...
Happy New Year, mes amis, bold and beautiful as you are...
I wish you all that you could ever wish for yourselves...
For myself, all I require is some peace and some certainty.
Meanwhile, your love and comments are enough!
Merci mille for you and them. Mwah! Well, the mistletoe's still up above the doorway, so I'd suggest a kiss is in order!
