Oh no! What have I done?

I've bought some new bedding, that's what!  Two white fitted sheets and two Oxford pillowcases in a high count Egyptian cotton.  Oh my! They are so nice and comfortable and I swear I'm sleeping better since I started to use them. Really loving them!   😊

So today they were washed and tumble-dried - and they need IRONING!!!!  Ironing - the job I've rarely done since I had cotton shirts to iron.  I wash, dry and fold everything, no matter what the item.  I never buy linen clothing or anything that needs dry-cleaning; if it doesn't survive in the washing machine, then that's tough luck.  My cashmere jumper can testify to that; a pity because it was beautifully warm to wear.  But it got itself caught up in the laundry basket with tougher clothes one day . . . . oops!

Therefore the search is on; I thought I'd put the iron in the bottom of the wardrobe somewhere, but it wasn't there. I checked several possible hiding places with no luck - or maybe it is lucky, 'cos I can't do the hated job then, can I?

I made myself a cappuccino at that point and hoped for inspiration as I sipped - and it worked.  In my mind's eye I could visualise the blue and white object, standing on the low shelf in the hall cupboard, below where the outdoor coats are hung.  I can see it every time I open that cupboard door, in plain sight but totally ignored. It just doesn't register. 

Anyway, I have now renewed my acquaintance with my iron, remembering that it is a steam iron, which is very handy when you've overcooked your posh sheets (I wonder if it would have worked on the shrivelled pigs in blankets on Christmas Day?) They are now on the airer in front of a radiator in the spare bedroom and will be back on my bed later this evening.     (sigh) 

So how was it for you?

 Christmas, I mean. Good, bad or indifferent? The last minute restrictions didn't make any difference to me; I had planned for a quiet day at home with plenty of food and a few treats.  My youngest son and his family live about 6 miles away and they invited me to join them for Christmas dinner. Although I appreciated the lovely offer, I had decided it was safer to stay at home. I have missed the hugs and kisses but it would have been almost impossible to be in the midst of the family without hugging, especially the children.  I explained that I'm perfectly used to living on my own and was well stocked up with everything I could possibly want or need, so I would have to decline until it was safe to do such a thing. I have been self-isolating since March so with vaccines becoming available I'm looking forward to the day when we can lead a more normal way of life, with interactions and the chance to enjoy the outdoors once again.

So I enjoyed a leisurely day with some surprise gifts to open, plenty of good food (too much, if truth be told!) and a couple of glasses of red wine. There wasn't room for the Christmas Pudding and cream, so that was eaten much later in the evening. Benji thoroughly enjoyed HIS Christmas dinner and when I gave him a couple of the 'pigs in blankets', having removed the bacon, they lasted him as long as his dental chews!  (They don't take long to cook, do they?  Ooops!!!)   I received several phone calls and emails from family and friends. Incidentally, it has turned into a 'Booky' Christmas; I ended up with a total of 12 books!!!  Oh what a decadent life I shall be leading - no time for housework and the like, eh?

Boxing Day was a VERY quiet day and I may have nodded off in front of the TV.  In between, I made phone calls to a few friends - it was good to catch up with them too.  When the world was a normal place, I would have been out on Boxing Day, taking my dog to Seaton beach to join the crowds there for a mass walk, followed by a warming mug of hot chocolate in the Beach Cafe; it's been a tradition to do just that for many years. Hopefully, we'll make it next year. Even more hopefully, next year will be a huge improvement on 2020.  We can do without any more disasters, thank you. 

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

 Oh, the difference a bit of sunshine makes after weeks and weeks of heavy rain.  This morning I woke to the sun streaming through the bedroom curtains and within minutes of getting up and about I had the back door and several windows open; lovely to let the somewhat chilly air in to freshen the whole house.  It stayed open until a large grey cloud appeared, hovering above and hiding that welcome sun; time to close the hatches and turn the heating on. 

Still in my dressing gown, I answered a phone call from my eldest son, working from his home in Hampshire and we had a wonderful 90 minutes of chat and catch-up, reminiscing about times past and generally putting the world to rights, as one does.  I think this time of year encourages thoughts of Christmases of long ago and stirs memories of random things long forgotten but brought to mind again. We covered lots of wide-ranging topics.

It's raining again - looks as though that will be the order of the day but the washing is done, just the tumble drier still in action. A final whizz round with the Vac and maybe flick a duster round too and I'm done, all clean and tidy for Christmas Day. 

May I wish everyone who reads my blog as happy a Christmas as you can manage, despite the restrictions; let's be so grateful for the ways we can communicate with our familiy and friends even if we have to postpone giving actual hugs.  With the advent of the vaccines and the protection they will bring, the day will surely come when we can set foot outside with some semblance of normality to give and receive those wonderful hugs - and really appreciate what we have. 

Happy Christmas and sincere wishes for a safe and healthy 2021. 

The Bethlehem Star

 I'm sorry to say that the sight of 'the great conjunction' of Saturn and Jupiter will be hidden from my sight this evening, thanks to heavy rain clouds . . . . so it's a good job I was looking skyward on Saturday when the stars twinkled in a clear and cloudless sky.  The rear of my home faces southwest, so from the back door, looking quite low in the sky there was a wonderful view of these two planets in very close proximity. They didn't appear to be any brighter than the surrounding stars but they drew my attention because they were seemingly almost touching.  Obviously, they are nowhere near each other as they circle the Sun, but for several weeks they have appeared to be steadily drawing closer together. And tonight's the night when their trajectories coincide to form the Great Conjunction, thought to be the Bethlehem Star. 

https://www.livescience.com/how-to-watch-great-conjunction-jupiter-saturn.html 

What to do in January?

 It's over a month since my last post, mainly because I've been nowhere and done nothing of interest. With the coming of the dark evenings and horrible weather, I've hibernated! I'm grateful that I have a roof over my head (I hope it stays there throughout these fierce winds) and that I can keep warm and cosy inside. But I also look forward, with the advent of vaccines to treat the dreaded coronavirus, to the days when it will be possible to venture forth into a near-normal world, or at least my little bit of it. I can only dream of walking on a Cornish beach again, feeling the sun on my face and hearing the sound of the sea. 

But first, there's Christmas - a very different Christmas where it isn't safe to hug and kiss my beloved family members and share the day with them; indeed some are out of reach physically during these Covid-restricted times. In these cases, I am grateful for telephones, emails and Skype to give some comfort and a semblance of being together. The Royal Mail and the plethora of delivery firms will hopefully transport Christmas presents and cards to those who live at a distance.

And so to January - and a confession that I have treated myself to a couple of books I fancied reading if we face a further full lockdown in the New Year (these are separate from the books I buy on Kindle Unlimited, which don't count as expenditure once I paid the annual fee!!!)  

And then - a parcel arrived . . . . a Christmas present of 2 more books.  Oooohhhh, that's 4 new books to read.  🙋 

And in the next day's post . . . . another Christmas present.  FIVE new books, all placed under where the tree would be if I had put one up! 

Roll on January, that's what I say.