Prepared

I’ve written here before about how I resist the pressure to begin thinking about Christmas as soon as the Summer holidays are over, so you can imagine how I smiled when my friend Dorothy posted this to her FB page last week.  Nevertheless, there comes a time when it’s no good maintaining the denial any longer.  Things need to be done and preparations have to be made, especially with a week of gallivanting ahead of me.

I went to the Farmers’ Market on Saturday morning, then, with the intention of getting myself into the mindset.  You know, getting a bit of a jingle on and trying to motivate myself to begin.  It’s not that I don’t like Christmas – quite the reverse.  That’s why I try to keep it to December and savour the delights!

One of the first projects of the season is always to make our Christmas cards.  Since we were first married, I’ve always made them myself and each year I can’t quite settle until I’ve decided what to do.  With a small seasonal glimmer from the market, then, I got out the stuff and set to work.  They’re not quite finished, but the messy bit is done

Mindful of the fact that we’ll need to take Edward and Amy’s Christmas cake to London with us this week, I had already put the dried fruit to soak in rum whilst shopping for all the other ingredients.   With everything to hand, I had no further excuses for exercising my right arm and a wooden spoon to get it all mixed and into the oven.

Four and a half hours later and the kitchen was filled with that unmistakeable aroma.  What better way to get into the spirit of the season?  I sat down last evening and felt I’d accomplished a fair bit this weekend, then, and made a good start.

Except.

It dawned on me this morning that it really will soon be Advent.

I’d better get that one sorted too, then.

November 21st today.  I think this must be a record.