A Burns Night to Remember

Last night, as it was Burns Night, we planned to have haggis, neeps and tatties for dinner and a wee dram, as one does. I'd had a very frustrating day at work during which I achieved less than nothing, so I was looking forward to getting home, getting the housework out of the way and having dinner.

Braveheart went out at 4pm to pick up Littlest and I started my housework. At 4.10 pm I received a phone call to say the car had broken down about 100 m along the road and could I go and get Littlest. I couldn't believe it. There was obviously some potent frustrating energy in the air which was going to prevent me from completing anything. 

So I stopped cleaning, grabbed my coat and bag and went to get Littlest. Once we got back we walked along the road to where BH's car was stopped in a not very convenient place. We tried to push the car back off the roadside and out of the way and succeeded to some extent but there was an upward slope and we were not strong enough to push the car right up. 

BH then had the idea that we try to push the car out onto the busy road in the middle of the rush hour,  do a U turn to get it facing in the other direction,  then push it back towards  home and then across the busy road into our driveway. Littlest (14), who has never driven a car, would steer while we pushed. It was immediately clear that this was not a great idea. 

So Braveheart called the RAC. They said it would be 3 hours so we all went back home in the warm and I got on with my cleaning which I did in fact finish. After that things got better as the RAC called after only one hour and said they were almost there. BH went off to meet them and in the end the RAC man took the car to the garage and dropped BH off at home on his way back, so I didn't have to go out and I used the time to prepare the vegetables for dinner. 

So we got our haggis, neeps and tatties, which was delicious, and boy, did I need that dram!

In the meantime I have been working away at my candy colours scarf and here is what it looks like now:

Not much more to do!

The Times They Are a-Changin'

And so we are nearly at the end of another year. For me, the turmoil and bustle of everyday activities, the world of work and family, the highs and lows of the last year, are gradually stilled as we move through Advent. Christmas, for me, is a time of reflection and peace, where all the threads of life can be laid out, reflected on and their pattern seen before starting a new cycle in January. It is also a time of rest and recovery.

For the last five years, the transition from everyday life to the Christmas season has been marked by driving up to Cambridge to fetch my daughter home for Christmas. Cambridge is a special place for me, where I spent three intense, magical years of my youth, and which is full of memories of people, events and aspirations.

Every year, the drive up is on a cold, crisp, sunny winter morning. We load the car with Kino's things and then go somewhere for a quiet lunch. By the time lunch is over, the sun is setting and we drive home as it gets dark, listening to Christmas music on the radio. After this year, though, things are changing; in January, Kino is off to travel the world for a year or so.

I'm hoping to meet up with her some time, but more of that next year. Time for some more travel, perhaps! In the meantime, next Saturday is the drive up to fetch her, and I'm looking forward to it.

Since my last post (and thanks for the messages of sympathy and understanding by the way) I've at least written my cards, and Braveheart and I have made some progress in the kitchen.

We made some Christmas biscuits:


The Christmas Cake is well marinated in brandy and has been covered in marzipan. It is due to be iced this afternoon and Braveheart has ambitious designs in mind, so watch this space!



As I don't appear to have finished any knitting for ages I thought I would at least show what I have been doing. I have finished my mittens interrupted and the matching scarf (which have been pretty useful these last few weeks).

I have been crocheting some snowflakes. This is the first one, in size 10 cotton. It needs starching and blocking I hasten to add, but it looks pretty cool so far.

I have been slowly but surely getting on with my Babette blanket in the car driving to work. Obviously I'm not the one driving, of course. Here's all the squares!

Here it is so far. I'm loving those autumn leaves colours, which are such fun to do. Only about 10 more to go and then I can start on the final section - Winter!

I have decided to start assembling it, so these squares have been blocked, and I hope to start sewing them together very soon. As soon as I've finished blogging about them and made a few more snowflakes in fact.

I hope all your Christmas preparations are going well!