December will be magic

Probably

I can't be more certain than that, but as we enter the final 30 days of the year, tasks are ending and we look forward to what the new year may bring.

I was looking outside the kitchen window this morning, there final raspberries of the season are now rotting on the canes, but there is still green leaves on them. Around the quince tree, shoots of spring bulbs are already two inches clear of the soil, and when the sun comes out, it may be even considered to be warm. But there is no ignoring the fact the sun is very low in the sky, so it is winter. This last few days, the wind has blew, the rain has fallen, and in Lincoln we saw frost.

I have seen snow at Christmas just the once: I was about four and it started to snow about three in the afternoon, falling heavily and settling, just like it should. Never has done since. But we shall see.

My working plan for the remaining three and a half weeks are clear: home this week, DK next week and finally Germany and maybe Norway the week after before a single day of work the week of Christmas before sixteen straight days off. Some might say I could squeeze all my work into one day most weeks, but I won't rise to comments like that, oh no.

So, work: travel: travel: time off. Happy New Year and all that.