Thursday 1st December 2021

Welcome to the 12th month.

Like we said last year, we hope the New Year will be better. But then look what happend!

Eeeek.

It was a cold dark start, with little chance of sunshine, according to the BBC. Well shall see.

Jools was to bring home fish and chips, and you need either bread or rolls for chip butties, but instead of Jools getting those too, I said I would walk to the shop, as I would need an excuse to go out. And I would have to go out as there was nothing for lunch!

Jools leaves early again, leaving me and already slumbering cats. I make a second coffee and toast the crust in preparation to smother the thin slice with nutella.

Ready for whatever the day throws at us.

What it did throw at us was the monthly department meeting, during which we hoped, finally, to get clarity on what direction we would be heading in next year. But, there was some broad outlines, but nothing firm, however, there should be next week at our quarterly reviews.

I hope so.

Meetings follow meetings.

The morning passes. So, at eleven I put on my coat and set off for the village shop.

Not much to tell, except I can poubd up the hill into the village, and then the one to the end of our street now without pausing to catch my breath, I might not do it fast, but I get it done.

Into the village, and I see the post box has some urban knitting attached, it'll do for the picture of the day before I go into the shop and buy rolls, two samosas, crisps and a pack of mince pies which I fancied.

I put the goods into the rucksack and head off back down the hill, not eating an ice cream, as it was already cold enough.

Back home I have the samaosas and the crisps with some squash and soda water. I know how to rock and roll, while checking mails and working away.

Once it began to get dark, I pack away the work stuff, and feed the cats, before finally going into the garden to put the badger food out. Only I forgot the bird bath on the steps as I hadn't bothered to put the light on. I stepped onto the bowl, I went off balance, grabbed hold of the post for the washing line and somehow did a 360 degree spin as I sank to the ground, scattering peanuts all around me and soaking my tousers from the freezing water freed from the bowl.

I might have said some choice words.

So, I gather up the peanuts, put them and the fat balls into the feeder before going indoors to change my trousers and drying off.

Sigh.

I butter a roll each, make sure the kettle was freshly boiled and wait for Jools to come home, as she also had to go to the pet shop for crunchies for the kitty cats.

When she did arrive, I dish up, make brews and all was ready to eat in seconds, and very nice it was, and not too much either. Just enough.

And ahead there was an evening of footy, ending with the Everton v Liverpool game, which because of the feed I was watching was five seconds behind next doors, so I heard their celebrations before I saw the ball fly in the net. An easy win for LIverpool, as expected.