Woweeeeee!!

Guess what? I know it's a long time since you heard from me ... (well, I did get a post half complete and then deleted it somehow .... ) but it's still more frequent than four months' intervals!!

Now for the 'what' ...

I GOT ALL MY CHRISTMASS CARDS WRITTEN AND POSTED BEFORE THE SECOND CLASS DEADLINE!!!!!

(excuse me for shouting: this hasn't happened for decades, so shouting on the web is the next best thing to shouting it from the rooftops .... and won't wake the neighbours)

since my last post ....

Christmass has happened! And I got a new digi-camera, so my friends on Crafts by Carolyn might be able to see my craft projects ..... but first:

- I have to complete some craft projects

- I have to learn how to use the camera

- I have to learn how to get them online

so it won't happen tomorrow!! I have a lot to learn first!

There's more good news, too. We had a good Christmass Day - and I got to Vigil Mass on Christmass Eve, which I haven't for ages because it's been too cold. As it was the First Mass of Christmass, we had the blessing of the crib: the priest said a prayer and then read the Christmass story from the second chapter of Luke's Gospel. Our childhood Christmasses always started at around 7.30 pm on Christmass Eve: we all got sat around the Christmass tree with something special to eat and my dad read that passage. We were all very eager to start opening presents, but he always made time to do that first so that we didn't forget the most important thing about Christmass:

"Lo within a manger lies
He who built the starry skies"

The new year will mark the 20th anniversary of his death (in August), so that had me missing him .....

We had a good day together - no critical comments and everyone got on well - my mum wasn't worried by lunch at 4 pm (we had two turkeys to cook in an oven that didn't take both at once) and the youngest one kept going late without a whinge in sight ..... My mum was ever so impressed by the fact that I'd got my brother in law a present he was delighted with and I seem to have a reputation for wrapping them well.

Now I have New Year projects:

- Sort out the kitchen, which is an awful muddle

- Operation Discover Waistline: I have spent too long celebrating getting my appetite back after losing it when I was ill, so it has disappeared. I need to get back to where it was immediately after I was ill, and then carry on so I am fit and ready to start studying again in September.

- Sort out the sitting room (muddle, as in kitchen above)

That's enough for now - too many and none will get done!