Can't you tell it was a productive Friday? With my trusty Be-Ro book I baked up a storm, and felt much better for it. Especially when I got to present my husband with a kiss and the afore-pictured plate. There is something so completely different about christmas-baking. The smells are different, there is occasion where perhaps there isn't usually (except the occasion of eating - which can be good enough in itself!) and you get to make pretty designs, christmas logs, trees and little people, all decked in glâcé cherry fragments.

Work went well, by 2.30pm I was exhausted, with someone playing the bongos on my head (or rather in my head) and what I think was a temperature, despite numerous doses of paracetamol. But soldiering on I am. I have finally wrapped a package for you, made a christmas card for you, and have nearly got a parcel for you - all hideously late, which I can only apologise profusely for!

I have got such a busy week coming, so I really must keep going. The house has to be spick and span for a visit by the in-laws (formerly the out-laws... rest assured my humour has not been effected in any way) and my brother-in-law next weekend. I am looking forward to seeing them all, even though it will be very very cramped indeed in our wee little house, having to accomodate five. I am assured that, way back when, our neighbour was a little boy (some 60-odd years ago), there were no less than seven people living here - so I guess five doesn't look that bad after all! I am getting a tad stressed about food though. I really enjoy cooking a meal for the two of us, but seeing as we're not social butterflies and don't have children, I don't get much practise at cooking for hoardes of people. Especially two men who could easily eat me out of house and home! I have taken a leaf out of some cook books, and can wing one of the nights, as we'll be going out for a meal on the other. It's a pity that they'll only be up for 2 nights - but it's better than nothing, at least we'll get to see them at some point!

So, those are my plans for the week - today has been my day for vegetating, tomorrow, productive stuff begins!

Currently Listening: alternating between: Ralph Vaughn Williams' - English Folk Song Suite for Military Band (honestly, so beautiful and lively) - and Tchaikovski's Nutcracker Suite - a perennial christmas favourite.