Bits 'n' Pieces

 It's a bit of a scattergun thing today I'm afraid. 

First off I have to record an afternoon disappointment. We went into town to see the Royal Ballet's current production of Cinderella at the cinema, only to have it cancelled on us just before it was due to start. This was because of some technical problem with which the fuzzy faced youth behind the reception desk was not particularly au fait; all he knew was that he couldn't sell tickets because the showing was cancelled. We took with this  as good a grace as we could muster, having driven 15 miles  through some very blustery weather with the  OH still not functioning at 100%, but the woman behind us in the queue was last seen demanding of the aforementioned youth who was in charge, because this had  happened to her once this week already? She was trailed by a quite grown up daughter uselessly whispering 'Mum it's not his fault', but we felt we couldn't linger to watch the whole thing play out, entertaining though it might be, and we came home, via Tescos. 

Secondly I have a photo of a completed jigsaw. Before we went to France I was doing some old ones again, and then my sister, having spotted this one on my Christmas wish list said she already had it and she would send it on if I'd like to borrow it. I said yes, and because she could send two for the price of one postage -wise, she sent another one along too. This one  took me ages. I don't know whether it was more difficult than previous ones by the same artist or whether my eyesight was letting me down again, or whether my powers of concentration were a bit limited due to the time of year, but it wasn't the quick finish I had envisaged. Anyway here it is.

Lovely image (if you like that sort of thing, which I do) but a pain to do. 

Putting up the tree and decorations has been a bit of a half hearted affair this year, or at least it took ages. The OH had put up the tree and the lights before falling ill, and had also looked out the tinsel which I draped around the tree every so often. A couple of days later while he was still basically out of it, I dug out the plastic crate of decorations and put half a dozen things on the tree whenever I felt the urge to do so, with the result that it was just about done by the time the OH rose from his sick bed. But it wasn't until yesterday that we really got our heads down and did all the miscellaneous stiff, and even now there are five garland type things that still need hanging up. Maybe tomorrow. I'm not stressing,  because left to myself I'd have a tree. some scented candles and the cards on display, but Some People in the household prefer a little more Christmass-y ostentation. Anyway here's the tree

I took two photos; this is the one without the back view of the cat; if only the winner of Portrait Artist of the Year had shown the same restraint in regard to the back view of Lorraine Kelly's dog ...but that's another story. 

Then we have our Scandi windowsill; this is the normal, cheerful end where happy people sing carols, wander off to the Christmas market, calling  Christmas greetings to all they meet , and generally spreading Christmas cheer and goodwill.. .

and this is the much more sinister end 

where ghostly horses lean against dark forbidding trees, and giant mice and weird gnomes lurk, awaiting the approach  of the unwary .....

I may have got a bit carried away there. 

Advents I am behind with I know. Here are today's

amber and sandalwood candle, plus golden plum jam

the yarn artist day 15. I've just realised you can't see the tag with the relevant picture. Also I forgot to take a photo of it in the bag but the sticker had Christmas lights on. 

And this is the Lay Family Yarn weekly advent, Week 3. I was rather surprised by the colour as I had thought they were all going to be based around hot chocolate and mulled wine, but anyway this is Christmas Carols at Midnight or something and there is an included pattern to make fingerless mitts. Which is great because I like knitting those. And wearing them too. And who knows, some of this advent stiff may show up in a December's completed projects post. Hope springs eternal.