Sunday

Good morning, everyone.  Welcome to what seems to be a clear, comparatively mild morning - certainly there's no frost and no rain.  Hopefully it's going to be a good day!

Yesterday was good as well.  I managed to attack and defeat the huge pile of ironing that was threatening to rival Ben Nevis in height (only a slight  exaggeration there, I fear) and which has now been reduced to manageable, neat and tidy piles awaiting a trip upstairs to be put away.  I sorted out the aftermath of rhe Pot Luck Supper and then made another mess by making pots of smooth cranberry sauce, intended as gifts.

I haven't bought any Christmas gifts this year, they're all going to be home made.  I have cranberry chutney, cranberry sauce, shortbread and I will also have pots of home made lemon curd (to use up the lemons that I zested for the cranberry sauce).  There's quite a lot of them because I have quite a lot of people to say thank you to, one way and another.  Lovely parent helpers, colleagues, other staff who are so helpful, friends . . .

Within the family, we now have a tradition where we give little gifts only and make a donation to a school in South Africa.  It's a jolly good idea but it's not rigidly enforced so those who want to gift do and those who don't - don't!!  I a bit of both - home made gifts and a donation.
I'm not sure whether doing it this way saves me any time as I would do most of my shopping online anyway, but creating in the kitchen is a whole lot more fun, believe me!!

Today I am off to a bargain shop in town to get some stuff for the children's prizes for the Christmas Tree decoration competition and then I will be tackling some more washing and ironing and making more shortbread as some (quite a lot) got eaten on Friday.  And I will be continuing with sorting out the bedrooms.

Oh - and I might do some planning too.