Tuesday 17th December

Six o'clock start so it's getting better....on to the pc and did my stuff quietly and brought the house to life around eight this morning.  Breakfast, final cards sorted and decided to walk down to the village to post them and no one wanted to come and play so off I went.  Bit of a grim morning....it's just damp and miserable but at least it had stopped raining.  On with the trusty duffle coat, beanie hat, card in pocket off I set up the hill that is renowned for sorting the men from the boys and people with dodgy tickers from the foolhardy.  I stopped every now and again, it's just a very steep hill and my access to the South Downs, but made it to the top with my heart rate raised which can only be good for me.

Just like my garden...there was sheep mess everywhere which I wasn't expecting but apparently so I found out later, sheep shall safely graze to keep the grass down behind an electric fence and they were doing their stuff.  Over the Downs, by the windmill, did the necessary at the post office and on to the sea.  Clouds had thickened somewhat but as I said, at least there was no rain.  Saw some interesting things that had been washed up on the stones....there is a sandy beach but it's right down at the waterline.  Came across an interesting specimen....and believe I've been reading too much Jim Butcher science fic stuff...eekkksss

Back up the village and stopped off at a new shop.  Found out the lady was Turkish but married to an English man and her brother actually delivers Turkish clothing to Bulgaria...such a small world.  I mentioned that I had seen some escorted holidays offers to Turkey and she asked me to send her the link which I've done already.  I might just have to have another look at it myself.  Stopped off at the Co-op and raided the reduced meat section and we have a curry bubbling away and it should be ready to serve in about ten minutes....and so down to the kitchen....LN....the rice should be ready...and a beer should be about the right temperature for me...LN

Wednesday 18th December

Six start this morning, coffee, book, and sky watching.  Not a great day but it got better and eventually the sun broke through but one pigeon was haning on to the branch for dear life....and only just made it.  Toast for breakfast, started to sort out my old clothes into charity shop stuff and those that I'll offer to friends and caught the bus into town at just after twelve thirty this lunchtime.  The shops were very busy again and I don't know where they get all their money from.  All I managed to buy was an egg whisk and that was the sum total of my purchases.  I couldn't find any presents that I wanted to buy so I might be reverting to money again.  At least they can buy what they want not what I think will do.

Came back on the bus from town and we decided to eat at the White Horse. It was a fish and chip supper with mushy peas which was so liked by my student and a couple of pints helped it on its way and then on to the bus to the end of the road.  It's blowing a gale out there now and I'm thinking that if the temperature drops a tad then we could have snow for tomorrow.  We'll just have to wait and see.  I'm down now to see what I can dredge up from the TV...LN...it's probably rubbish so I'll keep my kindle to hand with a glass in the other....LN

Thursday 19th December

Seven this morning so it's getting better all the time....by the time I've adjusted completely it will be time to go home...

Today the weather has been OK until this afternoon when it absolutely pelted down and the temperature has dropped.  What have I done today...I've attacked the wardrobes, given away stuff to some of the neighbours, there are piles for the charity shops and clothing that is for friends to look at and if they want it fine, if not that will join the charity shop piles.  I have got some that I want to take out to BG so I strongly suspect that I shall be taking 'luggage' home even though I had no intention when I set off.  I've also decided to keep a bag marked 'cruise' and it's the stuff that no way would it get worn over there and that applied more to evening shoes...don't feel the need to dress up at home.

Just watched the Hairy Bikers Christmas show and marveled at the food they created....just too much for my little brain to think about but I did like the ice sculpture of a Christmas tree with a hole through it to dispense the ...vodka.....now what an idea.  So going back down...the heating hasn't come on yet upstairs and it's not like home where if the wood burner is going....it's going.  LN...tomorrow will be into Brighton to get the presents that I saw but didn't get the other day....It's getting nearer...LN

Friday 20th December

It was a horrible night...awake at 2.30...and again at 5.00...reading and being a very 'Angry Bird'.  The wind is whistling around the South Downs and hasn't seemed to have stopped all day and is still at it now.  Breakfast routine appears to have been established...two slices of buttered toast and something on it but there is a very enticing fruit cake lingering on the worktop and it is gradually disappearing.  It's covered in almond nuts and picking them off is a temptation closely followed by pinching out some of the cake before taking a knife to it and doing it properly.

Today has been spent again delving in drawers and wardrobes and I have yet more stuff to go to the charity shops from the first pass.  Trouble is that you put things to one side and it is with steely grit and determination that you throw it to one side.  It's not even the cost of the purchase...it's just the getting rid of.  So now let me tell you about my find of the day,  As you know I have four diamond rings that no longer fit me since my knuckles have got this arthritic tendency and the last time I returned to BG after my Australian trip I thought that I had lost them.  Eventually the guys and girls upstairs told me to look in a certain folder that contained my house documents and out dropped the rings and I breathed a sigh of relief.  Now before coming to UK with my student I decided that I would bring them over to have them fixed so that they fitted once more but then when I got back to BG I thought that I had left them here but couldn't remember what I'd done with them and you know the fear when you don't want to look.  Today I was tidying off the dressing table and down by the side of the television in the bedroom....there they were stapled into an NHS envelop so now they are in my jewel box....in a suede pouch in an Aramis sponge bag.  I know where they are and I've sorted out the rest of the jewellery so that I know what is here and what is over in BG.  Relief fair poured out of me.

Supper of gammon with vegetables and cheese sauce was prepared for me, I opened and am drinking the wine and am feeling very chilled.  I didn't go into town today...the weather was just too cold and windy...the rest of my seasonal shopping can wait until tomorrow.  Posted on Kingdoms FB today a lovely picture that sums up the season's greeting for him and I'll recreate it here and a quick one for the rest of you.   I'll say LN....that bottle appears to be calling me from the lounge...LN

Friday continued

Just a quick update to the original file that was too big to load.  May you all have a wonderful Christmas if that's what you want to call it and I wish you everything you wish for yourselves in 2014.....I might be a little early but....better late than never....LN

And the same to you Elsa. I have so enjoyed following your adventures this past year. Hope 2014 turns out to be spectacular for you!

Chris

Saturday 21st December

Thanks Chris.....hope your Christmas and New Year are all you want them to be.

Oh is it blowing a gale out there!!  It kept me awake most of the night...the wind was howling and the rain was lashing on the window.  I just made the mistake of checking the weather for BG...closely followed by ...boo, hoo. hoo.

Now for the rest of the day....catch you later...

Saturday continued

Thanks TC..hope you are settling...

Now as for the rest of the day...shopping this afternoon and I think all of the zombies in Tesco were out there on a mission...fill up trolleys, fill up trolleys...We did minimum shop and I danced around to the Christmas music and filled the trolley with essentials namely wine and sherry...now let's get priorities right.  Over to my mate Angela's and settled in to watch the 'Dancing' programme and we managed to fit in the fish and chip supper between the first and second half of the programme...including pudding and cheeses and biscuits.  I did have to return to the watering hole to fill my glass with the amber nectar and pick at the grapes to go with the cheese but that was no skin off my nose to make the trip.  I really enjoyed the programme and well done to Peter Crouches' missus for lifting the trophy.

Home five minutes ago....shopping packed away and now to my virtuous couch....It's been a good day and an exceptionally good evening with friends...LN

Sunday 22nd December

Slept in until seven this morning and it's getting better all the time.  Toast and ham for breakfast and then checked on the visiting person taking the service at my local and eleven o'clock I was singing my little heart out.  Unfortunately I'd forgotten my glasses and the 'ones with more insight' had changed the words of the carol so I was there singing what was the original version.  They brought out one of these newfangled hymn books....for high days and holidays and they change the words to fit in with their culture.  Heavenly becomes healing....and it just isn't the same....what happened to tradition.  Met up with some old friends that I haven't seen for a while and it's good to know that the church still survives.  

So down to Brighton Marina for a wander round after church and looking at the retail outlets that have closed down I'm thinking that the rates must be very high down there.  Why are the councils so greedy?  It's the same with most other town centres...loads of charity shops that hike up their prices and you could almost believe that they are normal retail outlets.  Picked up the last of the presents and some snow over shoes that have studs in them....reckon I can make use of them over there....after last year's mishap...don't want any this year.  

Settled into reading my latest Jim Butcher until the favourite top ten carols were being televised.  In this case they had been voted for by the public and where did number one come from....anybody heard of 'Oh Holy Night'?  Michael Ball sang it beautifully but hadn't got a clue where the words or tune were going so I'm assuming it's one of the 'new breed' for the 'Happy Clappy' churches.  It's all changed since I've been away.

Supper is going to be ham, egg and chippies and special care will be taken with the chip pan this year... now everything is looking back to normal and new...great care will be taken.  Tomorrow is lunch with Angela, just the two of us lingering over a meal and grabbing the easy chairs in front of the fire if all goes to plan.  LN....I'm off to cook....and to attack the remains of the sherry...it would be wrong not to...LN