Apologies for absence - again!

It has seemed a very long week! I haven't recovered from last weekend yet, and already I am looking towards next week's workload. I have had some school meetings, some book sales and parties in people's homes, gymnastics three times, some visitors and lots of housework to catch up on. The ironing has been overwhelming but I got there in the end!!

There is a lot of media attention on the financial problems of the world right now. We are carrying on here pretty much as normal. We don't carry any debt so there are no huge worries about repayments but the savings that I have managed to squirrel away are suffering from the interest rates dropping - it may be good for people with mortgages but I am getting less return on my few pounds in the bank! We are being a little more careful in general, but I am continuing with my pantry keeping, and it has been beneficial to us because of where we live, as I have explained before. The chickens are being eaten (we have one ready for tomorrow!) and we are continuing to enjoy the meat that they provide as an exceptional treat. Unfortunately, the hens who are supposed to be laying are not, and I am having to buy eggs now. This is a source of frustration to me.

Christmas is coming, we are told all around us - the shops are full of cards, wrapping paper, gifts and posters advertising specials. I am only buying those things that I know I need - no "just in case" bits and pieces this year. I am getting a few extra-special holiday groceries in each week, so that I don't have to have a hugely expensive shopping bill in the week before Christmas. We don't need to eat fancy foods for more than a week - it is enough that we enjoy the day itself, remember the reason that we are celebrating, and seek out the company of those who are special to us. I am going to start to think about the menus for Christmas day and Boxing Day in the next week or so as those are the days on which we are likely to have guests and on which I may want to serve special foods, but we are fairly traditional in our tastes and I know that there will be a good selection of home baking on the menu, along with some simple but traditional dishes.

One thing that I will be looking for especially is a new 1000 piece jigsaw. We have our own tradition since we moved to this house of having a Big Christmas puzzle to do that we leave out over the holiday and we all enjoy sitting around and placing the odd piece here and there. I will be having a good look in all the charity shops over the coming weeks to see if I can find one.