Christmassed

Every Christmas we bring the same tree in from the garden and decorate it with the same ornaments.

The nativity set is placed on a window ledge

and the same motley collection jostles for position on top of the piano.

Wee One has finished her advent calendar.

We talk

and eat

and open presents

But not everyone can stand the pace.

Christmas shopping

I've been out in the rain to do some Christmas shopping.

The light levels are low

and the ironmonger looks as though he is expecting snow.

This is the shop where I bought Wee One's Christmas dress.

I got wet feet, or to be more accurate, a wet foot. But that's only because I stepped backwards and put my foot in the  runnel of water that flows down the centre of the street!

When I got home we lit the wood fire and ate a chocolate from the advent calender.

Fred and Ginger were on t.v.

a sure sign that it's Christmas!

Earlier in the week we had a sunny day.

It feels strange to walk without Maisie

but I went out and gathered some cones to decorate the house.

Wishing you all a very 

Happy Christmas.

Bereft

For the past ten years I have had the most constant and loving companion, Maisie, my smooth fox terrier. She shared my garden with the greatest enthusiasm, whether digging in her own alloted area by the bonfire heap, chasing a ball or just sitting in a patch of sunlight. She was joyful, racing pel-mel across the lawn and swerving dangerously around the apple trees.
On Sunday Maisie became ill and the following day we took her to the vets where she was diagnosed with a tumour in the lung. She was frightened and unhappy by the tests. We brought her home on Tuesday evening but it became clear that the effort to breathe surmounted all else and we returned to the vets and requested that she be put to sleep. She died gently in my arms.
Yesterday we dug into the hard surface frost to bury her in a favourite spot beneath the walnut tree, a place where she liked to bask in the sunshine and keep an eye on me as I worked in the vegetable patch.
You will know how I feel.

11.12.2012