Christmas week is suddenly here. Look – I’m at home, watching the chickens scratching around in the mud outside the window and pecking at the rain. On a work day.

So we’re getting ready for the festivities. The presents haven’t been wrapped (yet), but the freezer and cupboards are filled with home-cooked food. We’ve made enough lasagne to feed 11, vegetable strudel for six, rum truffles for everyone, 30 cinnamon biscuits, 30 ginger biscuits, plus the extra biscuits made from the off-cuts, lemon curd for spreading on toast and two dozen mince pies for dessert on Boxing day.

Still to make are Sylvia’s biscuits, toffee and the veg and side dishes to go with the meals.

And you know what? It’s actually all very enjoyable. Even the chickens seem to be getting in the festive spirit, and have upped the egg production. We’re now getting a regular supply of pink eggs, presumably from Gerry, to supplement the brown and cream ones we’ve been getting from Margot and Barbara.

She was a late starter, poor girl.

1. Snow! Again!
   They had promised us eight inches, so I was a bit disappointed. Anyhow, that’s a view of Chelmsford this afternoon. In the end we got...
   
   
2. Christmas prep
   This year’s Christmas preparations have been busier, longer and more involved than I can ever remember. Why? I don’t know. In the last two days...