C is for Christmas cards

Which, like a few other things, come under W for wife.  Feeling totally smug this year, I acted on the advice of the local postmaster and bought copious quantities of stamps in the weeks preceding the rise in postal costs in the spring; I could justifiably send out the usual mountain of festive greetings come the appropriate time of year without wincing too much each time I stuck on a stamp.

I must have been mad:

Daniel Craig in Skyfall

I'm sure you've seen it, but a survey in the Sunday paper confirmed that Mr Craig of 007 fame is the best-loved actor of 2012, well almost. He was pipped to the post by his co-star, Dame Judi Dench, but I'll forgive her that, it was her Bond swansong.

The offspring have suggested that, based on the recent success of the family outing to see Skyfall, we should repeat the exercise this weekend and venture forth to see The Hobbit. A good idea, but does Daniel Craig have a minor role at all; warrior of some sort? I think Maltesers may be needed for a three hour film of Martin Freeman beginning his quest.

Pop-cakes in the Faraway Tree

The senior hound is sleeping off her hangover and the younger is more relaxed now that the house is empty. The cause for both is the same: hosting a party for approximately fifty seventeen and eighteen year olds at the weekend. Our labrador hasn't had it so good since the house was constantly filled with toddlers in years gone by; teens under the influence tend to drop food with or without knowledge, and certainly without care.

At the birthday child's suggestion I had bought a special 'pop-cake' tin in a well known department store on Oxford Street; the thought being that these miniature items of loveliness might help the liquid refreshment go down. I have a few observations to make:

Countdown to Christmas

Opinion is divided in this household between the bah humbug traditionalists and those who wish to get Christmas swinging as soon as the autumn equinox has passed. Each year advent calendars are opened on the first of the month with at least one shout of, "When are we getting the Christmas tree?" I look at the respective pictures of a goose wearing a paper hat in celebration, a reindeer, a bauble and an elf and take a deep breath,

I'm a Celebrity - Chicken Coop

The oxygen tanks are filling by the back door, but for now normal snorkelling gear is just enough to suffice in order to check on the chickens.

The c'lebs taking part in a trial of boredom and inane activities in the heat of Australia's Gold Coast, would do well to note how those further down the pecking order cope in similar conditions in the northern hemisphere.

The Sisters of Doom, my reliable elder stateswomen of the coop, represent the retired, once appeared on tele, chef, and Eric, a dour whiz of mental arithmetic capable of throwing a small spear accurately.

Christmas Cake Clearout

The annual question of which recipe to follow has been dictated by the contents of the cupboard this year.  A couple of weeks ago, in a fit of efficiency, I bought packets of what I thought might be the necessary ingredients and pushed them onto the requisite shelf when I reached home.

Baking is something we do in this household; we like it and are reasonably adept at it. This means that we have an entire cupboard dedicated to flours, sugars, fruits, nuts, chocolate and so on. Today, I reached for the necessary fruits of the vine and kept pulling out other, smaller packs, wrapped with elastic bands. One thing led to another and soon the kitchen worktops were strewn with the contents of two of the cupboard shelves, as I, specs on, peered at the sell by-dates. Feeling quite smug at first, I soon had two reasonably sized bags of vintage dried fruits and nuts ready for 're-cycling'. In my defence, 2004 was the oldest date that I found; something my late mother-in-law would have scoffed at and added the contents to the recipe regardless.

My Family and Other Animals and...

Machinery, apparently!

Do you talk to yourself? First sign of madness, or so they say. In which case I'm several steps along the pathway to pills.