Well, the tree is up and the little bells are doing their job of warning me when Toby starts a-climbing! This year he has a new thing too – licking all of the baubles – I think he likes looking at his tongue reflected in their surfaces and the smoothness of them! I finished 4 stockings for us, have yet to slip 4 mini tree pressies inside but at least they are hanging on the tree. We’ve also got a small tree for Amy where she’s hung the decorations that she’s collected over the last 5 years.

I’m on the ball with presents for the teachers too – didn’t quite get my act together to do as beautiful job as Domesticali (she and her boys made home-made treats and home-made packaging – looked great) but I did manage to make little bags and tags for some shop-bought chocs. Another thing to tick off the list!

I don’t know where the time has gone this week – suddenly it’s nearly over and there’s still so much to do – maybe I slipped into a temporal rift in the space time continuum (see, I just can’t shake that star trek thing) or maybe it’s just  Christmas. Amy has had a busy week – becoming a Brownie, doing her school play (she remembered her lines well despite being horribly nervous, poor kid!) and the general atmosphere has upped in tempo – by the time we reach non-uniform/Christmas lunch/fun day next Tuesday my good humour may well be flagging! I’ve still managed to resist putting the tree up as it’s a magnet for Toby who seems compelled to climb to the top! The plan is to put it up on Saturday – a balance between pleasing Amy and having to be on constant alert for Toby starting his ascent – I always hang little bells around the bottom so that I have some audible warning of an imminent assault on the north face!

On a knitting note I have a box full of heads, legs bodies etc all ready for sewing up over Christmas. I’m enjoying working with some gorgeous new colours in 100% alpaca and baby cashmerino and am having fun with bears and monkeys as well as bunnies. Have completed my first panda – yet to be clothed but you can have a peek here.Have a great weekend all and if you’re venturing out to the shops, good luck!