Well, it’s almost Christmas and so I’m going to sign off here for a couple of weeks. I have all of the presents for Amy and Toby wrapped, the larder and fridge are well stocked, the log pile is full and the christmas tree is up and decorated, so I think I’m organised. I’ve not had to gift shop for H as it’s been years since we bought Christmas gifts for each other – we learnt quite early on that he doesn’t know much about yarn and I know even less about bicycle chain sets and derailleurs. So it was by mutual agreement that we decided to buy our own gifts at Christmastime. This year he’s looking forward to using a new set of titanium spoked wheels and I’m going to be enjoying these goodies…

Devotions, The selected poems of Mary Oliver;

heavenly smelling ‘resurrection’ Aesop handcream;

beautifully bound Slightly Foxed editions of Adrian Bell’s triology of books 1920’s farming life in rural Suffolk ;

soothingly tactile mug for tea from Andrea Roman, A R Ceramics;

Viola yarn, organic Merino DK in ‘Silver Birch’ and Merino fingering in ‘Rosehip’ from Loop London.

However, the gift that we do always give to each other is one far more precious than any material possesions, and that is time. Over the Christmas period, when Toby is off from the routine of school, things can get intense and wearying and so each of us makes sure that the other one has at least 2 hours of free time each day, time when the other person is responsible for the constant supervision that Toby needs. For H this might be going out cycling or spending time up in the attic playing a computer game. And for me this sometimes means going out for a wood walk alone – seeking the peace that I always find in quiet natural spaces; sometimes it might be time for a warm bath (though often that doesn’t work out too well if Toby hears the taps running as it turns into Toby-bath-time instead, especially if there are scented bubbles involved); and sometimes it’s just space within the busyness of the day to sit quietly listening to music or watching a film and having some uninterrupted knitting time at home while H takes Toby out.

Over the next 2 weeks I’ll be looking forward to my little peaceful parcels of ‘me-time’ and curling up with one of these books, or casting on some mittens with some of this yarn. But before our holidays begin I need to go and pick up Amy from uni and then we can start our festive time altogether.

And with that thought, I’m going to leave you with the wish that your festive celebrations, whatever they may be, are full of small joys and that you are surrounded by those you love most and share many tender and happy times with them,

with love and my warmest best wishes to you for the holidays and for the bright new decade that awaits us,

J xxxx