Just an aid memoir that we had snow in November! I can’t ever remember that happening before. I wonder if it is a sign that this winter is going to be colder than normal. With us having such mild winters I think there would be deep shock and probably some ill equipped people in the way of warm clothes and footwear were we to experience the winters we did as a child in the early 80’s. With one particular winter where it was still snowing heavily in March! The country nearly came to a standstill because of the terrible weather, and school children were still expected to walk the nearly three miles to school, no days off for a bit of snow in those days.

Needless to say we are well prepared in the mandycharlie household. The chimney was swept a couple of weeks ago, fuel and firelighters have been bought as have candles, the cupboards are full, emergency long life milk is in the cupboard and I have plenty of flour for bread. I love winter but I don’t want to go out when it is slippy, I have no sense of balance at the best of times, something to do with small feet for my height I suspect.

So I shall tuck myself up with my knitting and my Christmas baking and all will be well with my world.

The last two months have been quite difficult. Hubby’s diagnosis of cancer and treatment rocked our little boat at the same time Dad had a very nasty fall and was hospitalised for three weeks where he had a bit of a turn and we nearly lost him, followed by rehabilitation. Hubby’s recovery from surgery is going well and we are now onto the next stage of his treatment with intensive radiotherapy. To that end he has had a tooth removed that may cause trouble in the future and will be having his mask made at the end of the week.

So for the most of October and November I have felt pretty tired. But now I feel recovery, which has been long awaited and very welcome.

We have managed a little jaunt to the German Market in Birmingham. The first try met with disaster when hubby eager not to miss the train decided that not having been out for weeks meant he was as fit as any athlete and sprinted for said train. Of course that did not end well and he face planted onto the path. I knew non of this as I’d been dropped off to get tickets whilst he parked. And the first I knew of it was a man covering his face walked past me as he was being led into the ticket office by a young lady was wearing one of my hand knit hats… I’d never have recognised him if he’d been wearing a commercial woolly hat. I exclaimed ‘that’s my husband’, and immediately realised there had been an accident. Needless to say the paramedics were wonderful.

On the second try a few days later we managed to get to Birmingham successfully and had a lovely day. A little light shopping in Selfridges, mainly so that I could look at the latest winter edits from Chanel as I love both their eyeshadows and lipsticks and with the closure of so many department stores over the years this is now the nearest to me to indulge in my small twice yearly passion for Chanel make up. Which was followed by a lovely walk in the dark and twinkly coloured lights to admire the wooden cabins and all that they offered.

A meal at Mrs Chews at Grand Central was a success with hubby able to eat the seabass and rice and homeward bound content with having done over 10,000 steps each, which I think was a wonderful achievement for hubby.