Playing carols

Monday
I had to pop out and do some grocery shopping in the morning, then I prepared a cheese platter and wrapped the book for our Book Club lunch and book exchange. Nancy always graciously hosts us for this event, and her home is always so beautifully decorated for Christmas. We had a good number this year - nine of us. We were well fed, and enjoyed some good conversation, before starting on the Book exchange. We all take a wrapped book, and then we draw a number. The first person chooses a book, then the next person can either steal the previous persons book, or choose from the remaining. Successive people can choose to take any of the books that have gone before. I was quite lucky, in that I picked number 8, so there was only one person after me, and I was able to keep what I got, which was Horse by Geraldine Brooks, which has been very well reviewed, and I was looking forward to reading at some point. After the book exchange, we set about the task of choosing books for next year. We had each submitted books we were interested in, and then we voted on them.
When I got back home, about 4 pm, Roger was out at the gym, and I made myself a cup of tea, then played some Christmas carols at the piano. The Virtuoso study book next to the hymn book does not reflect my level of ability. It was a study book my Mum recommended years ago, and I still use from time to time to help keep my fingers fairly nimble. In this particular case, I was simply using it to keep the hymn book open, otherwise it keeps closing on me!