From start to finish

My collage today really shows the beginning and end of my day: the first was taken from my bed, where I was drinking tea and exchanging text messages with my younger son, who's in Seoul this week for work and was finished for the day just as I was thinking I should get started. I didn't in fact get up until it was slightly lighter outside: I did 15 minutes of Italian after finishing my mug of tea and by that time had the willpower to dig myself out of a cosy nest. 

I'd told my friend who picks me up for Pilates class that I'd cut it really fine to meet her on the road so that I didn't freeze to death, and I was just reaching the end of the lane when she pulled up across it, so that was great. I looked like a demented elf, with my leggings (I hate leggings, and they're not warm, but ...), a very puffy gilet over a fleece, furry high boots and a red fleecy hat - but no-one was around to see me. Phew. Pilates was particularly exhausting today - I blame the three consecutive 30 second elbow planks towards the end of the hour. Reader, I trembled - but I did it!

After that it was home for coffee in front of the fire, followed by lunch (sinfully delicious Stornoway way Black Pudding in a roll with ketchup) and the Sunday paper. I could readily just have festered there all afternoon, but forced myself to go out to walk to the Post Office and get stamps for and then post my overseas cards. 

Apparently this cold weather is to go on affecting our neck of the woods till Wednesday before the rain arrives. Tonight when I locked up a brisk and bitter east wind pushed the outer door into my face; even with good double glazing it makes a difference to the temperature in our bedroom. But before I go and experience it: the second picture is of one of our Advent calendars, the one we built on Friday. As you take the day's gift out of each of the houses, the windows in that house light up, because the lights that we so painstakingly stuck in place shine up unimpeded by the bottle or candle or whatever lives in the house. 

First find your house number ...