Mrs Marks has been maturing our pudding!

Having given up on the traditional housewifery tasks some years ago we thought we'd take advantage of our visit to M&S to stock up on Christmas goodies.  We've agreed to take the Christmas Pudding when we visit Yorkshire Life on Christmas Day as she's volunteered too sort out the main course.  We still have to decide if we go for straight custard or Brandy Sauce (or both).

I've been stocking up the bird feeders in the garden today as our forecast is for snow tomorrow, but I'm sure the birds are grateful as it's been very cold outside, snow or not.  We have a garden full of Blue Tits at the moment, plus a few Coal Tits and the occasional Great Tit.  I counted at least thirteen sparrows picking up the corn I'd put out for the pheasants, though hearing them in the hedge you'd think there were at least a hundred.  Blackbirds (quite a few of them too) are picking over the cut apples that Ann has put out and stripping the final Cotoneaster tree of their berries while the starlings demolish the fat balls and the goldfinches take any free opportunity to descend on the seed feeders.  All in all it's been quite a hectic day, one way or another.  Oh and the Dunnock and Robin have visited too.