Sums up the morning

Horrible wet morning, and the bare branches of the beech tree were reflected in the puddles.
However, the day brightened up when my sister arrived to stay for a few days. We swapped Christmas presents which went down well. Amongst my presents from Judith was a knitting kit which she had bought in a charity shop. Maybe the original owner had discarded it because a) the pattern is in French, b) it has to be knitted on a circular needle and c) it is a very strange lacy yarn! We had fun trying to translate the pattern with the help of the iPad but it really isn't a lot clearer. All is not lost, however, as I have a good friend who is not only a fluent French speaker but also a keen knitter! I will enlist her help.

Sorry Liz, this isn't the cheerful blip you were hoping for.